• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.279-291
• /
• 2005

To support the design concept and the performance assessment of the cover system for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste(LILW) disposal facility, a pioneering study is conducted for the tomb of historical age. Research status of the art are investigated and the characteristics of tomb cover are summarized based on the preservation status of historical remains. On-site soil samples are prepared and their unsaturated hydraulic conductivities are measured by an one-step outflow method. Visiting the excavation site of historical tomb and communication with Korean archeological society are required for the further understanding and for the extension to the radioactive waste disposal research.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.205-215
• /
• 2008

SITES(Site Information and Total Environmental Data Management System) has been developed for the purpose of systematically managing site characteristics and environmental data produced during the pre-operational, operational, and post-closure phases of a radioactive waste disposal facility. SITES is an integration system, which consists of 4 modules, to be available for maintenance of site characteristics data, for safety assessment, and for site/environment monitoring; site environmental data management module(SECURE), integrated safety assessment module(SAINT), site/environment monitoring module(SUDAL) and geological information module for geological data management(SITES-GIS). Each module has its database with the functions of browsing, storing, and reporting data and information. Data from SECURE and SUDAL are interconnected to be utilized as inputs to SAINT. SAINT has the functions that multi-user can access simultaneously via client-server system, and the safety assessment results can be managed with its embedded Quality Assurance feature. Comparison between assessment results and environmental monitoring data can be made and visualized in SUDAL and SITES-GIS. Also, SUDAL is designed that the periodic monitoring data and information could be opened to the public via internet homepage. SITES has applied to the Wolsong low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal center in Korea, and is expected to enhance the function of site/environment monitoring in other nuclear-related facilities and also in industrial facilities handling hazardous materials.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.4 no.3
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 1995

Most of the solid waste has been land-filed as an ultimate disposal method in Korea, with might induce many environmental problems by generating odor, particulates and leachate. The landfill site should be considered as a kind of pleasant facility to neighboring residents. Currently, for a landfill site, while the environmental law requires to perform the EIA before the planning. EIA has been performed after the selection of the landfill-site. That might be controversal to the purpose of doing EIA. In this study, the weakness of the EIA for the landfill-site was analysed and was suggested for comprehensive EIA in Korea as well.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.57-63
• /
• 1998

The electrical resistivity method, one of old and widely used geophysical prospecting methods, has extended its scope to civil & environmental engineering areas. The electrical resistivity imaging technique was performed at the waste disposal site located in Junju to verify the applicability to the environmental engineering area. The dipole-dipole array, with the dipole spacing of 10 m, was applied along eight survey lines. The field data were obtained under the control of automatic acquisition softwares and topographic effects were corrected during processing stage. The processed resistivity images show that very low resistivity develops inside the disposal site and the distribution of low resistivity is exactly in accord with the boundary of the site except the river side. The depth of low resistivity zones is deeper toward the river side, which is interpreted that there is a high possibility for contaminants to be scattered to the river. From resistivity images, it was feasible to deduce the depth of waste disposal as well as the horizontal/vertical distribution of the contaminated zone, which proved the applicability of the electrical resistivity imaging technique to the environmental engineering area.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.18 no.spc
• /
• pp.75-87
• /
• 2020

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has developed geological repository systems for the disposal of high-level wastes and spent nuclear fuels (SNFs) in South Korea. The purpose of the most recently developed system, the improved KAERI Reference Disposal System Plus (KRS⁺), is to dispose of all SNFs in Korea with improved disposal area efficiency. In this paper, a system-level safety assessment model for the KRS⁺ is presented with long-term assessment results. A system-level model is used to evaluate the overall performance of the disposal system rather than simulating a single component. Because a repository site in Korea has yet to be selected, a conceptual model is used to describe the proposed disposal system. Some uncertain parameters are incorporated into the model for the future site selection process. These parameters include options for a fractured pathway in a geosphere, parameters for radionuclide migration, and repository design dimensions. Two types of SNF, PULS7 from a pressurized water reactor and Canada Deuterium Uranium from a heavy water reactor, were selected as a reference inventory considering the future cumulative stock of SNFs in Korea. The highest peak radiological dose to a representative public was estimated to be 8.19×10^-4 mSv·yr^-1, primarily from ¹²⁹I. The proposed KRS⁺ design is expected to have a high safety margin that is on the order of two times lower than the dose limit criterion of 0.1 mSv·yr^-1.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.243-253
• /
• 2022

