• 방사선산업학회지
• /
• 제18권1호
• /
• pp.43-52
• /
• 2024

Currently, there are no interim storage facilities and permanent disposal facilities in Korea, so all spent nuclear fuels are temporarily stored. However, the temporary storage facility is approaching saturation, and as a measure to this, the 2nd Basic Plan for the Management of High-Level Radioactive Waste presented an operation plan for dry interim storage facilities and dry temporary storage facilities on the NPP on-site. The dry storage can be operated in various ways, and to select the optimal dry storage method, the reduction of exposure for workers must be considered. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop a worker exposure scenario according to the dry storage method and evaluate and compare the radiological impact for each method. The purpose of this study is to develop an exposure scenario for workers transporting spent nuclear fuel by dry storage method. To this end, first, the operation procedure of the foreign commercial spent nuclear fuel dry storage system was analyzed based on the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR). 1) the concrete overpack-based system, 2) the metal overpack-based system, and 3) the vertical storage module-based system were selected for analysis. Factors were assumed that could affect the type of work (working distance, working hours, number of workers, etc.) during transportation work. Finally, the work type of the processes involved in transporting spent nuclear fuel by dry storage method was set, and an exposure scenario was developed accordingly. The concrete overpack method, the metal overpack method, and the vertical storage module method were classified into a total of 31, 9, and 23 processes, respectively. The work distance, work time, and number of workers for each process were set. The product of working hours and number of workers (Man-hour) was set high in the order of concrete overpack method, vertical storage module method, and metal overpack method, and short-range work (10 cm) was most often applied to the concrete overpack method. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data for performing radiological comparisons of transport workers by dry storage method of spent nuclear fuel.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
• /
• 제20권2호
• /
• pp.193-207
• /
• 2022

Thermodynamically, TRUO_x, REO_x, and SrO_x can be chlorinated using ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) as a chlorinating agent, whereas uranium oxides (U₃O₈ and UO₂) remain in the oxide form. In the preliminary experiments of this study, U₃O₈ and CeO₂ are reacted separately with NH₄Cl at 623 K in a sealed reactor. CeO₂ is highly reactive with NH₄Cl and becomes chlorinated into CeCl₃. The chlorination yield ranges from 96% to 100%. By contrast, U₃O₈ remains as UO₂ even after chlorination. We produced U/REO_x- and U/SrO_x-simulated fuels to understand the chlorination characteristics of the oxide compounds. Each simulated fuel is chlorinated with NH₄Cl, and the products are dissolved in LiCl-KCl salt to separate the oxide compounds from the chloride salt. The oxide compounds precipitate at the bottom. The precipitate and salt phases are sampled and analyzed via X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. The analysis results indicate that REO_x and SrO_x can be easily chlorinated from the simulated fuels; however, only a few of U oxide phases is chlorinated, particularly from the U/SrO_x-simulated fuels.

• 분석과학
• /
• 제13권6호
• /
• pp.781-788
• /
• 2000

수소화물 생성-유도결합플라스마 원자방출분광법(HG-ICP-AES)을 이용하여 모의사용후 핵연료(SIMFUEL) 중의 텔루르를 정량하였다. 염산과 $NaBH_4$의 농도 및 주입속도와 같은 변수들을 최적과 한 다음 각각 우라늄, 팔라듐, 루테늄, 로듐 및 몰리브덴의 간섭 정도를 조사하였다. 이들 원소, 특히 팔라듐으로부터 간섭을 줄이기 위하여 가리움제로 thiourea를 사용하였다. 모의사용후 핵연료로부터 텔루르를 양이온 교환 크로마토그래피로 분리한 다음 각각 HG-ICP-AES와 유도결합플라스마 질량분석법(ICP-MS)으로 측정하였다. 우라늄 매트릭스로부터 텔루르를 분리하지 않고 바로 전자로 측정한 결과와 분리한 다음 측정한 값의 상대편차는 ICP-MS의 결과를 기준으로 5.6%와 -1.2%이었다.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
• /
• 제20권4호
• /
• pp.469-488
• /
• 2022

