• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.451-463
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• 2023

With South Korea increasingly focusing on nuclear energy, the management of spent nuclear fuel has attracted considerable attention in South Korea. This study established a novel procedure for selecting safety-relevant radionuclides for long-term safety assessments of a deep geological repository in South Korea. Statistical evaluations were performed to identify the design basis reference spent nuclear fuels and evaluate the source term for up to one million years. Safety-relevant radionuclides were determined based on the half-life criteria, the projected activities for the design basis reference spent nuclear fuel, and the annual limit of ingestion set by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission Notification No. 2019-10 without considering their chemical and hydrogeological properties. The proposed process was used to select 56 radionuclides, comprising 27 fission and activation products and 29 actinide nuclides. This study explains first the determination of the design basis reference spent nuclear fuels, followed by a comprehensive discussion on the selection criteria and methodology for safety-relevant radionuclides.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.489-502
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• 2023

This article presents the crucial role played by the French underground research laboratory (URL) in initiating the deep geological repository project Cigéo. In January 2023, Andra finalized the license application for the initial construction of Cigéo. Depending on Government's decision, the construction of Cigéo may be authorized around 2027. Cigéo is the result of a National program, launched in 1991, aiming to safely manage high-level and intermediate level long-lived radioactive wastes. This National program is based on four principles: 1) excellent science and technical knowledge, 2) safety and security as primary goals for waste management, 3) high requirements for environment protection, 4) transparent and open-public exchanges preceding the democratic decisions and orientations by the Parliament. The research and development (R&D) activities carried out in the URL supported the design and the safety demonstration of the Cigéo project. Moreover, running the URL has provided an opportunity to gain practical experience with regard to the security of underground operations, assessment of environmental impacts, and involvement of the public in the preparation of decisions. The practices implemented have helped gradually build confidence in the Cigéo project.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.57-81
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• 2015

Water inrush and mud outburst always restricts the tunnel constructions in mountain area, which becomes a major geological barrier against the development of underground engineering. In view of the complex disaster-causing mechanism and difficult quantitative predictions of water inrush and mud outburst, several theoretical methods are adopted to realize dynamic assessment of water inrush in the progressive process of tunnel construction. Concerning both the geological condition and construction situation, eleven risk factors are quantitatively described and an assessment system is developed to evaluate the water inrush risk. In the static assessment, the weights of eight risk factors about the geological condition are determined using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Each factor is scored by experts and the synthesis scores are weighted. The risk level is ultimately determined based on the scoring outcome which is derived from the sum of products of weights and comprehensive scores. In the secondary assessment, the eight risk factors in static assessment and three factors about construction situation are quantitatively analyzed using fuzzy evaluation method. Subordinate levels and weight of factors are prepared and then used to calculate the comprehensive subordinate degree and risk level. In the dynamic assessment, the classical field of the eleven risk factors is normalized by using the extension evaluation method. From the input of the matter-element, weights of risk factors are determined and correlation analysis is carried out to determine the risk level. This system has been applied to the dynamic assessment of water inrush during construction of the Yuanliangshan tunnel of Yuhuai Railway. The assessment results are consistent with the actual excavation, which verifies the rationality and feasibility of the software. The developed system is believed capable to be back-up and applied for risk assessment of water inrush in the underground engineering construction.

• 한국해양환경ㆍ에너지학회지
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.181-190
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• 2008

기후변화 및 교토의정서상의 온실가스 의무감축요구에 대응하기 위하여 발전소 및 제철소 등 대규모 발생원에서부터 포집한 $CO_2$를 파이프라인이나 선박 등을 통해 수송하고, 이를 해저 지질구조내 대규모로 수백-수천년 이상 장기간 저장 및 관리하는 $CO_2$ 해양지중저장기술이 국내외적으로 주목 받고 있다. $CO_2$ 해양지중저장 처리 시스템 설계를 수행하는데 있어 전산모사를 통한 공정 설계는 필수적이다. 즉, 수치 모델링을 통하여 $CO_2$ 해양지중저장 처리에 필요한 일련의 공정을 열역학 상태방정식 등을 이용하여 모사하는 것이다. 본 논문에서는 $CO_2$ 해양지중저장 처리를 위한 공정 설계에 사용되는 열역학 상태방정식들을 비교 분석하였다. 또한, 상태방정식 계산결과의 정확성을 평가하기 위하여 실험으로부터 구해진 데이터와 비교를 수행하였다. 이상기체 상태방정식과 SRK식은 $29.85^{\circ}C$, 60 bar 이상에서 밀도를 전혀 예측하지 못하였으며, 고온 고압의 초임계 상태에서 100% 내외의 오차를 보였다. BWRS 식은 임계온도 근처인 $29.55^{\circ}C$, 임계압력 근처인 $60{\sim}80\;bar$ 사이의 영역에서 실험값을 전혀 예측하지 못하고 최대 100%의 차이를 보였다. $CO_2$ 해양지중저장 처리의 저장지 조건인 온도 $31.1^{\circ}C$ 이상, 압력 73.9 bar 이상의 초임계 상태에서 PR 식과 PRBM 식은 실험값을 비교적 잘 예측하였다. 따라서 $CO_2$ 해양지중저장처리 공정 중 고온, 고압 영역에서는 상기 상태방정식을 이용한 공정 설계가 유용하다고 판단된다.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.12-22
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• 2020

