• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.12-24
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• 2023

With the improvement of laser technology, the strategic needs of efficient and precise decontamination of various components in nuclear application units can be fulfilled by laser decontamination. The surface contaminants of nuclear facilities mainly exist both as loose contaminated layer and fixed oxide layer. The types of radionuclides and contamination layer thickness are closely related to the operation status of nuclear facilities, which have an important influence on the laser decontamination process. This study reviewed the mechanism of laser surface treatment and the influence of laser process parameters on the decontamination thickness, decontamination factor, decontamination efficiency and the distribution of aerosol particle. Although multiple studies have been performed on the mechanism of laser processing and laser decontamination process, there are few studies on the microscopic process mechanism of laser decontamination and the influence of laser decontamination on surface properties. In particular, the interaction between laser and radioactive contaminants needs more research in the future.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.332-338
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• 2017

In this study, we evaluated tendency and degree of corrosion damages of Inconel 600 after chemical decontamination treatments under three different conditions. In the decontamination processes, the oxidation and reduction were performed as one cycle. Each process was continued up to 5 cycles. Characteristics of corrosion under decontamination processes were evaluated by Tafel analysis and weight loss. Characteristics of surface damage were observed by scanning electron microscope(SEM) and three-dimensional(3D) microscope. As the cycle proceeded, weight loss and corrosion current density increased. Intergranular corrosion damage occurred on the surface of the materials. The result revealed that the surface of Inconel 600 was attacked by the strong acid solution under all chemical decontamination processes, but the degree of the corrosion damage was different depending on the processes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2005.11b
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• pp.300-315
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• 2005

Recently plasma surface-cleaning or surface-etching techniques have been focused in the respect of decontamination of spent or used nuclear parts and equipment. In this study decontamination rate of metallic cobalt surface was experimentally investigated via its surface etching rate with a $CF_4-O_2$ mixed gas plasma and metallic surface wastes of cobalt oxides were simulated and decontaminated with $NF_3$ - Ar mixed gas plasma. Experimental results revealed that a mixed etchant gas with about $80{\%}\;CF_4-20{\%}\;O_2$ gives the highest reaction rate of cobalt disk and the rate reaches with a negative 300 DC bias voltage up to $0.43\;{\mu}m$/min at $380^{\circ}C$ and $20{\%}\;NF_3-80\%$ Ar mixed gas gives $0.2\;{\mu}m$/min of reaction rate of cobalt oxide film.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.251-258
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• 2017

This study was carried out with solution temperature variables of $75^{\circ}C$ and $90^{\circ}C$ for STS 304, which is a nuclear equipment material, in order to determine the corrosion damage behavior in chemical decontamination process using permanganic acid and oxalic acid. Then electrochemical polarization experiment, weight loss measurement, surface morphology observation and surface damage depth were measured every cycle of the decontamination process to analyze the degree of corrosion damage. As a result, the corrosion current density, weight loss, and surface damage increased as the decontamination process cycle increased, and the corrosion damage of STS 304 tended to increase. Few ${\mu}m$ pitting damage was observed on the surface observation. In 5 cycle, the elongated wormhole-type pitting damage appeared, leading to relatively large surface damage. However, there was no significant difference in the degree of surface damage resulting from the increase in the temperature of the chemical decontamination solution.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.271-278
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• 2007

In this study, applicable possibility in chemical decontamination for reactor coolant pump(RCP) was investigated for the various stainless steels. The stainless steel(STS) 304 showed the best electrochemical properties for corrosion current density and the lowest weight loss ratio in chemical decontamination process model 3-3 than other materials. The weightloss quantity in chemical decontamination process model 3-3 presents the lowest value compare to the other chemical decontamination process model 1, 2, 3-1 and 3-2. In the case of SEM observation, the pitting corrosion was generated in both STS 415 and STS 431 with the increasing numbers of cycle. The intergranular corrosion in STS 431 was sporadically observed. The sizes of their pitting corrosion were also increased with increasing cycle numbers.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 2001

