• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2017.05a
• /
• pp.187-188
• /
• 2017

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.53 no.7
• /
• pp.2261-2267
• /
• 2021

This paper evaluates the efficacy of magnesium potassium phosphate cements (MKPCs) as waste forms for the solidification of radioactive concrete powder wastes produced by the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. MKPC specimens that contained up to 50 wt% of simulated concrete powder wastes (SCPWs) were evaluated. We measured the porosity and compressive strength of the MKPC specimens, observing them using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The addition of SCPWs reduced the porosity and increased the compressive strength of the MKPC specimens. Struvite-K crystals were well-synthesized, and no additional crystal phase was formed. After thermal cycling and after immersion, MKPC specimens with 50 wt% SCPWs satisfied the waste-acceptance criteria (WAC) for compressive strength. Semi-dynamic leaching tests were performed using the ANS 16.1 method; the leachability indices of Cs, Co, and Sr were 11.45, 17.63, and 15.66, respectively, which also satisfy the WAC. Thus, MKPCs can provide stable matrices to immobilize radioactive concrete wastes generated by the decommissioning of nuclear power plants.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2018.05a
• /
• pp.94-95
• /
• 2018

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
• /
• 2005.11a
• /
• pp.143-152
• /
• 2005

There certainly exists the radioactive inventory that exceeds the waste acceptance criteria for final disposal of the low and intermediate-level radioactive waste. In this paper, current disposal status of the long-lived radioactive waste in several nations are summarized and the basic procedures for disposal approach are suggested. With this suggestion, intensive discussion and research activities can hopefully be launched to set down the possible resolutions to dispose of the long-lived radioactive waste.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.127-131
• /
• 2022

The structural safety of prototype transport and storage containers for very low-level radioactive liquid waste was experimentally estimated for its localization development. Transport containers for radioactive liquid waste have been researched and developed, however, there are no standardized commercial containers for very low-level radioactive waste in Korea. In this study, the structural safety of the designated IP-2 type container capable of transporting and temporarily storing large amounts of very low-level liquid waste, which is generated during the operation and decommissioning of nuclear power plants, was demonstrated. The stacking and drop tests, which were conducted to determine the structural integrity of the container, verified that there was no external leakage of the contents in spite of its structural deformation due to the drop impact. This study shows the effort required for the localization of the technology used in manufacturing transport and storage containers for very low-level radioactive liquid waste, and the additional structural reinforcement of the container in which the commercial intermediate bulk container (IBC) external frame was coupled.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
• /
• 2010.03a
• /
• pp.791-800
• /
• 2010

This paper presents the construction status and the conceptual designs of midium and high level radioactive waste disposal facilities from all around world. For the midium radioactive waste, a shallow disposal using trench or a deep depth disposal are adopted. However, these are rather focusing on the social and cultural point of view than the technical. Meanwhile, the high level radioactive waste is basically disposed in the deep underground. The corresponding ground conditions are usually dense and composed of sedimentary and crystalline rocks mainly with low permeability. A barrier system is made of canister which consists of copper, titanium, and tin. The inner and outer side of the canister are composed of different materials respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
• /
• 2005.05a
• /
• pp.517-518
• /
• 2005

• Corrosion Science and Technology
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.113-119
• /
• 2016

Corrosion science faces new challenges in various nuclear environments. Three main areas may be identified where increases of knowledge and understanding have been done and are still needed to face the technical needs: (i) the extension of the service time of nuclear power plants from 40 years, as initially planned, to 60 years and probably more as expected now, (ii) the prediction of long term behaviour of metallic materials in nuclear waste disposal where the corrosion processes have to be predicted over large periods of time, some thousands years and more, (iii) the choice of materials for use at very high temperatures as expected in Generation IV power plants in environments like gas (helium), supercritical water, liquid metals or salts. Service time extension, deep geological waste repositories and high temperature reactors sustain researches and developments to model corrosion phenomena at various scales, from atoms to components.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.383-395
• /
• 2023

Since 1997, the Republic of Korea (ROK) has been developing pyro-processing (Pyro) technology to reduce the disposal burden of high-level radioactive waste by recycling spent nuclear fuel (SNF). Compared to plutonium and uranium extraction process, Korean Pyro technology has relatively excellent proliferation resistance that cannot separate pure plutonium owing to its intrinsic characteristics. Regarding Pyro technology development of ROK, the Bush administration considered that Pyro is not reprocessing under the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, whereas the Obama administration considered that Pyro is subject to reprocessing. However, the Bush and Obama administrations did not allow ROK to conduct full Pyro activities using SNF, even though ROK had faithfully complied with international nonproliferation obligations. This is because the US nuclear nonproliferation policy to prevent the spread of sensitive technologies, such as enrichment and reprocessing, has a strong effect on ROK, unlike Japan, on a bilateral level beyond the NPT regime for non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.457-469
• /
• 2023

The clearance level by nuclide is announced by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission. However, the clearance level of uranium existing in nature has not been announced, and research is needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the clearance level of uranium nuclides appropriate to domestic conditions preliminary. For this purpose, this study selected major processes for recycling metal wastes and analyzed the exposure scenarios and major input factors by investigating the characteristics of each process. Then, the radiation dose to the general public and workers was evaluated according to the selected scenarios. Finally, the results of the radiation dose per unit radioactivity for each scenario were analyzed to derive the clearance level of uranium in metal waste. The results of the radiation dose assessment for both the general public and workers per unit radioactivity of uranium isotopes were shown to meet the allowable dose (individual dose of 10 µSv y^-1 and collective dose of 1 Man-Sv y^-1) regulated by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission. The most conservative scenarios for volumetric and surface contamination were evaluated for the handling of the slag generated after the melting of the metal waste and the direct reuse of the contaminated metal waste into the building without further disposal. For each of these scenarios, the radioactivity concentration by uranium isotope was calculated, and the clearance level of uranium in metal waste was calculated through the radioactivity ratio by enrichment. The results of this study can be used as a basic data for defining the clearance level of uranium-contaminated radioactive waste.