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is a promising water management strategy for securing stable water resources to overcome water shortage and water quality deterioration caused by global environmental changes. A MAR demonstration site was selected at Imgok-ri, Sangju-si, Korea, based on screening for the frequency of drought events and local water supply situations. The abundant groundwater discharging from a nearby abandoned coal mine is one of the potential recharge water sources for the MAR implementation. However, it has elevated levels of arsenic (~12 ㎍/L). In this study, the potential of the natural attenuation of arsenic by the field geological media was investigated using batch and column experiments. The adsorption and desorption parameters were obtained for two drill core samples (GM1; 21.8~22.8 m and GM2; 26.0~27.8 m depth) recovered from the potentially water-conducting fracture-zones in the injection well. The effluent arsenic concentrations were monitored during the continuous flow of the mine drainage water through the columns packed with the core samples. GM2 removed about 60% of arsenic in the influent (0.1 mg-As/L) while GM1 removed about 20%. The results suggest that natural attenuation is an acitive process occurring during the MAR operation, potentially lowering the arsenic level in the mine drainage water below the regulatory standard for drinking water. This study hence demonstrates that using the mine drainage water as the recharge water source is a viable option at the MAR demonstration site.

• 한국지형학회지
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.105-121
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• 2020

There has been a lot of controversy over the claim that ancient characters were engraved on a stone plane collected near the Samsin Mountain in Hadong-gun, and that it was used as an altar based on the contents on the stone. The importance of the role of geoscience in prehistoric petroglyph research was presented through analysis and comparison with representative domestic petroglyphs. First, by examining the geological formation process of the collected stone objects, it proved that prehistoric actions were not applied. Second, as a result of comparative analysis from the viewpoints of human geography and topography with representative petroglyphs in Korea, it is unreasonable to argue that the stone was made for an altar. Third, it is considered that among the ancient characters under debate, the straight line indicates a cleavage of carbonate minerals, and the curved shape results from the growth of lichens. Finally, we propose that reproducing the lines found on the stone was impossible by using ancient techniques, and that there was no trace of any artificial actions applied to the spots considered to be curved characters. As shown in such research cases, the results of petroglyph research will have high reliability, if research by experts in each field continues after the geoscientific basis is secured. In this respect, the contribution of Earth science to cultural assets and archeology is expected to increase in the future.

• 한국해양환경ㆍ에너지학회지
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.187-197
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• 2010

화석연료를 사용하는 발전소 및 제철소 등 대규모 발생원에서 배출되는 $CO_2$를 포집하고 이를 대수층이나 유가스전과 같은 지질학적 구조에 장기간 저장하는 이산화탄소 포집 및 저장기술(Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage, CCS)이 기후변화 대응기술로서 국내외적으로 주목 받고 있다. 이와 같은 CCS 기술을 구현하기 위해서는 포집된 대용량의 $CO_2$ 혼합물을 파이프라인이나 선박 등을 통해 수송하는 과정이 필요하고, 이러한 공정에 대한 기존의 연구는 주로 순수 $CO_2$를 대상으로 하여 진행되어 왔다. 그러나 일반적으로 발전소 및 제철소 등에서 포집된 $CO_2$ 혼합물에는 $N_2$, $O_2$, Ar, $H_2O$, $SO_2$, $H_2S$ 등과 같은 불순물들을 포함하고 있다. 이러한 $CO_2$ 혼합물 내 불순물들은 처리하고자 하는 $CO_2$ 혼합물의 열역학 상태량 등을 변화시킴으로써 압축, 정제, 수송 및 저장 공정들에 커다란 영향을 미칠 수 있다. 본 논문에서는 이러한 불순물 중 황성분이 함유된 $SO_2$가 포함된 $CO_2$ 혼합물의 수송 및 저장 공정을 설계하는데 있어 매우 중요한 $CO_2$ 혼합물의 열역학 거동을 모사하기 위한 상태량 모델들을 비교 분석하였다. 이를 위해 BWRS EOS, PR EOS, PRBM EOS, RKS EOS, SRK EOS 그리고 NRTL-RK 모델과 같은 총 6가지 물리적 상태량 모델을 이용하여 $CO_2-SO_2$ 혼합물의 VLE 거동을 수치계산하고 이를 실험 데이터와 비교하였다. 또한, $CO_2$, $SO_2$와 같은 서로 다른 분자간의 상호작용 효과를 보완하기 위하여 상태량 모델을 이용한 계산결과와 실험결과와의 차이를 정량화하여 각각의 상태량 모델의 예측능력을 계량화 비교분석하였고 이로부터 $CO_2-SO_2$ 혼합물에 대한 최적의 이성분 매개변수 값들을 도출하였다.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.283-294
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• 2023