Green technology is being developed up to a point that is feasible not only in an environmental sense, but also in an economical viewpoint. This paper introduces two case studies that applied $CO_2$ technology into nuclear industry. 1) Nuclear laundry : A laundry machine that uses liquid and supercritical $CO_2$ as a solvent for decontamination of contaminated working dresses in nuclear power plants was developed. The machine consists of a 16 liter reactor, a recovery system with compressors, and storage tanks. All $CO_2$ used in cleaning is fully recovered and reused in next cleaning, resulting in no production of secondary nuclear waste. Decontamination factor is still lower than that in the methods currently used in the plant. Nuclear laundry using $CO_2$ looks promising with technical improvements-surfactants and mechanical agitation. 2) $CO_2$ nozzle decontamination : An adjustable nozzle for controlling the size of dry ice snow was developed. Using the developed nozzle, a surface decontamination device was made. Human oils like fingerprints on glass were easy to remove. Decontamination ability was tested using a contaminated pump-housing surface. About 40 to 80% of radioactivity was removed. This device is effective in surface-decontamination of any electrical devices like detector, controllers which cannot be cleaned in aqueous solution.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.187-199
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• 2015

Decontamination is one of the crucial technologies that are applied during the decommissioning process of nuclear facilities to secure the safety of workers and to minimize the quantity of radioactive waste. Decontamination removes radionuclides on the surface of contaminated metal. Compared with decontamination for operational nuclear facilities, decontamination for nuclear power plants that are being decommissioned needs to remove the more and thicker surface using more aggressive agents or specially developed equipment. This paper analyzed the factors to be considered before planning the decontamination, representative decontamination technologies, and their application procedure,etc. ORCID

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1051-1059
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• 2007

Bioterrorism intends to cause mass casualties and social panic by means of malicious pathogenic microorganisms. Environmental decontamination becomes very important as a follow-up measure if that happens. Conventional methods for decontamination is that aqueous disinfectants are being sprayed for killing or not spreading microorganisms with the purpose of preventing infection. However, these procedures are not enough to perfectly sterilize space or surface inside of building, requiring additional measures such as surface disinfection or gas treatment methods. This article deals with the issues about the present decontamination procedures, global trends, in order to formulate suggestion for advanced environmental decontamination.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.234-240
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• 2007

As a reactor coolant pump (RCP) is operated in the nuclear power system for a long time, so its surface is continuously contaminated by radioactive scales. In order to maintain for RCP internals, a special chemical decontamination process should be used to reduce the radiation from the RCP surface. In this study, applicable possibility in chemical decontamination for RCP was investigated for the various stainless steels. The stainless steel (STS) 304 showed the best electrochemical properties for corrosion resistance and the lowest weight loss ratio in chemical decontamination process model 3-1 than other materials. However, the pitting corrosion was generated in both STS 415 and STS 431 with the increasing numbers of cycle. The intergranular corrosion in STS 415 was sporadically observed. The sizes of their pitting corrosion were also increased with increasing cycle numbers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.438-446
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• 2003

This paper presents the development of the remotely operated decontamination systems for use in a highly radioactive zone of the DUPIC Fuel Development facility of the Irradiated Material Examination Facility at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. The remotely operated decontamination systems were designed to completely eliminate human interaction with hazardous radioactive contaminants. These decontamination systems are mainly classified into three systems depending on the task environment - a fabrication equipment decontamination system, a hot-cell floor decontamination system, and an isolation room floor decontamination system. A decontamination system for contaminated fabrication equipment utilizes dry ice pellet blasting method to decontaminate contaminated surface of the equipment. The decontamination systems for the hot-cell floor and isolation room floor employ a vacuum cleaning method to decontaminate the contaminated floor and collect loose dry spent nuclear fuel debris and other radioactive waste placed on the floor. The human operator from the out-of-cell performs a series of decontamination tasks remotely by manipulating decontamination systems located in-cell via a handcontroller with the aid of vision feedback information. The environmental, functional and mechanical design considerations, control system and capabilities of the remotely operated decontamination systems at a high radioactive environment are also described.