Abstract
This study investigated the thermal behavior of the nuclear graphite waste generated from the decommissioning of the Korean nuclear research reactor, The first part study investigated the decomposition rate of the nuclear graphite waste up to $1000^{\circ}C$ under various oxygen partial pressures using a thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA). Tested graphite waste sample not easily destroyed in the oxygen-deficient condition. However, the gas-solid oxidation reaction was found to be very effective in the presence of oxygen. No significant amount of the product of incomplete combustion was formed even in the limited oxygen concentration of 4% $O_2$. The influence of temperature and oxygen partial pressure was evaluated by the theoretical model analysis of the thermo-gravimetric data. The activation energy and the reaction order of graphite oxidation were evaluated as 128 kJ/mole and 1.1, respectively. The second part of this study investigated the behavior of radioactive elements under graphite oxidation atmosphere using thermodynamic equilibrium model. $^{22}Na$, $^{134}Cs$ and $^{137}Cs$ were found be the semi-volatile elements. Since volatile uranium species can be formulated at high temperatures above $1050^{\circ}C$, the temperature of incinerator furnace should be minimized. Other corrosion/activation products, fission products and uranium were found to be the non-volatile species.