Spent filters with a high radiation dose rate of 2 mSv·hr^-1 or more are not easily managed. So far, the Korean policy for spent filter disposal is to store them temporarily at nuclear power plants until the waste filters can be easily managed. Nuclear power plant decommissioning in Korea is starting with Kori unit 1. Volume reduction of waste generated during decommissioning can reduce the cost and optimize the space usage at disposal site. Therefore, efficient volume reduction is a very important factor during the decommissioning process. A conceptual method, based on the experiences of developing 200 and 800 ton compactors at Orion EnC, has been developed considering worker exposure with the followings a crusher (upgrade of compaction efficiency), an automatic dose measuring system with a NaI(Tl) detector, a shield box, an inner drum to prepare for easy handling of drums and packaging, a 30 ton compactor, and an automatic robot system. This system achieves a volume reduction ratio of up to 85.7%; hence, the system can reduce the disposal cost and waste volume. It can be applied to other types of wastes that are not easily managed due to high dose rates and remote control operation necessity.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.22 no.7
• /
• pp.787-799
• /
• 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the accumulation of metallic elements and the control effect of marine pollution caused by ocean dumping in the sediments at a waste disposal area in the Yellow Sea. In July 2009, concentrations of organic matter and metallic elements (Al, Fe, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Hg, Ni, Mn, Pb, and Zn) were measured in surface sediments at the site. The ignition loss (IL) in the surface sediments showed a mean value of 15.4%, about 1.5 times higher than the mean value of the sediments in the coastal areas of Korea. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) at some disposal sites exceeded 20 mg $O_2/g{\cdot}dry$, which signifies the initial concentration of marine sediment pollutants in Japan. The disposal sites contain higher concentrations of Cr, Cu and Zn than the sediments of bays and estuaries that might be contaminated. The magnitude of both metal enrichment factors (EF) and adverse biological effects suggest that pollution with Cr and Ni occurred due to the dumping of waste in the study area. In addition, the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) showed that the surface sediments were moderately contaminated. By the mid-2000s, when the amount of waste dumped at this site was the highest, the concentration of metallic elements was higher than ever recorded. On the other hand, in 2008-09, the need for environmental management was relatively low compare with the peak. As a result, the quality of marine sediment has been enhanced, considering the effect of waste reduction and natural dilution in the disposal area.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.256-260
• /
• 2003

The paper is aiming at presenting the proper treatment method and procedures of ILW waste to both waste generators and acceptor so that the waste characteristics are satisfied with the WAC(Waste Acceptance Criteria) and as a result, the disposal facility would be operating safely. The ILW generators are responsible for reducing the volume of waste, treating and packaging the waste in order to meet the WAC, and acceptor has an obligation of inspecting the waste in conformity with the acceptance procedure established by regulation. Recently, a number of countries including France and USA examine the disposal acceptability of ILW waste by the WCP(Waste Package Quality Certification Program).

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.219-228
• /
• 2012

A long-term R&D program for HLW disposal technology development was launched in 1997 in Korea and Korea Reference disposal System(KRS) for spent fuels had been developed. After then, a recycling process for PWR spent fuels to get the reusable material such as uranium or TRU and to reduce the volume of radioactive waste, called Pyro-process, is being developed. This Pyro-process produces several kinds of wastes including metal waste and ceramic waste. In this study, the characteristics of the waste from Pyro-process and the concepts of a disposal container for the wastes were described. Based on these concepts, thermal analyses were carried out to determine a layout of the disposal area of the ceramic wastes which was classified as a high level waste and to develop the disposal system called A-KRS. The location of the final repository for A-KRS is not determined yet, thus to review the potential repository domains, the possible layout in the geological characteristics of KURT facility site was proposed. These results will be used in developing a repository system design and in performing the safety assessment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2004.06a
• /
• pp.199-207
• /
• 2004

In order to develop a safe geological disposal concept for the HLW from the nuclear power plants in Korea, it is necessary to evaluate the safety of the disposal concept in an underground research tunnel in the same geological formation as the host rock mass. The design concept of a research tunnel depends on the actual disposal concept, repository geometry, experiments to be carried at the tunnel, and geological conditions. In this study, geological investigation had been carried out to develop the basic design of the small scale underground disposal research tunnel in KAERI.