• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2021.05a
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• pp.191-192
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• 2021

For the stable management of radioactive waste, it is necessary to secure a solidification treatment technology capable of immobilizing hazardous radioactive elements in a solid matrix. In this study, the feasibility of using recycled cement recovered from waste concrete as a solidifying material for radioactive waste was analyzed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2005.11b
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• pp.236-244
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• 2005

Radioactive wastes arising from a wide range of human activities are in many different physical and chemical forms, contaminated with varying radioactivity. Their common feature is the potential hazard associated with their radioactivity and the need to manage them in such a way as to protect the human environment. The geological disposal is regarded as the most reasonable and effective way to safely disposal high-level radioactive wastes in the world. The conceptual model of geological disposal in China is based on a multi-barrier system that combines an isolating geological environment with an engineered barrier system. The buffer is one of the main engineered barriers for HLW repository. The buffer material is expected to maintain its low water permeability, self-sealing property, radio nuclides adsorption and retardation property, thermal conductivity, chemical buffering property, overpack supporting property, stress buffering property over a long period of time. Benotite is selected as the main content of buffer material that can satisfy above. GMZ deposit is selected as the candidate supplier for Chinese buffer material of High Level Radioactive waste repository. This paper presents geological features of GMZ deposit and basic property of GMZ Na bentonite. GMZ bentonite deposit is a super large scale deposits with high content of Montmorillonite (about $75\%$) and GMZ-l, which is Na-bentonite produced from GMZ deposit is selected as reference material for Chinese buffer material study.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.244-252
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• 2021

Wind plays an important role in cases of unexpected radioactive pollutant dispersion, deciding distribution and concentration of the leaked substance. The accurate prediction of wind has been challenging in numerical weather prediction models, especially near the surface because of the complex interaction between turbulent flow and topographic effect. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of atmospheric dispersion of radioactive material (i.e. ¹³⁷Cs) according to the simulated boundary layer around the HANARO research nuclear reactor in Korea using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-Mesoscale Model Interface (MMIF)-California Puff (CALPUFF) model system. We examined the impacts of orographic drag on wind field, stability calculation methods, and planetary boundary layer parameterizations on the dispersion of radioactive material under a radioactive leaking scenario. We found that inclusion of the orographic drag effect in the WRF model improved the wind prediction most significantly over the complex terrain area, leading the model system to estimate the radioactive concentration near the reactor more conservatively. We also emphasized the importance of the stability calculation method and employing the skillful boundary layer parameterization to ensure more accurate low atmospheric conditions, in order to simulate more feasible spatial distribution of the radioactive dispersion in leaking scenarios.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.8-10
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• 1997

In recent years, the metal industry has become increasingly aware of an unwanted component in metal scrap-radioactive material. Worldwide, there have 38 instances where radioactive sources were unintentionally smelted in the course of recycling metal scrap. In some cases contaminated metal consumer products were distributed internationally. U.S. mill that have smelted a radioactive source face costs resulting from decontamination, waste disposal, and lost profits that range from 7 to 23 million U.S. dollars for each case. Despite radiation monitoring system does not provide 100% protection, POSCO has developed the system for the first time in the steel industry of KOREA.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.577-583
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• 2012

The transport of radioactive material by sea is strictly governed by the international regulatory regime which is established by both IAEA and IMO. Nonetheless, although the current regime is well established, due to catastrophic results of potential accident, it is essential to keep identifying areas where further enhancement is necessary. This paper reviews the current regulatory regime governing sea transport, such as IAEA Regulations, IMDG Code and INF Code. Then, specific requirements of the INF Code are analyzed for the purpose of identifying areas where improvement is necessary from the perspective of ships. Through this analysis, this paper identifies areas to be improved and proposes to improve the INF Code which can supplement the current regulatory regime for sea transport of radioactive material.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.507-513
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• 2022

When X-ray energy above 8 MV is used, photoneutrons are generated by the photonuclear reaction, which activates the components of linear accelerator (linac). Safely managing the radioactive material, when disposing linac or replacing components, is difficult, as the standards for the radioactive material management are not clear in Korea. We surveyed the management status of radioactive components occurred from medical linacs in Korea. And we also measured the activation of each part of the discarded Elekta linac using a survey meter and portable High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector. We found that most medical institutions did not perform radiation measurements when disposing of radioactive components. The radioactive material was either stored within the institution or collected by the manufacturer. The surface dose rate measurements showed that the parts with high surface dose rates were target, primary collimator, and multileaf collimator (MLC). ⁶⁰Co nuclide was detected in most parts, whereas for the target, ⁶⁰Co and ¹⁸⁴Re nuclides were detected. Results suggest that most institutions in Korea did not have the regulations for disposing radioactive waste from linac or the management procedures and standards were unclear. Further studies are underway to evaluate short-lived radionuclides and to lay the foundation for radioactive waste management from medical linacs.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.11
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• pp.4005-4012
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• 2022

As high-level radioactive waste (HLW) generated from nuclear power plants is harmful to the human body, it must be safely disposed of by an engineered barrier system consisting of disposal canisters and buffer and backfill materials. A gap exists between the canister and buffer material in a HLW repository and between the buffer material and natural rock-this gap may reduce the water-blocking ability and heat transfer efficiency of the engineered barrier materials. Herein, the basic characteristics and thermal properties of granular bentonite, a candidate gap-filling material, were investigated, and their effects on the temperature change of the buffer material were analyzed numerically. Heat transfer by air conduction and convection in the gap were considered simultaneously. Moreover, by applying the Korean reference disposal system, changes in the properties of the buffer material were derived, and the basic design of the engineered barrier system was presented according to the gap filling material (GFM). The findings showed that a GFM with high initial thermal conductivity must be filled in the space between the buffer material and rock. Moreover, the target dry density of the buffer material varied according to the initial wet density, specific gravity, and water content values of the GFM.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.185-199
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• 2024

Disposal cover as an engineered barrier of a near-surface disposal facility for low and very low-level radioactive waste is composed of a multi-layer to isolate radioactive waste from environmental influences for the long term. To acquire a realistic forecast for the post-closure period of the disposal facility, it is essential to carry out long-term experimental research in a similar condition to the actual disposal environment. Hence, a performance test facility of the disposal cover was constructed in Gyeongju low and intermediate level radioactive waste disposal center in 2022. The constructed performance test facility has differences from the material properties presented in the design. These differences are factors that affect the prevent rainfall infiltration, which is one of the important roles of the disposal cover. Therefore, in this study, a numerical simulation of rainfall infiltration into the performance test facility was performed for the designed case and the actual constructed case. To simulate the behavior of water infiltration, the FEFLOW software based on the finite element method is used. Through the analysis of numerical simulation results, it is confirmed that the hydraulic conductivity of the material constituting the multi-layer of the disposal cover greatly influences the amount of water infiltration.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.511-516
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• 2008

Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP) developed new IP-2 packages to transport low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) steel drums from nuclear power plants to a disposal facility in accordance with IAEA and Korean transport regulations of radioactive material. Radiation shielding evaluation of the packages was carried out to demonstrate compliance with the regulatory requirements for IP-2 packages of radioactive material. Dose rate limits of LILW drums contained in the packages were determined.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2019.05a
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• pp.53-54
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• 2019