• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권1호
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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.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제50권5호
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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.

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2005년도 Proceedings of The 6th korea-china joint workshop on nuclear waste management
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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.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제50권4호
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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.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제40권6호
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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.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제34권1호
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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.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.187-199
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• 2015

원전해체시장이 본격적으로 도래함에 따라 그에 따른 기술연구가 부각되고 있다. 그러한 기술 중 방사선 제염은 직접적인 원전해체 과정 중 가장 초반에 행해지는 작업으로 현장 근로자의 안전확보 및 폐기물 양 감소를 위해 수행되는 중요한 작업이다. 제염을 통해 폐기물 표면에 존재하는 방사선 물질을 제거하게 되는데 해체에 적용되는 제염기술은 보다 강한 매개체를 사용하거나 개선된 설비를 활용하여 표면층 제거 정도가 일반적인 제염보다 훨씬 크다. 따라서 제염 계획 수립시 다양한 관점에서 분석 방법이 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 제염기술 선정을 위해 고려해야 할 요인을 설명하였으며, 대표적인 제염기술 사례 분석을 통해 실제 기술 수행을 위해 원전 설비 내 제염 아이템 선정 및 제염 장비 활용을 위해 검토해야 할 사항을 제시하였다.

• 대한환경공학회지
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• 제29권9호
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• pp.1051-1059
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• 2007

병원성 미생물을 이용하여 인명살상과 사회적 혼란을 야기하는 생물학적 테러에 대응하기 위한 여러 방안 중에서 사후조치로써의 환경에서 생물무기 제독(환경소독)은 매우 중요하다. 이러한 상황에 대한 현재 우리의 환경소독 방법은 대부분 소독제를 물과 반응시킨 고농도의 수용액을 이용한 소독 방법을 적용하고 있다. 생물테러와 같은 고위험 병원성 미생물에 오염된 실내공간을 완벽하게 소독하거나 군사적인 목적의 제독작전을 위해서는 수용액을 이용한 표면의 제독방법과 더불어 가스 상의 멸균제를 혼합한 공간제독이 병행되어야 할 것이다. 이 글에서는 생물테러라는 특수한 상황을 전제로 하여 실내소독에 대한 현행 환경소독의 문제점과 해외 동향을 분석해보고 앞으로의 발전을 위한 제언을 하였다.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제40권5호
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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.

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2003년도 가을 학술논문집
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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.