• 원자력산업
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• 제19권6호통권196호
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• pp.56-60
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• 1999

원자력 정책에서 안전성과 운영 실적 환경$\cdot$보전$\cdot$경제성 등은 매우 중요한 인자이다. 핵주기의 선택은 에너지 정책, 연료의 다양성, 공급의 안정과 관련된 모든 사회적$\cdot$환경적 영향에 있어 매우 중요하다. 특히 원전의 고준위 방사성 폐기물인 사용후 핵연료 관리는 높은 방사선 준위뿐만 아니라 장기적인 관리 기간이 소요되는 어려운 사업이다. 본 연구는 사용후 핵연료 관리 방안인 재처리와 직접 처분의 비용 분석, 안전성, 대국민용인 측면을 살펴보았다. 직접 처분이 재처리에 비해 약 $7{\%}$ 정도의 경제성이 있고, 직접 처분의 사용후 핵연료는 재처리 폐기물보다 높은 위험도를 갖는다. 대국민 용인 측면서는 두가지 처리 방법 모두 받아들여지지 않는다. 결론적으로, 사용후 핵연료 관리는 모든 사회 $\cdot$환경적 영향과 경제성을 고려한 핵주기 정책과 병행하여 지속적인 기술 개발을 통한 안전성 확보가 필요하다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.117-121
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• 2016

Background: Definition and grouping of initiating events (IEs) are important basics for probabilistic safety assessment (PSA). An IE in a spent fuel reprocessing plant (SFRP) is an event that probably leads to the release of dangerous material to jeopardize workers, public and environment. The main difference between SFRPs and nuclear power plants (NPPs) is that hazard materials spread diffusely in a SFRP and radioactive material is just one kind of hazard material. Materials and Methods: Since the research on IEs for NPPs is in-depth around the world, there are several general methods to identify IEs: reference of lists in existence, review of experience feedback, qualitative analysis method, and deductive analysis method. While failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) is an important qualitative analysis method, master logic diagram (MLD) method is the deductive analysis method. IE identification in SFRPs should be consulted with the experience of NPPs, however the differences between SFRPs and NPPs should be considered seriously. Results and Discussion: The plutonium uranium reduction extraction (Purex) process is adopted by the technics in a model reprocessing plant. The first extraction cycle (FEC) is the pivotal process in the Purex process. Whether the FEC can function safely and steadily would directly influence the production process of the whole plant-production quality. Important facilities of the FEC are installed in the equipment cells (ECs). In this work, IEs in the FEC process were identified and categorized by FMEA and MLD two methods, based on the fact that ECs are containments in the plant. Conclusion: The results show that only two ECs in the FEC do not need to be concerned particularly with safety problems, and criticality, fire and red oil explosion are IEs which should be emphatically analyzed. The results are accordant with the references.

• 한국국방경영분석학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.14-28
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• 1990

The objective of this study is to propose how to acquire through international cooperation the sensitive nuclear technology, so called reprocessing technology. In spite of the need to reuse spent fuel, the transfer of the sensitive technology has been tightly controlled by the nuclear advanced countries due to the fear of nuclear proliferation and, in fact, it would be impossible to secure it by the economic means. In this regard, as a means of acquiring the sensitive nuclear technology, this study proposes the following; 1) President's declaration concerning the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, 2) the establishment and maintenance of national basis through inter-ministerial cooperation, 3) as a confidence building measure, the efforts to strengthen our role in the international nuclear community, and 4) the establishment of the synthetic feedback system to efficiently coordinate. In line with those stated above, this study suggests that it be necessary to invest consistently for developing new technologies and cultivating human resources. Furthermore, this study proposes the necessity to resolve the problems lying ahead by the national consensus achieved through the discussions among the public concerning the sensitive nuclear technology.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.155-162
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• 2008

후행 핵연료주기 경제성 평가는 추정 비용의 불확실성, 평가 대상기간의 장기성, 적용 할인율에 따른 계산결과의 변동성 등 많은 불확실성을 내포하고 있기 때문에 평가기관 또는 평가자에 따라 그 결과가 서로 상이하다. 본고에서는 지금까지 수행 된 주요 경제성 평가 연구들을 조사/분석하여 그 특징과 한계를 알아봄으로써 현재 국내에서 추진되고 있는 사용후핵연료 공론화 및 후행 핵연료주기 정책 연구 추진에 기초자료로 활용될 수 있도록 하고자 하였다. 분석 결과 사용후핵연료 재활용 옵션에 비해 직접처분 옵션이 유리하나, 입력 자료로 사용된 파라미터 값에 따라 결과의 불확실성이 많이 나타나 이 부분에 대한 추가적인 연구가 필요하다는 사실을 알 수 있었다.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.37-43
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• 2021

