• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2024

Hydraulic conductivity is a critical design parameter for buffers in high-level radioactive waste repositories. Most employed prediction models for hydraulic conductivity are limited to various types of bentonites, the main material of the buffer, and the associated temperature conditions. This study proposes the utilization of a novel integrated prediction model. The model is derived through theoretical and regression analyses and is applied to all types of compacted bentonites when the relationship between hydraulic conductivity and dry density for each compacted bentonite is known. The proposed model incorporates parameters such as permeability ratio, dynamic viscosity, and temperature coefficient to enable accurate prediction of hydraulic conductivity with temperature. Based on the results obtained, the values are in good agreement with the measured values for the selected bentonites, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed model. These results contribute to the analysis of the hydraulic behavior of the buffer with temperature during periods of high-level radioactive waste deposition.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.17-36
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• 2010

In this study, we compare the mass release rates of radionuclides(1) from waste forms arising from the KIEP-21 pyroprocessing system with (2) those from the directly-disposed pressurized-water reactor spent fuel, to investigate the potential radiological and environmental impacts. In both cases, most actinides and their daughters have been observed to remain in the vicinity of waste packages as precipitates because of their low solubility. The effects of the waste-form alteration rate on the release of radionuclides from the engineered-barrier boundary have been found to be significant, especially for congruently released radionuclides. the total mass release rate of radionuclides from direct disposal concept is similar to those from the pyroprocessing disposal concept. While the mass release rates for most radionuclides would decrease to negligible levels due to radioactive decay while in the engineered barriers and the surrounding host rock in both cases even without assuming any dilution or dispersal mechanisms during their transport, significant mass release rates for three fission-product radionuclides, $^{129}I$, $^{79}Se$, and $^{36}Cl$, are observed at the 1,000-m location in the host rock. For these three radionuclides, we need to account for dilution/dispersal in the geosphere and the biosphere to confirm finally that the repository would achieve sufficient level of radiological safety. This can be done only after we have known where the repository site would by sited. the footprint of repository for the KIEP-21 system is about one tenth of those for the direct disposal.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.117-131
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• 2006

A coupled T-H-M(Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical) analysis was carried out for KENTEX (KAERI Engineering-scale T-H-M Experiment for Engineered Barrier System), which is a facility for validating the coupled T-H-M behavior in the engineered barrier system of the Korean reference HLW(high-level waste) disposal system. The changes of temperature, water saturation, and stress were estimated based on the coupled T-H-M analysis, and the influence of the types of mechanical constitutive material laws was investigated by using elastic model, poroelastic model, and poroelastic-plastic model. The analysis was done using ABAQUS, which is a commercial finite element code for general purposes. From the analysis, it was observed that the temperature in the bentonite increased sharply for a couple of days after heating the heater and then slowly increased to a constant value. The temperatures at all locations were nearly at a steady state after about 37.5 days. In the steady state, the temperature was maintained at $90^{\circ}C$ at the interface between the heater and the bentonite and at about $70^{\circ}C$ at the interface between the bentonite and the confining cylinder. The variation of the water saturation with time in bentonite was almost same independent of the material laws used in the coupled T-H-M processes. By comparing the saturation change of T-H-M and that of H-M(Hydro-Mechanical) processes using elastic and poroelastic material mod31 respectively, it was found that the degree of saturation near the heater from T-H-M calculation was higher than that from the coupled H-M calculation mainly because of the thermal flux, which seemed to speed up the saturation. The stresses in three cases with different material laws were increased with time. By comparing the stress change in H-M calculation using poroelasetic and poroelasetic-plastic model, it was possible to conclude that the influence of saturation on the stress change is higher than the influence of temperature. It is, therefore, recommended to use a material law, which can model the elastic-plastic behavior of buffer, since the coupled T-H-M processes in buffer is affected by the variation of void ratio, thermal expansion, as well as swelling pressure.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.151-159
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• 2017

A deep geological disposal at a depth of 500 m in stable host rock is considered to be the safest method with current technologies for disposal of spent fuels classified as high-level radioactive waste. The most important requirement is that the temperature of the bentonite buffer, which is a component of the engineered barrier, should not exceed $100^{\circ}C$. In Korea, the amount of spent fuel generated by nuclear power generation, which accounts for about 30% of the total electricity, is continuously increasing and accumulating. Accordingly, the area required to dispose of it is also increasing. In this study, various duplex disposal concepts were derived for the purpose of improving the disposal efficiency by reducing the disposal area. Based on these concepts, thermal analyses were carried out to confirm whether the critical disposal system requirements were met, and the thermal stability of the disposal system was evaluated by analyzing the results. The results showed that upward 75 m or downward 75 m apart from the reference disposal system location of 500 m depth would qualify for the double layered disposal concept. The results of this study can be applied to the establishment of spent fuel management policy and the design of practical commercial disposal system. Detailed analyses with data of a real disposal site are necessary.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.2 s.48
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• pp.89-98
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• 2006

