• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4173-4180
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• 2023

The stability of engineered barriers in high-level radioactive waste disposal systems can be influenced by the decay heat generated by the waste. This study focuses on the thermal analysis of various canister designs to effectively lower the maximum temperature of the engineered barrier. A numerical model was developed and employed to investigate the heat dissipation potential of copper rings placed across the buffer. Various canister designs incorporating copper rings were presented, and numerical analysis was performed to identify the design with the most significant temperature reduction effect. The results confirmed that the temperature of the buffer material was effectively lowered with an increase in the number of copper rings penetrating the buffer. Parametric studies were also conducted to analyze the impact of technical gaps, copper thickness, and collar height on the temperature reduction. The numerical model revealed that the presence of gaps between the components of the engineered barrier significantly increased the buffer temperature. Furthermore, the reduction in buffer temperature varied depending on the location of the gap and collar. The methods proposed in this study for reducing the buffer temperature hold promise for contributing to cost reduction in radioactive waste disposal.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4120-4124
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• 2023

High-level radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants are disposed subterraneously utilizing an engineered barrier system (EBS). A gap inevitably exists between the disposal canisters and buffer materials, which may have a negative effect on the thermal transfer and water-blocking efficiency of the system. As few previous experimental works have quantified this effect, this study aimed to create an experimental model for investigating differences in the temperature changes of bentonite buffer in the presence and absence of air gaps between it and a surrounding stainless steel cell. Three test scenarios comprised an empty cell and cells partially or completely filled with bentonite. The temperature was measured inside the buffers and on the inner surface of their surrounding cells, which were artificially heated. The time required for the entire system to reach 100℃ was approximately 40% faster with no gap between the inner cell surface and the bentonite. This suggests that rock-buffer spaces should be filled in practice to ensure the rapid dissipation of heat from the buffer materials to their surroundings. However, it can be advantageous to retain buffer-canister gaps to lower the peak buffer temperature.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.185-192
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• 2022

A compacted bentonite buffer is a major component of engineered barrier systems, which are designed for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. In most countries, the target temperature required to maintain safe functioning is below 100℃. If the target temperature of the compacted bentonite buffer can be increased above 100℃, the disposal area can be dramatically reduced. To increase the target temperature of the buffer, it is necessary to investigate its properties at temperatures above 100℃. Although some studies have investigated thermal-hydraulic properties above 100℃, few have evaluated the water suction of compacted bentonite. This study addresses that knowledge gap by evaluating the water suction variation for compacted Korean bentonite in the 25-150℃ range, with initial saturations of 0 and 0.22 under constant saturation conditions. We found that water suction decreased by 5-20% for a temperature increase of 100-150℃.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.24.1-24.1
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• 2009

The zinc oxide (ZnO) material as the II-VI compound semiconductor is useful in various fields of device applications such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells and gas sensors due to its wide direct band gap of 3.37eV and high exciton binding energy of 60meV at room temperature. In this study, the ZnO nanorods were deposited onto homogenous buffer layer/Si(100) substrates by a hydrothermal synthesis. The Effects of the buffer layer annealing and post annealing temperature on the structural and optical properties of ZnO nanorods grown by a hydrothermal synthesis were investigated. For the buffer layer annealing case, the annealed buffer layer surface became rougher with increasing of annealing temperature up to $750^{\circ}C$, while it was smoothed with more increasing of annealing temperature due to the evaporation of buffer layer. It was found that the roughest surface of buffer layer improved the structural and optical properties of ZnO nanorods. For the post annealing case, the hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods were annealed with various temperatures ranging from 450 to $900^{\circ}C$. Similarly in the buffer layer annealing case, the post annealing enhanced the properties of ZnO nanorods with increasing of annealing temperature up to $750^{\circ}C$. However, it was degraded with further increasing of annealing temperature due to the violent movement of atoms and evaporation. Finally, the buffer layer annealing and post annealing treatment could efficiently improve the properties of hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods. The morphology and structural properties of ZnO nanorods grown by the hydrothermal synthesis were measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The optical properties were also analyzed by photoluminescence (PL) measurement.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.54-59
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• 1999

An experimental study was carried out to improve the cooling capacity and performance of the pulse tube refrigerator. Three buffer pulse tube refrigerator was designed and fabricated, and the experimental apparatus operating process of the therr buffer pulse tube refrigerator and results obtained with the performance test. The cooldown characteristics and load characteristics are described. The lowest temperature measured in the three buffer pulse tube refrigerator was 88K and the cooling capacity at the optimum operating condition was 27 W at 120K.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.79-83
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• 2004