Technology for high-level-waste disposal employing a multibarrier concept using engineered and natural barrier in stable bedrock at 300-1,000 m depth is being commercialized as a safe, long-term isolation method for high-level waste, including spent nuclear fuel. Managing heat generated from waste is important for improving disposal efficiency; thus, research on efficient heat management is required. In this study, thermal management methods to maximize disposal efficiency in terms of the disposal area required were developed. They efficiently use the land in an environment, such as Korea, where the land area is small and the amount of waste is large. The thermal effects of engineered barriers and natural barriers in a high-level waste disposal repository were analyzed. The research status of thermal management for the main bedrocks of the repository, such as crystalline, clay, salt, and other rocks, were reviewed. Based on a characteristics analysis of various heat management approaches, the spent nuclear fuel cooling time, buffer bentonite thermal conductivity, and disposal container size were chosen as efficient heat management methods applicable in Korea. For each method, thermal analyses of the disposal repository were performed. Based on the results, the disposal efficiency was evaluated preliminarily. Necessary future research is suggested.

• 분석과학
• /
• 제14권4호
• /
• pp.291-299
• /
• 2001

사용후핵연료내 핵분열생성물중 Sm 동위원소 정량을 위한 분리 및 정제에 관한 연구를 수행하였다. 일차적으로 핵분열생성물 대신 여러 비방사성 금속이온(Cs, Ba, Gd, Eu, Sm 및 Nd)들로 구성된 모의용액을 시료로 사용하였다. Sm은 AG $1{\times}8$ 음이온교환수지관에서 1 M $HNO_3$/90% MeOH 용액으로 세척 후 0.5 M $HNO_3$/80% MeOH 용액으로 용리하였다. 용출액에 함유되어 있는 미량의 Ba을 제거하기 위하여 0.2 M alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid 용액(pH 4.5-4.6)으로 전처리한 AG $50W{\times}8$ 양이온교환수지관에서 정제하였으며, 순수한 Sm을 90% 이상 분리, 회수할 수 있었다. 실제 PWR 사용후핵연료에 함유되어 있는 Sm의 분리 및 정제에 적용하여 용출액을 질량분석한 결과 Gd, Eu, Pm, Nd 및 BaO에 의한 동중원소 영향이 나타나지 않았다. $^{154}Sm$ 스파이크를 이용한 동위원소희석 질량분석법으로 사용후핵연료 중의 Sm 및 각각의 성분 동위원소($^{147}Sm$, $^{148}Sm$, $^{149}Sm$, $^{150}Sm$, $^{151}Sm$, $^{152}Sm$ and $^{154}Sm$)들을 정량하였다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• 제21권1호
• /
• pp.59-72
• /
• 1996

원자력의 개발과 지속적인 이용은 방사성폐기물과 사용후핵연료의 발생을 야기시키며, 발생된 사용후핵연료의 안전하며 효율적인 관리는 1990년 초부터 중요하며 민감한 국제사회의 이슈가 되고 있다. 특히 구 소련의 해체를 포함한 최근 중부유럽의 정치적인 변화에 따른 안전한 사용후핵연료관리 문제와 현재 원자력산업이 직면하고 있는 어려움 등이 국제정치의 관점에서 그 의미를 더하고 있다. 따라서 국가별로 현재 검토 및 시행되고 있는 사용후핵연료 관리에 대한 현황을 정리하였다. 즉 국제원자력기구에서 개최하고 있는 사용후핵연료관리회의에서 발표된 나라별 관리정책에 대한 현황 및 기타 기술자료에서 발표된 최신의 사용후핵연료관리 실례에 대한 내용을 정리하였다.

• 한국전산구조공학회논문집
• /
• 제14권4호
• /
• pp.515-523
• /
• 2001

본 논문에서는 고준위 핵폐기물의 지하 처분 시 사용되는 핵폐기물 처분장치의 기본 구조설계에 필요한 처분장치내의 핵 폐기물다발들을 지지하는 내부 삽입물의 구조형상과 재원 또 처분장치의 화학적 부식을 방지하기 위해 외곽에 설치하는 외곽쉘과 위아래 덮개의 두께를 결정하기 위하여 처분장치 구조물에 대한 선형정적 구조해석을 수행하였다. 해석 대상 처분장치는 가압경수로와 중수로의 핵폐기물 처분장치를 사용하였다. 일반적으로 핵폐기물 처분장치는 지하수백 미터에 위치하는 화강암 등의 암반 내에 설치하게 되는데 이 때 지하수의 침수에 의한 지하수압 및 처분장치 외곽에 완충장치로 설치하는 벤토나이트 버퍼의 팽윤압을 견디어 내야 한다. 따라서 이와 같은 압력의 변화에 따른 처분장치 구조물에 발생하는 응력 및 변형 등을 알기 위해서는 처분장치 구조물에 대한 구조해석을 수행해야 된다. 이를 위하여 본 논문에서는 처분장치에 대하여 선형정적 구조해석을 수행하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제34권3호
• /
• pp.187-201
• /
• 2002