The thermal conductivities of bentonite blocks with various dry densities (1.6 and $1.8g/cm^3$), water contents (5, 9.4, 15, 20 wt%) and sand contents (0, 10, 20, 30 wt%) were measured in order to investigate the improvement in physical performance of buffer as an engineered barrier. The raw material was domestic bentonite from Oksan mine located in Gyeongju city. The increase in water content was most effective for improving the thermal conductivity. Especiallly, the bentonite blocks with more than 15 wt% of water content showed more than 1.0 W/mK values of thermal conductivity regardless of their dry densities and sand contents. Therefore, if the domestic Oksan bentonite is used as a buffer material, we can suggest that the manufacture of bentonite block having dry density of $1.6g/cm^3$, sand content of $10{\sim}30$ wt% and water content of 15 wt% will be most effective considering the easiness of a manufacturing of bentonite block and the efficiency of an increase in the thermal conductivity.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.283-293
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• 2015

The buffer is a key component of the engineered barrier system in a high-level radioactive waste (HLW) repository. The present study reviewed the requirements and functional criteria of the buffer reported in literature, and also based on the results, proposed an approach to establish a buffer concept which is applicable to an HLW repository in Korea. The hydraulic conductivity, radionuclide-retarding capacity (equilibrium distribution coefficient and diffusion coefficient), swelling pressure, thermal conductivity, mechanical properties, organic carbon content, and illitization rate were considered as major technical parameters for the functional criteria of the buffer. Domestic bentonite (Ca-bentonite) and, as an alternative, MX-80 (Na-bentonite) were proposed for the buffer of an HLW repository in Korea. The technical specifications for those proposed bentonites were set to parameter values that conservatively satisfy Korea's functional criteria for the Ca-bentonite and Swedish criteria for the Na-bentonite. The thickness of the buffer was determined by evaluating the means of shear behavior, radionuclide release, and heat conduction, which resulted in the proper buffer thickness of 0.25 to 0.5 m. However, the final thickness of the buffer should be determined by considering coupled thermal-hydraulic-mechanical evaluation and economics and engineering aspects as well.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.156-157
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• 2012

단일 셀에서 비휘발성 및 고속의 휘발성 메모리를 모두 구동할 수 있는 다기능 메모리는 모바일 기기 및 embedded 장치의 폭발적인 성장에 있어 그 중요성이 커지고 있다. 따라서 최근 이러한 fusion기술을 응용한 unified RAM (URAM)과 같은 다기능 메모리의 연구가 주목 받고 있다. 이러한 다목적 메모리는 주로 silicon on insulator (SOI)기반의 1T-DRAM과 SONOS기술 기반의 비휘발성 메모리의 조합으로 이루어진다. 하지만 이런 다기능 메모리는 주로 단결정기반의 SOI wafer 위에서 구현되기 때문에 값이 비싸고 사용범위도 제한되어 있다. 따라서 이러한 다기능메모리를 다결정 실리콘을 이용하여 제작한다면 기판에 자유롭게 메모리 적용이 가능하고 추후 3차원 적층형 소자의 구현도 가능하기 때문에 다결정실리콘 기반의 메모리 구현은 필수적이라고 할 수 있겠다. 본 연구에서는 다결정실리콘을 이용한 channel recessed구조의 다기능메모리를 제작하였으며 각 1T-DRAM 및 NVM동작에 따른 memory 특성을 살펴보았다. 실험에 사용된 기판은 상부 비정질실리콘 100 nm, 매몰산화층 200 nm의 SOI구조의 기판을 이용하였으며 고상결정화 방법을 이용하여 $600^{\circ}C$ 24시간 열처리를 통해 결정화 시켰다. N+ poly Si을 이용하여 source/drain을 제작하였으며 RIE시스템을 이용하여 recessed channel을 형성하였다. 상부 ONO게이트 절연막은 rf sputter를 이용하여 각각 5/10/5 nm 증착하였다. $950^{\circ}C$ N2/O2 분위기에서 30초간 급속열처리를 진행하여 source/drain을 활성화 하였다. 계면상태 개선을 위해 $450^{\circ}C$ 2% H2/N2 분위기에서 30분간 열처리를 진행하였다. 제작된 Poly Si MFM에서 2.3V, 350mV/dec의 문턱전압과 subthreshold swing을 확인할 수 있었다. Nonvolatile memory mode는 FN tunneling, high-speed 1T-DRAM mode에서는 impact ionization을 이용하여 쓰기/소거 작업을 실시하였다. NVM 모드의 경우 약 2V의 memory window를 확보할 수 있었으며 $85^{\circ}C$에서의 retention 측정시에도 10년 후 약 0.9V의 memory window를 확보할 수 있었다. 1T-DRAM 모드의 경우에는 약 $30{\mu}s$의 retention과 $5{\mu}A$의 sensing margin을 확보할 수 있었다. 차후 engineered tunnel barrier기술이나 엑시머레이저를 이용한 결정화 방법을 적용한다면 device의 특성향상을 기대할 수 있을 것이다. 본 논문에서는 다결정실리콘을 이용한 다기능메모리를 제작 및 메모리 특성을 평가하였다. 제작된 소자의 단일 셀 내에서 NVM동작과 1T-DRAM동작이 모두 가능한 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 다결정실리콘의 특성상 단결정 SOI기반의 다기능 메모리에 비해 낮은 특성을 보여주었으나 이는 결정화방법, high-k절연막 적용 및 engineered tunnel barrier를 적용함으로써 해결 가능하다고 생각된다. 또한 sputter를 이용하여 저온증착된 O/N/O layer에서의 P/E특성을 확인함으로써 glass위에서의 MFM구현의 가능성도 확인할 수 있었으며, 차후 system on panel (SOP)적용도 가능할 것이라고 생각된다.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.107-119
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• 2014

