• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.243-269
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• 2021

Since the early 2010s, the social importance of research and practical projects targeting deep geological disposal of high-level nuclear waste, underground CO₂ storage and characterization of deep subsurface by borehole investigation has been increasing. In this regard, there is also a significant increase in the need for in situ test technology to obtain quantitative and reliable information on the hydraulic characteristics of deep rock mass. Through years of research and development, we have independently set up Deep borehole Hydraulic Test System (DHTS) based on the key apparatuses designed and made with our own technology. Using this system, high precision constant pressure injection tests were successfully completed at the two 1 km boreholes located in Mesozoic granite and sedimentary rock regions, Gyeongju. During the field tests, it was possible to measure very low flow rate below 0.01 l/min with micro flow rate injection/control module. In this paper, the major characteristics of DHTS are introduced and also some results obtained from the high precision field tests under the deep and low permeable rock mass environment are briefly discussed.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2021

It is important to evaluate the fracture network in a rock volume because fractures control the ground conditions and fluid flow characteristics. Therefore, various attempts have been made to quantify fracture networks to better understand ground and flow conditions. The use of fracture density alone (a quantitative parameter based on geometric analysis) does not fully explain the evolution of fracture networks, or quantify the spatial relationship (e.g. connectivity) of fractures in a rock mass. Therefore, the need for fracture network characterization based on topological analysis has recently emerged. In Korea however, the topological analysis of fracture networks within a rock mass has rarely been studied. As such, the definition of the topological analysis of fracture networks and the graph theory related to the topological analysis are briefly summarized in this study. We also introduce an application method for these analyses to fracture characterization. If the topological method is used for the analysis of fracture networks, it can also be adopted to analyze fluid flow characteristics of groundwater, characterize petroleum reservoirs, and analyze the evolution of a fracture network. In addition, topological analysis can be useful for site selection of major facilities such as nuclear waste disposal sites because it can be used to evaluate the stability of the potential sites.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.464-477
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• 2022

DFN (discrete fracture network) models that take account of spatial variability and correlation between rock fractures have been demanded for analysis of fractured rock mass behavior for wide areas with high reliability, such as that of underground nuclear waste repositories. In this regard, this report describes the spatial distribution characteristics of fracture networks, and the DFN modeling methodologies that aim to represent such characteristics. DFN modeling methods have been proposed to represent the spatial variability of rock fractures by defining fracture domains (Darcel et al., 2013) and the spatial correlation among fractures by genetic modeling techniques that imitate fracture growth processes (Davy et al., 2013, Libby et al., 2019, Lavoine et al., 2020).These methods, however, require further research for their application to field surveys and for modeling in-situ rock fracture networks.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.304-313
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• 2016

One of the issues currently facing nuclear power plants is how to store spent nuclear waste materials which are contaminated with radionuclides such as $^{134}Cs$, $^{135}Cs$, and $^{137}Cs$. Bioremediation processes may offer a potent method of cleaning up radioactive cesium. However, there have only been limited reports on $Cs^+$ tolerant bacteria. In this study, we report the isolation and identification of $Cs^+$ tolerant bacteria in environmental soil and sediment. The resistant $Cs^+$ isolates were screened from enrichment cultures in R2A medium supplemented with 100 mM CsCl for 72 h, followed by microbial community analysis based on sequencing analysis from 16S rRNA gene clone libraries(NCBI's BlastN). The dominant Bacillus anthracis Roh-1 and B. cereus Roh-2 were successfully isolated from the cesium enrichment culture. Importantly, B. cereus Roh-2 is resistant to 30% more $Cs^+$ than is B. anthracis Roh-1 when treated with 50 mM CsCl. Growth experiments clearly demonstrated that the isolate had a higher tolerance to $Cs^+$. In addition, we investigated the adsorption of $0.2mg\;L^{-1}$ $Cs^+$ using B. anthracis Roh-1. The maximum $Cs^+$ biosorption capacity of B. anthracis Roh-1 was $2.01mg\;g^{-1}$ at pH 10. Thus, we show that $Cs^+$ tolerant bacterial isolates could be used for bioremediation of contaminated environments.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.59-71
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• 2016

