• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.301-310
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• 2014

In this study, the silica nanoparticles were considerably chosen to improve a dimensional stability, proton transport and electrochemical performance of the resulting inorganic-organic nanocomposite membranes. For this purpose, hydrophobic silica (Aerosil$^{(R)}$ 812, Degussa) and hydrophilic silica (Aerosil$^{(R)}$ 380, Degussa) nanoparticles were, respectively, introduced into a Sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPAES) polymer matrix. The $SiO_2$ particles are evenly dispersed in a SPAES matrix by the aid of a non-ionic surfactant (Pluronics$^{(R)}$ L64). A $SiO_2$ content plays an important role in membrane microstructures and membrane properties such as proton conductivity and water uptake. Therefore, to study nanocomposite membranes with excessive amount of silica, the content of silica nanoparticles were increased up to 5 wt%. Interestingly, a hydrophobic $SiO_2$ containing nanocomposite membrane showed better electrochemical performance (29% higher than pristine SPAES) despite of low proton conductivity due to its adhesive properties with a catalyst layer in a single cell test. All the silica-SPAES membranes exhibited better performance than a pristine SPAES membrane.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.199-204
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• 2017

In this study, a study was carried out for the separation of metal ions in lignin extract discharged from the pulp process. alumina powders were mixed with DMAc (N, N-dimethylacetamide) solvent and PESf (Polyethersulfone) polymer, PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone) dispersant was added and slip casting method was used to prepare the membrane. The membrane was measured for pore size through a CFP (Capillary Flow Porometer) device and the surface and cross-section of the membrane were observed through a FE-SEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope). The flux was calculated by measuring the filtered weight per hour using a separation experiment device. Pore size measurements were performed under increasing pressure from 0 psi to 30 psi. The pore size of the membrane was $0.4{\mu}m$ and the flux decreased from the initial flux value of $6.36kg{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}h^{-1}$ to $1.98kg{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}h^{-1}$ due to the fouling of the membrane. After the permeation experiment, membrane contaminants were removed by simple washing. Separation experiments showed that Na contained in the initial lignin extract was reduced by 69%, Fe was removed by 87%, K by 95%, Ca by 93% and Mg by 96%.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.329-334
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• 2006

The depth distributions of total $^3H$ and $^{14}C$ activities were characterized for the activated shielding concrete from a decommissioning of KRR-2 using the commercially available tube furnace and a liquid scintillation counter. The correlation of measurement results between $^3H,\;^{14}C$ and gammer emitter was evaluated to apply for estimating radionuclide inventory of the concrete waste generated from decommissioning KRR-2. The detection limits for $^3H$ and $^{14}C$ are 0.048 and 0.028 Bq/g respectively. The specific activities of the $^3H$ and $^{14}C$ tend to decrease exponentially as the depth of the concrete becomes deeper from the surface. In addition, the $^3H$ and $^{14}C$ activities were in good correlation with the $^{60}CO$ activities analysed for the shielding concrete of KRR-2.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 2016

In this study, the dispersion process of pollutant substances in a port under wave and current environments was evaluated by a hydraulic experiment. Once the contaminants washed ashore into the port of Wolseong nuclear power plant, transport processes of pollutants were investigated by tracking the tracer according to the variations of experimental condition through a hydraulic experiment. Several hydraulic experiments were performed to analyze the pollutant discharge rate of the surface coming from the different coastal environments. From the hydraulic experiment results, the tracer concentration decreased exponentially. These results suggested that, after the tracer was transported to the open sea, a different gradient was shown under different conditions. For the case of a diluted condition, the half-life of flow rate was 2.70, 10.40, and 26.39 days for 30, 20 and 10 rpm in the left-side, respectively. The decrease of the tracer concentration under conditions of 30 rpm was much faster than that under conditions of 10 rpm. For the wave condition, the half-life of flow rate was 4.59 and 15.35 days for the right and left side of the port in a hydraulic scale prototype, respectively.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.297-306
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• 2008

This study was carried out to identify the characteristics of hydrochemistry controlling groundwater chemical condition in a repository site of Gyeongju. For this study, 12 bore holes of all monitoring bore holes in the study area were selected and total 46 groundwater samples were collected with depth. In addition, 3 surfacewater samples and 1 seawater sample were collected. For water samples, cations and anions were analyzed. The environmental isotopes(${\delta}^{18}O-{\delta}D$, Tritium, ${\delta}^{13}C,\;{\cdot}{\delta}^{34}S$) were also analyzed to trace the origin of water and solutes. The result of ${\delta}^{18}O\;and\;{\delta}D$ analysis showed that surface water and groundwater were originated from precipitation. Tritium concentrations of groundwater decreased with depth but high concentrations of tritium indicated that groundwater was recharged recently. The results of ion and correlation analysis showed that groundwater types of the study area were represented by Ca-Na-$HCO_3$ and Na-Cl-$SO_4$, which was caused by sea spray and water-rock interaction. Especially, high ratio of Na content in groundwater resulted from ion exchange. For redox condition of groundwater, the values of DO and Eh decreased with depth, which indicated that reducing condition was formed in deeper groundwater. In addtion, high concentration of Fe and Mn showed that redox condition of groundwater was controlled by the reduction of Fe and Mn oxides.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