The worldwide Status-of-Art survey for the in-situ experiments of the engineered barrier system for HLW underground disposal was performed as a preliminary action for the design of the in-situ demonstration at KURT. Some nations, which have executed or is ongoing the in-situ experiments at their underground research facilities, were summarized in this review. The demonstration projects reviewed were TBT/Sweden-France, LOT/Sweden, HE-E/Switzerland, PRACLAY/Belgium, FEBEX/Spain, HORONOBE/Japan, and BCE/Canada. The investigated items for the projects were mainly their purposes, constitutional structures, test conditions, monitoring parameters and the measuring tools, and test results. In this review, the hardware design and the assembling of the test system were more concentrated rather than their experimental results, because the purpose of this review is to achieve the necessary information for the practical design of the in-situ experiment to be installed at KURT. A mid scale in-situ demonstration of EBS at KURT, that is called IN-DBES, will be launched right after the completion the expanding project of KURT in 2015. It is hoped that the structural design, installing methods, hardware equipments required in the establishment of IN-DEBS will be referred on this review.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.262-279
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• 2019

In the engineering barriers of high-level radioactive waste disposal, gases could be generated through a number of processes. If the gas production rate exceeds the gas diffusion rate, the pressure of the gas increases and gases could migrate through the bentonite buffer. Because people and the environment can be exposed to radioactivity, it is very important to clarify gas migration in terms of long-term integrity of the engineered barrier system. In particular, it is necessary to identify the hydro-mechanical mechanism for the dilation flow, which is a very important gas flow phenomenon only in medium containing large amounts of clay materials such as bentonite buffer, and to develop and validate new numerical approach for the quantitative evaluation of the gas migration phenomenon. Therefore, in this study, we developed a two-phase flow model considering the mechanical damage model in order to simulate the gas migration in the engineered barrier system, and validated with 1D gas flow modelling through saturated bentonite under constant volume boundary conditions. As a result of numerical analysis, the rapid increase in pore water pressure, stress, and gas outflow could be simulated when the dilation flow was occurred.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.123-131
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• 2021

The buffer is a key component of an engineered barrier system that safeguards the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Buffers are located between disposal canisters and host rock, and they can restrain the release of radionuclides and protect canisters from the inflow of ground water. Since considerable heat is released from a disposal canister to the surrounding buffer, the thermal conductivity of the buffer is a very important parameter in the entire disposal safety. For this reason, a lot of research has been conducted on thermal conductivity prediction models that consider various factors. In this study, the thermal conductivity of a buffer is estimated using the machine learning methods of: linear regression, decision tree, support vector machine (SVM), ensemble, Gaussian process regression (GPR), neural network, deep belief network, and genetic programming. In the results, the machine learning methods such as ensemble, genetic programming, SVM with cubic parameter, and GPR showed better performance compared with the regression model, with the ensemble with XGBoost and Gaussian process regression models showing best performance.