• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.85-93
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• 2013

This study has been carried out to elucidate the characteristics of the dissolution for Thermal Decomposed Solid Waste of uranium-bearing sludge (TDSW), the removal of impurities by an alkalization in a nitric acid dissolving solution of TDSW, and the selective removal (/recovery) of uranium by an acidification in an carbonate alkali solution, respectively. TDSW generated by thermal decomposition of U-bearing sludge which was produced in the uranium conversion plant operation, was stored in KAERI as a solid-powder type. It is found that the dissolution of TDSW is more effective in nitric acid dissolution than oxidative-dissolution with carbonate. At 1 M nitric acid solution, TDSW was undissolved about 30wt% as a solid residue, and uranium contained in TDSW was dissolved more than 99%. In order to the alkalization for the nitric acid dissolving solution of TDSW, carbonate alkalization is more effective with respect to remove the impurities. At the carbonate alkali solution controlled to about 9 of pH, Al, Ca, Fe and Zn co-dissolved with U in dissolution step was removed about $98{\pm}1%$. On the other hand, U could be recovered more than 99% by an acidification at pH about 3 in a carbonate alkali solution, which was nearly removed the impurities, adding 0.5M $H_2O_2$. It was found that uranium could be selectively recovered (/removed) from TDSW.

• Carbon letters
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.64-68
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• 2003

A study on the electrosorption of uranium ions onto a porous activated carbon fiber (ACF) was performed to treat uraniumcontaining lagoon sludge. The result of the continuous flow-through cell electrosorption experiments showed that the applied negative potential increased the adsorption kinetics and capacity in comparison to the open-circuit potential (OCP) adsorption for uranium ions. Effective U(VI) removal is accomplished when a negative potential is applied to the activated carbon fiber (ACF) electrode. For a feed concentration of 100 mg/L, the concentration of U(VI) in the cell effluent is reduced to less than 1 mg/L. The selective removal of uranium ions from electrolyte was possible by the electrosorption process.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.179-186
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• 2006

Chemical wastes are generated from nuclear facilities and R&D laboratories, but the uranium concentration in the final dried cake is evaluated into 11.2 Bq/g, which exceeds the exemption level of 10 Bq/g for each U isotopes, so the cake is categorized into a radioactive waste. Acid dissolution was applied to extract uranium from the waste sludge, and uranium adsorption on the dissolved solution was experimented by using IRN-77 and Diphosil bead. A large amount of resin was required to get above 80% of uranium removal, which was found to be due to a large amount of metal ions simultaneously dissolved from the precipitates with uranium. As an alternative method, acid dissolution is applied to the dewatered wet cake of the sludge, and the natural evaporation method is adopted for the dissolved solution. The uranium concentration of the dissolved solution was estimated to be 6.97E-01 Bq/ml, and the specific activity of the final waste sheets is evaluated to be 4.3 Bq/g. These results lead to the suggestion that the application of acid dissolution to the wet cake and the natural evaporation for the dissolved solution is an effective treatment method for chemical wastes containing uranium.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.322.1-322
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• 2002

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2006

It is a serious task to the decommissioning of the uranium conversion plant that the demolition of the lagoon sludge. The main component of the sludge is ammonium nitrate and that is the very explosive material. Therefore, the bio-denitrification is a attractive process to remove the nitrate. In this work, some process variables was tested such as incubation temperature, nitrate concentration, electron donor, C/N ratio, seeding ratio, and pH with an anaerobic bacteria as Pseudomonas halodenitrificans. The results would be used as basic data to the continuous bio-denitrification process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.701-706
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• 2003

A study on the electrosorption of U(VI) onto porous activated carbon fibers (ACFs) was performed to treat uranium-containing lagoon sludge. Effective U(Ⅵ) removal is accomplished when a negative potential is applied to the activated carbon fiber(ACF) electrode. For a feed concentration of 100mg/L, the concentration of U(VI) in the cell effluent is reduced to less than 1mg/L. The adsorbed uranium could be deserted from the ACF by passing a 1M NaCl solution through the cell and applying a positive potential onto the electrode. The regeneration of ACF from the cycling experiments was confirmed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.824-825
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• 2004

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.249-256
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• 2005

Thermal decomposition and stabilization characteristics of the solid cake after the dissolution of nitrate of the lagoon sludge was investigated. Most of the nitrates were dissolved in the water and removed to the filtrate, but small amount of nitrates, calcium carbonate and uranium were remained in the solid cake. The solid cake was thermally decomposed in the muffle furnace at $900^{\circ}C$ for 5 hours. Uranium, which is in the lagoon 1, was stabilized with $NaNO_3$ decomposition to $Na_{2}O{\cdot}2UO_3$ form. For the lagoon 2, it is confirmed that CaO, which was created by thermal decomposition of the $Ca(NO_3)_2$ and $CaCO_3$, was transferred to $Ca(OH)_2$ in the air with water. Because it is known that $Ca(OH)_2$ is stable material, further additives did not need to the stabilization of the thermal decomposition of the lagoons.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2005.11b
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• pp.290-299
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• 2005

Two decommissioning projects are carried out at the KAERI (Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute), one for the Korea research reactors, KRR-1 and KRR-2, and another for the uranium conversion plant (UCP). The concept of the management of the wastes from the decommissioning sites was reviewed with a relation of the decommissioning strategies, technologies for the treatment and the decontamination, and the characteristics of waste. All the liquid waste generated from KRR-1 and KRR-2 decommissioning site is evaporated by a solar evaporation facility and all the liquid waste from the UCP is treated together with lagoon sludge waste. The solid wastes from the decommissioning sites are categorized into three groups; not contaminated, restricted releasable and radioactive waste. The not-contaminated waste will be reused and/or disposed at an industrial disposal site, and the releasable waste is stored for the future disposal at the KAERI. The radioactive waste is packed in containers, and will be stored at the decommissioning sites till they are sent to a national repository site. The reduction of the radioactive solid waste is one of the strategies for the decommissioning projects and could be achieved by the repeated decontamination. By the achievement of the minimization strategy, the amount of radioactive waste was reduced and the disposal cost will be reduced, but the cost for manpower, for direct materials and for administration was increased.