A large amount of acidic waste solution is generated from the practical electrokinetic decontamination equipments for the remediation of soil contaminated with uranium. After filtration of uranium hydroxides formed by adding CaO into the waste solution, the filtrate was recycled in order to reduce the volume of waste solution. However, when the filtrate was used in an electrokinetic equipment, the low permeability of the filtrate from anode cell to cathode cell due to a high concentration of calcium made several problems such as the weakening of a fabric tamis, the corrosion of electric wire and the adhension of metallic oxides to the surface of cathode electrode. To solve these problems, sulfuric acid was added into the filtrate and calcium in the solution was removed as $CaSO_4$ precipitate. A decontamination test using a small electrokinetic equipment for 20 days indicated that Ca-removed waste solution decreased uranium concentration of the waste soil to 0.35 Bq/g, which is a similar to a decontamination result obtained by distilled water.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.123-136
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• 2018

The objective of this study is to propose a new methodology to fabricate a reliable engineering-scale buffer block, which shows homogeneous and uniform distribution in buffer block density, for in-situ experiments. In this study, for the first time in Korea, floating die press and CIP (Cold Isostatic Press) are applied for the manufacture of an engineering-scale bentonite buffer. The optimized condition and field applicability are also evaluated with respect to the method of manufacturing the buffer blocks. It is found that the standard deviation of the densities obtained decreases noticeably and that the average dry density increases slightly. In addition, buffer size is reduced by about 5% at the same time. Through the test production, it is indicated that the stress release phenomenon decreases after the application of the CIP method, which leads to a reduction in crack generation on the surface of the buffer blocks over time. Therefore, it is confirmed that the production of homogeneous buffer blocks on industrial scale is possible using the method suggested in this study, and that the produced blocks also meet the design conditions for dry density of buffer blocks in the AKRS (Advanced Korea Reference Disposal System of HLW).

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.1101-1109
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• 2010

We investigated the combustion rate and kinetic rate of char when burning in oxygen-enriched atmospheres with either an $N_2$ or $CO_2$ bath gas in a drop tube furnace. The experiments were performed with sub-bituminous coal (Adaro) and bituminous coal (Coal valley) under atmospheric pressure conditions. Two different coals were investigated over 12 to 30 vol% oxygen and furnace temperatures of 900, 1100, and $1300^{\circ}C$. For both coals, the particle temperature and overall reaction rate are lower in the $CO_2$ bath gas. However, analysis of single-particle data shows that the surface-specific burning rate of char oxidation is similar in both gases. In addition, the kinetic rate and activation energy for each coal were similar for both gases. Generally, the particle temperature and overall reaction rate of sub-bituminous coal are higher than those of bituminous coal.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2014

Recently, the fuel oil of diesel engines of marine ships has been increasingly changed to heavy oil of low quality as the oil price is getting higher and higher. Therefore, the spiral gear attached at the motor of the oil purifier which plays an important role to purify the heavy oil is also easy to expose at severe environmental condition due to the purification of the heavy oil in higher temperature. Thus, the material of the spiral gear requires a better mechanical strength, wear and corrosion resistance. In this study, the heat treatment(tempering) with various holding time at temperature of $500^{\circ}C$ was carried out to the alloy of Cu-7Al-2.5Si as centrifugal casting, and the properties of both hardness and corrosion resistance with and without heat treatment were investigated with observation of the microstructure and with electrochemical methods, such as measurement of corrosion potential, cathodic and anodic polarization curves, cyclic voltammogram, and a.c. impedance. in natural seawater solution. The ${\alpha}$, ${\beta}^{\prime}$ and ${\gamma}_2$ phases were observed in the material in spite of no heat treatment due to quenching effect of a spin mold. However, their phases, that is, ${\beta}^{\prime}$ and ${\gamma}_2$ phases decreased gradually with increasing the holding time at a constant temperature of $500^{\circ}C$. The hardness more or less decreased with heat treatment, however its corrosion resistance was improved with the heat treatment. Furthermore, the longer holding time, the better corrosion resistance. In addition, when the holding time was 48hrs, its corrosion current density showed the lowest value. The pattern of corroded surface was nearly similar to that of the pitting corrosion, and this morphology was greatly observed in the case of no heat treatment. It is considered that ${\gamma}_2$ phase at the grain boundary was corroded preferentially as an anode. However, the pattern of general corrosion exhibited increasingly due to decreasing the ${\gamma}_2$ phase with heat treatment. Consequently, it is suggested that the corrosion resistance of Cu-7Al-2.5Si alloy can be improved with the heat treatment as a holding time for 48 hrs at $500^{\circ}C$.

• Plant Journal
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.46-51
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• 2017

In this study, the boiler efficiency and the change of boiler combustion state with the burner operation of the uppermost layer of 870MW opposite fired coal boiler were measured. Test results showed that the boiler efficiency was high in the order of the uppermost layer simultaneous operation of the front and rear burners, the front burner, and the rear burner operation. When the front and rear burners were operated simultaneously, the heat absorption rate of water walls in the boiler furnace was uniform at four side, and the temperature deviation of the left and right steam on the convection front surface decreased. As the heat absorption rate of the boiler improved, the loss of boiler exhaust gas decreased and the coal supply amount decreased by 8 tons/hour compared to the operation of the rear burner. This will contribute not only to the reduction of fuel cost but also to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.