APro, developed in KAERI for the process-based total system performance assessment (TSPA) of deep geological disposal systems, performs finite element method (FEM)-based multiphysics analysis. In the FEM-based analysis, the mesh element quality influences the numerical solution accuracy, memory requirement, and computation time. Therefore, an appropriate mesh structure should be constructed before the mesh stability analysis to achieve an accurate and efficient process-based TSPA. A generic reference case of DECOVALEX-2023 Task F, which has been proposed for simulating stationary groundwater flow and time-dependent conservative transport of two tracers, was used in this study for mesh stability analysis. The relative differences in tracer concentration varying mesh structures were determined by comparing with the results for the finest mesh structure. For calculation efficiency, the memory requirements and computation time were compared. Based on the mesh stability analysis, an approach based on adaptive mesh refinement was developed to resolve the error in the early stage of the simulation time-period. It was observed that the relative difference in the tracer concentration significantly decreased with high calculation efficiency.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권11호
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• pp.4083-4095
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• 2023

Currently, various research institutes in Korea are conducting research to develop a safety case for deep geological repository for high-level radioactive waste (HLW). In the past, low and intermediate-level waste (LILW) was approved by a regulatory body by performing a post-closure safety assessment, but HLW has different disposal characteristics and safety objectives are different. Therefore, in the case of HLW, safety assessment should be performed based on these changed conditions, and specific procedures are also under development. In this paper, the regulatory status of prior research institutes, feature, event and process (FEP) and scenario development cases were investigated for well-organized FEP and scenario development methodologies. In addition, through the results of these surveys, the requirements and procedures necessary for the FEP and scenario development stage during the safety assessment of repository for HLW were presented. These review results are expected to be used to identify the overall status of previous studies in conducting post-closure risk assessment for HLW repository, starting with identifying regulatory requirements, the most basic element.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.219-228
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• 2012

우리나라에서의 고준위폐기물 처분을 위한 연구는 1997년부터 시작하였으며, 국내에서 발생하는 경수로 사용후핵연료와 중수로 사용후핵연료를 처분대상으로 하여 2006년도에는 한국형 사용후핵연료 기준처분시스템(KRS) 개발을 완료하였다. 이후, 경수로 사용후핵연료로부터 재활용 가능물질을 회수하는 재순환주기를 고려하여 재활용을 위한 파이로공정 연구를 수행하고 있어, 이 공정으로부터 발생하는 고준위폐기물에 대한 처분연구를 수행하고 있다. 본 논문에서는 심지층 처분시스템 개념설정에 중요한 인자인 파이로공정으로부터 발생하는 처분대상 폐기물인 세라믹고화 폐기물과 금속폐기물에 대한 특성분석 결과와 폐기물별로 특성에 적합한 처분용기 개념을 기술하였다. 이를 바탕으로 처분대상 폐기물에서 발생하는 붕괴열의 특성을 고려한 열해석을 통하여 지하처분시설에서의 처분용기 간격과 처분동굴 간격을 결정하고, 이를 반영하여 심지층 처분 시스템(A-KRS) 개념을 도출하였다. 이렇게 도출된 처분시스템 입지를 검토하기 위하여 KURT 시설 부지를 대상으로 가상부지로 설정하고, 가상 부지에 대한 지질 및 수리특성을 이용하여 최적의 배치(안)을 제시하였다. 본 연구의 결과는 추후 실제 부지특성자료와 연계하여 처분장 설계 및 처분안전성 평가에 입력자료로 활용될 것이다.