• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.167-181
• /
• 2019

Currently, the development of evaluation technology for vibration and shock load characteristics and spent nuclear fuel structural integrity under normal conditions of transport is being conducted in the Republic of Korea. This is the first such research conducted in the Republic of Korea and, thus, previous international studies need to be investigated and will be referred to in the ongoing project. Before 2000, several studies related to measurement of vibration and shock loads on spent nuclear fuel were conducted in the US. US national research institutes conducted uniaxial fuel assembly shaker tests, concrete block tests, and multi-axis fuel assembly tests between 2009 and 2016. In 2017, multi-modal transportation tests including road, sea, and rail transport were also performed by research institutes from the US, Spain and the Republic of Korea. Therefore, test preparation procedures, acceleration and strain measurement results, and finite-element and multi-body dynamics analysis were investigated. Based on the measured strain data, the preliminary conclusion was obtained that the measured strain was too small to cause damage to spent nuclear fuel rods. However, this conclusion is a preliminary conclusion that only reviews part of the results; a detailed review is being conducted in the US. The investigation of international studies on spent nuclear fuel structural integrity tests considering vibration and shock loads under normal conditions of transport in the US will be useful data for the project being conducted in the Republic of Korea.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.37-46
• /
• 2019

As candidates for accident-tolerant fuels, ceramic microcell fuels, which are distinguished by their peculiar microstructures, are being developed; these fuels have $UO_2$ grains surrounded by cell walls. They contribute to nuclear fuel safety by retention of fission products within the $UO_2$ pellet, reducing rod pressure and incidence of SCC failure. Cesium, a hazardous fission product in terms of amount and radioactivity, can be captured by chemical reactions with ceramic cell materials. The capture-ability of cesium therefore depends on the thermodynamics of the capturing reaction. Conversely, compositional design of cell materials should be based on thermodynamic predictions. This study proposes thermodynamic calculations to evaluate the cesium capture-ability of three ceramic microcell compositions: Si-Ti-O, Si-Cr-O and Si-Al-O. Prior to the calculations, the chemical and physical states of the cesium and the cell materials were defined. Then, the reactivity was evaluated by calculating the cesium potential (${\Delta}G_{Cs}$) and oxygen potential (${\Delta}G_{O_2}$) under simulated LWR circumstances of normal operation. Based on the results, cesium capture is expected to be spontaneous in all cell compositions, providing a basis for the compositional design of ceramic microcell fuels as well as a facile way for evaluating cesium capture.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.1-13
• /
• 2019

The accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) resulted in the deposition of large quantities of radionuclides over parts of eastern Japan. Radioactive contaminants have been observed over a large area including forests, cities, rivers and lakes. Due to the strong adsorption of radioactive cesium by soil particles, radioactive cesium migrates with the eroded soil, follows the surface flow paths, and is delivered downstream of population-rich regions and eventually to coastal areas. In this study, we developed a model to simulate the transport of contaminated sediment in a watershed hydrological system and this model was compared with observation data from eroded soil observation instruments located at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. Two methods were applied to analyze the soil particle size distribution of the collected soil samples, including standardized sieve analysis and image analysis methods. Numerical models were developed to simulate the movement of soil along with actual rainfall considering initial saturation, rainfall infiltration, multilayer and rain splash. In the 2019 study, a numerical model will be used to add rainfall shield effect by trees, evaporation effect and shield effects of surface water. An eroded soil observation instrument has been installed near the Wolsong nuclear power plant since 2018 and observation data are being continuously collected. Based on these observations data, we will develop the numerical model to analyze long-term behavior of radionuclides on land as they move from land to rivers, lakes and coastal areas.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.3-17
• /
• 2021

Currently, there is a drain of natural resources, environmental contamination, generation of waste, and problems of the earth's climate by CO₂ emissions according to mass production and overconsumption of mankind. It is effectuated by a linear economy that involves manufacturing products, use, and waste repeatedly; there is no guarantee in the lives of humans and the future of the globe if we do not find alternative proposals. For a sustainable developing society and to overcome the present global problems, we must successively change to a circular economy from a linear economy. The circular economy has the concept of an extended value chain in recovery, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling, instead of discarding after the use of manufactured goods. New business models of circular economy have been realized to save the earth ecology and sustainable developing society in serious recognition of the linear economy system. New business models are established by creating a vision and developing a program, and by renovating technology, law, and financial support through a worldwide government policy.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.5-15
• /
• 2022

In this study, heated tobacco biomass was prepared as an active material for supercapacitor device. Retrieved tobacco leaf from the heated tobacco was carbonized at various temperature(800/850/950℃). Carbonized tobacco leaf material synthesized at 850℃ exhibited the highest C/O ratio, indicating the finest carbon quality. In addition, polypyrrole was coated onto the carbonized leaf material for increasing the electrochemical performance via low-temperature polymerization method. As-synthesized carbonized leaf material at 850℃(CTL-850)-based electrode and polypyrrole-coated carbonized leaf material(CTL-850/PPy)-based electrode displayed outstanding specific capacitances of 100.2 and 155.3F g^-1 at 1 A g^-1 with opertaing window of -1.0V and 1.0V. Asymmetric supercapacitor device, assembled with CTL-850 as the negative electrode and CTL-850/PPy as the positive electrode, manifested specific capacitance of 31.1F g^-1(@1 A g^-1) with widened operating voltage window of 2.0V. Moreover, as-prepared asymmetric supercapacitor device was able to lighten up the RED Led (1.8V), suggesting the high capacitance and extension of operating voltage window. The result of this research may help to pave the new possibility toward preparing the effective energy storage device material recycling the biomass.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.35 no.6
• /
• pp.256-266
• /
• 2022