국내에는 다수의 원자력시설이 존재하며, 지리적으로 비핵화 대상국인 북한을 주변국으로 두고 있다. 변화하는 국제 정세에 따른 선제적 대응으로 대상시설에 대한 핵감식 데이터를 구축할 필요가 있다. 이를 위해 국내 원자력시설 및 핵연료 주기를 고려하여 핵물질 및 기타 방사성물질의 기원 또는 출처를 파악하는데 사용되는 표지물질을 제시하였다. 국내에서는 경수로 및 중수로를 운용하고 있으며 각각 핵연료로 농축 우라늄과 천연우라늄을 사용한다. 국내 선행핵연료주기에서 표지물질은 중수로형 원자력발전소의 연료인 천연우라늄과 우라늄 농축과정의 UF6으로 생각할 수 있다. 국내 후행핵연료주기는 재처리 과정을 제외된 비순환 주기를 채택하고 있어 주요 표지물질은 사용후핵연료가 된다. 해당 물질들에 대해 IAEA 문헌에서 권고하는 표지물질의 시그니처 중요도를 판단하고 조사 항목을 제시하였다. 향후 핵감식에서 핵물질 관리에 대한 무결성 입증과 국가 핵감식 역량을 높이기 위한 핵감식 라이브러리 구축을 위해 국내 원자력시설과 핵연료주기를 고려한 표지물질을 파악하고 해당물질 별 시그니처 데이터를 확보해야 할 것으로 생각된다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.69-76
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• 1976

핵연료 재처리 과정이나 원자력발전소에서 대량으로 발생되는 비교적 반감기가 긴 핵종들(Sr-90, Ru-106, Cb-137, Ce-144)의 화학응집제와 국산점토 광물(montmorillonite)에 의한 제거 효율을 결정하기 위해 본 실험이 수행되었다. Phosphate process는 Ce-144의 제거에 있어서 99.5% 이상의 극히 좋은 효율을 나타냈고, lime-soda process는 Sr-90에 대하여 93%의 높은 제거율을 보였으며, Cs-187에 대해서는 copper-ferrocyanide가 제거율 99%의 매우 적절한 화학 응집제임을 나타냈다. Phosphate나 lime-soda process에서 가장 좋은 제거효율은 PH 11 이상에서 얻어졌다. 그리고 NaCl로 처리된 montmorillonite가 방사성 핵종들은 제거하는데 있어서 natural montmorillonite 보다 향상된 제거 효율을 보여주었다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권1호
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• pp.188-198
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• 2021

A modern approach to nuclear energy involves reprocessing like transmutations of spent nuclear fuel products to reduce their radiotoxicity and time needed for their storage. For this purpose, they are immobilized in inert matrices made of zirconia and can be "burned" in fast neutron reactor or Accelerator Driven System. These matrices in spherical form can be obtained by sol-gel process. The paper presents a method of microspheres fabrication based on the combined Complex Sol-Gel Process and double extraction process consisting in the preparation of zirconium-ascorbate sol and simultaneous extraction of water and nitrates. The procedure allows obtaining gel microspheres with a diameter of 50 ㎛, which after heat treatment are processed into the final product. The synthesis of zirconia microspheres with Yttrium by internal gelation process is well known for over a decade now. However, the explanation and characterization of synthesis of such material by extraction of water process is rarely found. Parameters such as: pH, viscosity, shape, sphericity and crystal structure have been determined for synthesized products and semi-products. In addition, preliminary research consisting in irradiation of the obtained materials in fast and thermal neutron flux was carried out. The obtained results are presented and described in this work.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권5호
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• pp.1644-1650
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• 2023

In spent fuel reprocessing, UO₂(DBP)₂ (U-DBP) can be deposited in stainless steel equipment. U-DBP must be removed by dissolution and the process must not cause corrosion to stainless steel. This study was conducted to find the best scheme for dissolution. U-DBP was manufactured by the titrimetric sedimentation method. The effects of different factors on the dissolution of U-DBP were investigated. For example, solid-liquid ratio, hydrazine carbonate solutions with different mass components, mixed solutions containing different concentrations of H₂O₂, and different carbonates. The results indicated that U-DBP does not have a regular crystal morphology. With the increase of the solid-liquid ratio and the mass fraction of hydrazine carbonate, the concentration of U(VI) at the dissolution equilibrium increases gradually. The addition of H₂O₂ has a great promotion effect on the dissolution. However, when the concentration of H₂O₂ is greater than 0.5 M, the dissolution solution may have an erosive effect on the stainless steel. (NH₄)₂CO₃ can increase the dissolution capacity of dissolved U-DBP, but it may also accelerate the corrosion of stainless steel.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권12호
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• pp.4660-4670
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• 2022

Hydroxyurea (HU) is a novel salt-free reductant used potentially for the separation of U/Pu in the advanced PUREX process. In this work, the radiation stability of HU were systematically investigated in solution by examining the effects of the type of rays (α, β, and γ irradiations), the absorbed dose (10-50 kGy), and the HNO₃ concentration (0-3 mol L^-1). The influence degree on HU radiolysis rates followed the order of the absorbed dose > the ray type > the HNO₃ concentration, but the latter two had moderate effects on HU radiolysis products where NH₄⁺ and NO₂^- were found to be the most abundant ones, suggesting that the differences of α, β, and γ rays should be considered in the study of irradiation effects. The radiolysis mechanism was explored using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and it proposed the dominant radiolysis paths of HU, indicating that the radiolysis of HU was mainly a free radical reaction among ·H, e_aq^-, H₂O, intermediates, and the radiolytic free radical fragments of HU. The results reported here provide valuable insights into the mechanistic understanding of HU radiolysis under α, β, and γ irradiations and reliable data support for the application of HU in the reprocessing of spent fuel.