The oxidative degradation of BPA with laccase from Trametes versiclor was conducted in a closed, temperature controlled system containing acetate buffer for pH control. The effects of medium pH, buffer concentration, temperature and mediator on degradation of BPA were investigated. The inactivation of the enzyme by temperature and reaction product was also studied. The optimal pH for BPA degradation showed about 5. Buffer concentration did not affect BPA degradation. On the other hand, the enzyme stability was higher at low concentration buffer(25 mM). Temperature rise increased the degradation rate of BPA up to 45$^{\circ}C$. The valuable mediator of laccase for BPA was ABTS. Elevated temperature and reaction product irreversibly inactivated the enzyme.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.17-32
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• 2022

The buffer capacity of southern Korean waters in summer was quantified using data set of temperature, salinity, dissolved inorganic carbon, total alkalinity obtained from August 2020 cruise. The geographical distribution and variability of six buffer factors, which amended the existing Revelle factor, are discussed their relationship with the hydrological parameters of temperature and salinity. The calculated results of six buffer factors showed the spatial variations according to the distributions of various water masses. The buffer capacity was low in the East Sea Surface Mixed Water (ESMW) and South Sea Surface Mixed Water (SSMW) where upwelling occurred, and showed an intermediate value in the Yellow Sea Surface Water (YSSW). In addition, the buffer capacity increased in the order of high temperature Tsushima Warm Current (TWC) and Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW). This means that the Changjiang discharge water in summer strengthens the buffer capacity of the study area. The highest buffer capacity of CDW is due to its relatively higher temperature and biological productivity, and a summer stratification. Temperature showed a good positive correlation (R²=0.79) with buffer capacity in all water masses, whereas salinity exhibited a poor negative correlation (R²=0.30). High temperature strengthens buffer capacity through thermodynamic processes such as gas exchange and distribution of carbonate system species. In the case of salinity, the relationship with buffer capacity is reversed because salinity of the study area is not controlled by precipitation or evaporation but by a local freshwater input and mixing with upwelled water.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2018

A buffer in a geological disposal system minimizes groundwater inflow from the surrounding rock and protects the disposed high-level waste (HLW) against any mechanical impact. As decay heat of a spent fuel causes temperature variation in the buffer that affects the mechanical performance of the system, an accurate estimation of the temperature variation is substantial. The temperature variation is affected by thermal and material properties of the system such as thermal conductivity, density and specific heat capacity of the buffer, and thus these factors should be properly included in the design of the system. In particular, as the thermal properties are variable depending on the density and water content of the buffer, consideration of the effects should be included in the analysis. Hence, in this study, a numerical model based on finite element method (FEM) which is able to consider the change of density and water content of the buffer was established. In addition, using the numerical model, a parametric study was conducted to investigate the effect of each thermal property on the temperature variation of the buffer.

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 1994

The role of ZnS buffer layer not only suppresses chemical reactions between emission material and insulating material but also alters the luminescence and the crystallinity of the emission layer, if ZnS buffer layer was sandwiched between emission layer and insulating layer of electroluminescent device. In this research, we fabricated ZnS thin film with rf magnetron sputter system by varying rf power 100, 200W, substrate temperature 100, 150, 200, 250.deg. C and post-annealing temperature 200, 300, 400, 500.deg. C and analysed X-ray diffraction pattern, transmission spectra and cross section by SEM photograph for seeking the optimal crystallization condition of ZnS buffer layer. As a result, increasing the rf power, the crystallinity of ZnS thin film was improved. It was found that the ZnS thin film had better properties than anything else when fabricated with the following conditions ; rf power 200W, substrate temperature 150.deg. C, and post-annealing temperature 400.deg. C. ZnS thin film had the transmittance more than 80% in visible range. So it is suitable to use as a buffer layer of electroluminescent devices.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1999.05a
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• pp.589-592
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• 1999

This paper describes direct $\mu$C-Si/CaF$_2$/glass thin film growth by RPCVD system in a low temperature for thin film transistor (TFT), photovoltaic devices. and sensor applications. Experimental factors in a low temperature direct $\mu$ c-Si film growth are presented in terms of deposition parameters: SiH$_4$/H$_2$ ratio, chamber total pressure, substrate temperature, rf power, and CaF$_2$ buffer layer. The structural and electrical properties of the deposited films were studied by means of Raman spectroscopy, I-V, L-I-V, X-ray diffraction analysis and SEM. we obtain a crystalline volume fraction of 61%, preferential growth of (111) and (220) direction, and photosensitivity of 124. We achieved the improvement of crystallinity and electrical property by using the buffer layers of CaF$_2$ film.