To investigate the sorption characteristics of Cs, which is one of the major isotopes of nuclear waste, on natural zeolite chabazite, XRD, EPMA, EC, pH, and ICP analysis were performed to obtain the informations on chemical composition, cation exchange capacity, sorption kinetics and isotherm of chabazite as well as competitive adsorption with other cations ($Li^+$, $Na^+$, $K^+$, $Rb^+$, $Sr^{2+}$). The chabazite used in this experiment has chemical composition of $Ca_{1.15}Na_{0.99}K_{1.20}Mg_{0.01}Ba_{0.16}Al_{4.79}Si_{7.21}O_{24}$ and its Si/Al ratio and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were 1.50 and 238.1 meq/100 g, respectively. Using the adsorption data at different times and concentrations, pseudo-second order and Freundlich isotherm equation were the most adequate ones for kinetic and isotherm models, indicating that there are multi sorption layers with more than two layers, and the sorption capacity was estimated by the derived constant from those equations. We also observed that equivalent molar fractions of Cs exchanged in chabazite were different depending on the ionic species from competitive ion exchange experiment. The selectivity sequence of Cs in chabazite with other cations in solution was in the order of $Na^+$, $Li^+$, $Sr^{2+}$, $K^+$ and $Rb^+$ which seems to be related to the hydrated diameters of those caions. When the exchange equilibrium relationship of Cs with other cations were plotted by Kielland plot, $Sr^{2+}$ showed the highest selectivity followed by $Na^+$, $Li^+$, $K^+$, $Rb^+$ and Cs showed positive values with all cations. Equilibrium constants from Kielland plot, which can explain thermodynamics and reaction kinetics for ionic exchange condition, suggest that chabazite has a higher preference for Cs in pores when it exists with $Sr^{2+}$ in solution, which is supposed to be due to the different hydration diameters of cations. Our rsults show that the high selectivity of Cs on chabazite can be used for the selective exchange of Cs in the water contaminated by radioactive nuclei.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 2009

The adsorption of iodide on untreated bentonite and bentonites modified with organic cation (i.e., hexadecylpyridinium chloride monohydrate ($HDP^+$)) was investigated, and the organobentonites were characterized using uptake measurements, ${\mu}$-XRD, and electrophoretic mobilities measurement. Uptake measurements indicate that bentonite has a high affinity for $HDP^+$. Our ${\mu}$-XRD study indicates that organobentonites significantly expanded in basal spacing and organic cations were substantially intercalated into the interlayer spaces of bentonite. The electrophoretic mobility indicates that organobentonite tht is modified with organic cations in excess of the CEC of bentonite is completely different from untreated bentonite in the surface charge distribution. We found significant differences in adsorption capacities of iodide depending on the bentonite properties as follows: iodide adsorption capacities were 439 mmol/kg for the bentonite modified with $HDP^+$ at an equivalent amount corresponding to 200% of the CEC of bentonite whereas no adsorption of iodide was observed for the untreated bentonite. The molecular environments of iodine adsorbed on organobentonites were further studied using I K-edge and $L_{III}$-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) of iodine spectra from organobentonites was similar to that of KI reference solution. Linear combination fitting of EXAFS data suggests the fraction of iodine reacted with the organic compound increased with increasing loading of the organic compound on organobentonites. In this study, we observed significant differences in the adsorption environments of iodide depending on the modified property of bentonite and suggest that an organobentonite has potential as reactive barrier material around a nuclear waste repository containing anionic radioactive iodide.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.788-818
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• 2009

Renewable energy refers to solar energy, biomass energy, hydrogen energy, wind power, fuel cell, coal liquefaction and vaporization, marine energy, waste energy, and liquidity fuel made out of byproduct of geothermal heat, hydrogen and coal; it excludes energy based on coal, oil, nuclear energy and natural gas. Developed countries have recognized the importance of these energies and thus have set the mid to long term plans to develop and commercialize the technology and supported them with drastic political and financial measures. Considering the growing recognition to the field, it is necessary to analysis up-to-now achievement of the government's related projects, in the standards of type of renewable energy, management of sectional goals, and its commercialization. Korean government is chiefly following suit the USA and British policies of developing and distributing renewable energy. However, unlike Japan which is in the lead role in solar rays industry, it still lacks in state-directed support, participation of enterprises and social recognition. The research regarding renewable energy has mainly examinedthe state of supply of each technology and suitability of specific region for applying the technology. The evaluation shows that the research has been focused on supply and demand of renewable as well as general energy and solution for the enhancement of supply capacity in certain area. However, in-depth study for commercialization and the increase of capacity in industry followed by development of the technology is still inadequate. 'Cost-benefit model for each energy source' is used in analysis of technology development of renewable energy and quantitative and macro economical effects of its commercialization in order to foresee following expand in related industries and increase in added value. First, Investment on the renewable energy technology development is in direct proportion both to the product and growth, but product shows slightly higher index under the same amount of R&D investment than growth. It indicates that advance in technology greatly influences the final product, the energy growth. Moreover, while R&D investment on renewable energy product as well as the government funds included in the investment have proportionate influence on the renewable energy growth, private investment in the total amount invested has reciprocal influence. This statistic shows that research and development is mainly driven by government funds rather than private investment. Finally, while R&D investment on renewable energy growth affects proportionately, government funds and private investment shows no direct relations, which indicates that the effects of research and development on renewable energy do not affect government funds or private investment. All of the results signify that although it is important to have government policy in technology development and commercialization, private investment and active participation of enterprises are the key to the success in the industry.