The KN-12 cask is designed to transport 12 PWR spent nuclear fuels and to comply with the requirements of Korea Atomic Energy Act, IAEA Safety Standards Series No.57-1 and US 10 CFR Part 71 for a Type B(U)F package. It provides containment, radiation shielding, structural integrity, criticality control and heat removal for normal transport and hypothetical accident conditions. W.H 14$\times$14, 16$\times$16 and 17$\times$17 fuel assemblies with maximum allowable initial enrichment of 5.0 wt.%, maximum average burn-up of 50,000 MWD/MTU and minimum cooling time of 7 years being used in Korea will be loaded and subsequently transported under dry and wet conditions. A forged cylindrical cask body which constitutes the containment vessel is closed by a cask lid. Polyethylene rods for neutron shielding are arranged in two rows of longitudinal bore holes in the cask body wall. A fuel basket to accommodate up to 12 PWR fuel assemblies provides support of the fuels, control of criticality and a path to dissipate heat. Impact limiters to absorb the impact energy under the hypothetical accident conditions are attacked at the top and at the bottom side of the cask during transport. Handling weight loaded with water is 74.8 tons and transport weight loaded with water with the impact limiters is 84.3 tons. The cask will be licensed in accordance with Korea Atomic Energy Act 3nd fabricated in Korea in accordance with ASME B&PV Code Section 111, Division 3.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제54권12호
• /
• pp.4722-4730
• /
• 2022

This paper introduces a new point depletion-based source term calculation code named BESNA (Bateman Equation Solver for Nuclear Applications), which is aimed to estimate nuclide inventories and source terms from spent nuclear fuels. The BESNA code employs a new modified CE/CM (Constant Extrapolation - Constant Midpoint) predictor-corrector scheme in depletion calculations for improving computational efficiency. In this modified CE/CM scheme, the decay components leading to the large norm of the depletion matrix are excluded in the corrector, and hence the corrector calculation involves only the reaction components, which can be efficiently solved with the Talyor Expansion Method (TEM). The numerical test shows that the new scheme substantially reduces computing time without loss of accuracy in comparison with the conventional scheme using CRAM (Chebyshev Rational Approximation Method), especially when the substep calculations are applied. The depletion calculation and source term estimation capability of BESNA are verified and validated through several problems, where results from BESNA are compared with those calculated by other codes as well as measured data. The analysis results show the computational efficiency of the new modified scheme and the reliability of BESNA in both isotopic predictions and source term estimations.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제52권6호
• /
• pp.1099-1109
• /
• 2020

The performance of gadolinium burnable absorber (GdBA) for reactivity control in UO₂ and (U, Th)O₂ fuels and its impact on spent fuel characteristics was performed. Five fuel assemblies: one without GdBA fuel rod and four each containing 16, 24, 34 and 44 GdBA fuel rods in both fuels were investigated. Reactivity swing in all the FAs with GdBA rods in UO₂ fuel was higher than their counterparts with similar GdBA fuel rods in (U, Th)O₂ fuel. The excess reactivity in all FAs with (U, Th)O₂ fuel was higher than UO₂ fuel. At the end of single discharge burn-up (~ 49.64 GWd/tHM), the excess reactivity of (U, Th) O₂ fuel remained positive (16,000 pcm) while UO₂ fuel shows a negative value (-6,000 pcm), which suggest a longer discharge burn-up in (U, Th)O₂ fuel. The concentration of plutonium isotopes and minor actinides were significantly higher in UO₂ fuel than in (U, Th)O₂ fuel except for ²³⁶Np. However, the concentration of non-actinides (gadolinium and iodine isotopes) except for ¹³⁵Xe were respectively smaller in (U, Th)O₂ fuel than in UO₂ fuel but may be two times higher in (U, Th)O₂ fuel due to its potential longer discharge burn-up.