It is important to determine the concentration of long-lived radionuclides (e.g., ¹²⁹I) in nuclear waste to ensure safety when handling it. To analyze nuclides in a solid sample (e.g., concrete and soil), it is essential to effectively separate and purify the nuclides of interest in the sample. This study reports the comprehensive efforts made to validate the analytical procedure for ¹²⁹I detection in solid samples, using a high-temperature combustion furnace. ¹²⁹I volatilized from the sample collected in 0.01 M HNO₃ solution with a reducing agent (e.g., NaHSO₃) and was rapidly measured by ICP-MS. Analytical conditions, such as pyrolysis temperature and types of mobile phase gas, catalyst, and trapping solution, were optimized to obtain a high recovery rate of spiked ¹²⁹I. Finally, the optimized method was applied for the simultaneous analysis of other volatile radionuclides, such as ³H and ¹⁴C. The performance test results for the optimized method confirmed that the LSC (for ³H and ¹⁴C) and ICP-MS (for ¹²⁹I) measurements, with the separation of volatile nuclides using a high-temperature combustion furnace, were reliable.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.435-444
• /
• 2023

In the licensing application for the deep geological disposal system of high-level radioactive waste in Finland, the disposal tunnel backfilling has been changed from the block/pellet (for the construction) to the granular type (for the operation). Accordingly, for establishing the design concept for backfilling, it is necessary to examine applicability to the domestic facility through analyzing problems of the existing method and improvements in the alternative design. In this paper, we first reviewed the principal studies conducted for changing the backfill method in the licensing process of the Finnish facility, and identified the expected problems in applying the block/pellet backfill method. In addition, we derived the evaluation factors to be considered in terms of technical and operational aspects for the backfilling solution, and then conducted a comparative analysis for two types of backfill methods. This analysis confirmed the overall superiority of the design change. It is expected that these results could be utilized as the technical basis for deriving the optimum design plan in development process of the Korean-specific deep disposal facility. However, applicability should be reviewed in advance based on the latest technical data for the detailed evaluation factors that must be considered for selecting the backfilling method.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.9 no.6
• /
• pp.13-19
• /
• 2008

The objectives of this paper are to investigate states of these open dumping landfills for managing, utilizing and stabilization of a municipal solid waste landfill site in environmentally secure conditions. The result of the physical analysis of the landfill showed that it is composed of between 29.72-63.84% organic matter, 32.88% vinyl plastic. The environmental assessment of the landfill site confirmed that the landfill is at a maturation phase due to 0.18 of $BOD_5$/CODcr of leachate. VS and FS of TS Was respectively 30.37%, 32.34% and C/N ratio was 21.8. Surface water around landfill was BOD 10.7 mg/g, SS 37.8 mg/g, E-Coli 31,157(MPN/$100m{\ell}$) and Ground water was $COD_{Mn}$ 1.13-1.38 mg/g, $NO_3-N$ 1.025-4.075 mg/g. Leachat indicated T-P 0.002-0.028 mg/g, $NH_3-N$ 4.0-21.0 mg/g. The soil contamination of around landfill didn't appear as below of the regulation of Soil Environment Conservation Act. The Landfill Gas was $CH_4$ 13.25%, $CO_2$ 6.17%, H2S and CO was not detected. Also Surface Water was not detected $CO_2$, $CH_4$, $H_2S$, CO.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.12-27
• /
• 2011

DOWA group has been working on metal recycling applying the smelting and refining process of KOSAKA Smelter. DOWA has developed it's metal recycling technologies through the treatment of black ore(complex sulfide ores) that contain many kinds of non-ferrous metals. In addition to these special technologies, DOWA has strengthened its hydrometallurgical process of precious metals and ability to deal with low-grade materials such as used electrical appliances or vehicles. On the other hand, JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation(JX-NMMC) carries out its metal recycling and industrial waste treatment businesses employing advanced separation, extraction and refining technologies developed through its extensive experience in the smelting of non-ferrous metals. JX-NMMC collects approximately 100,000t/y of copper and precious metal scraps from waste sources such as electronic parts, mobile phones, catalytic converters, print circuit boards and gold plated parts. These items are recycled through the smelting and refining operations of Saganoseki smelter and Hitachi Metal-recycling complex(HMC). In this like, metal recycling industries combined with environmental business service in Japan have been developed through excellent technologies for mineral processing and non-ferrous smelting. Also, both group, Dowa and JX-NMMC, were contributed to establish Japan's recycling-oriented society as the typical leading company of non-ferrous smelting. Now. it is an important issue to set up the collection system for e-waste.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.132-137
• /
• 2008

The average concentrations of COD and copper in the livestock sludge are $930,726{\pm}380.801$ mg/kg and $679{\pm}341$ mg/kg, respectively. Due to the high concentrations, dumping to the sea of the sludge could pose potential adverse effects to the marine environment. On the contrary, it could have economic advantages on land as the energy of biogas generated by decomposition of organisms and the compost in case of the sludge of good quality with the abundant nitrogen and phosphorus. Nevertheless, the amount of livestock sludge dumped to the sea in Korea increased sharply from 51,000 $m^3$ in 1997 to 2,745,000 $m^3$ in 2005. And also it had the high proportion of 27% in total amount of waste dumped into the sea (7,451,000 $m^3$) in 2007. It might cost between 20,000 won and 33,000 won to dump to the sea of the sludge. In comparison, it might cost 20,000 won to com- post the sludge. And its purification treatment even might cost just 10,000 won. It means that the disposal of the sludge at sea is the most expensive method to deal with the sludge, but ranchers, who engage in the livestock industry, still prefer the disposal at sea to the other methods on land such as the compost and purification treatment. In this article, therefore, we would analyze various factors in the ranchers' preference for the disposal of the sludge at sea, and then we could suggest some legal improvements to prevent and reduce pollution of the sea.