• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권6호
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• pp.1931-1938
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• 2021

Uranium ingot is produced by metallothermic reduction of uranium tetrafluoride using magnesium or calcium as reductant. Presence of oxygen containing compounds viz. uranyl fluoride and uranium oxide in the starting uranium fluoride has a significant effect on the firing time, final temperature of the charge, slag-metal separation and hence the metal recovery. As reported in the literature, the maximum tolerable limit for uranyl fluoride in the UF₄ is 2.5 wt% and limit for uranium oxide content is in the range 2-3 wt%. No theoretical or experimental basis is available till date for these limits. Analyses have been carried out in this study to understand the effect of UO₂F₂ concentration in the starting fluoride on the final temperature of the products and thus the reduction characteristics. UF₄ having uranyl fluoride concentration, less than as well as more than 2.5 wt%, have been investigated. Thermodynamic calculations have been carried out to arrive at a general expression for the final temperature attained by the products during calciothermic reduction of UF₄. Finally, an upper limit for the oxygen containing impurities has been estimated using the CaO-CaF₂ phase diagram.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권1호
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• pp.42-47
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• 2024

The electrochemical extraction of uranium in ternary low melting LiCl-KCl-CsCl eutectic on inert and reactive electrodes via different electrochemical techniques was investigated. It was established that the electrochemical reduction process of U(III) ions on the inert W electrode was irreversible and proceeded in one stage. On reactive liquid Ga and liquid Cd electrodes the reduction of uranium ions took place with the considerable depolarization with the formation of UGa₂, UGa₃ and UCd₁₁ intermetallic compounds. Thermodynamic characteristics of uranium compounds and alloys were calculated. The conditions for the extraction of uranium from the electrolyte in the form of alloys on both liquid reactive electrodes via potentiostatic electrolysis were found.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 2002년도 추계학술발표회요약집
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• pp.319.2-319
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• 2002

Synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been applied to determine the changes in bulk oxidation state of uranium oxides in molten salt. From an analysis of XANES data, one can determine the cahnges in bulk oxidation-state of U compounds in salts(LiCl/KCl). XAFS spectroscpy is a powerful tool for probing the changes in valence state and structure of uranium compounds in colten salt as well as in noncrystalline form and doped in other matrices.

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2003년도 가을 학술논문집
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• pp.689-695
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• 2003

Electrochemical decontamination process has been applied for recycle or self disposal with authorization of large amount of metallic wastes contaminated with uranium compounds such as $UO_2$, ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC), ammonium di-uranate (ADU), and uranyl nitrate(UN) with tributylphosphate(TBP) and dodecane, which are generated by dismantling the contaminated system components and equipment of a retired uranium conversion plant in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). Electrochemical decontamination for metallic wastes contaminated with uranium compounds was evaluated through the experiments on the electrolytic dissolution of stainless steel as the material of the system components in neutral salt electrolytes. The effects of type of neutral salt as the electrolyte, current density, and concentration of electrolyte on the dissolution of the materials were evaluated. Decontamination performance tests using the specimens taken from a uranium conversion plant were quite successful with the application electrochemical decontamination conditions obtained through the basic studies on the electrolytic dissolution of structural material of the system components.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 2002년도 춘계공동학술발표회요약집
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• pp.298-298
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• 2002

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제45권7호
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• pp.979-986
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• 2013

Uranium metal particle dispersion plates have been proposed as targets for Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) production to improve the radioisotope production efficiency of conventional low enriched uranium targets. In this study, uranium powder was produced by centrifugal atomization, and miniature target plates containing uranium particles in an aluminum matrix with uranium densities up to 9 $g-U/cm^3$ were fabricated. Additional heat treatment was applied to convert the uranium particles into UAlx compounds by a chemical reaction of the uranium particles and aluminum matrix. Thus, these target plates can be treated with the same alkaline dissolution process that is used for conventional $UAl_x$ dispersion targets, while increasing the uranium density in the target plates.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.225-230
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• 2001

The aim of this study is to describe a usefulness of nuclear analytical technique in assessing and comparing the concentration levels through the analysis of uranium using human hair sample in the field of environment. A fission track detection technique was applied to determine the uranium concentration in human hair. Hair samples were collected from two groups of people - a) workers not dealing with uranium directly, and b) workers possibly contaminated with uranium. The concentration of $^{235}$ U for the first group varied from <1 to 39 ng/g and the second group can be estimated up to the level of $\mu$g/g. Radiographs of heavy-duty work samples contained high dense “hot spots” along a single hair. After washing in acetone and distilled water, external contamination was not totally removed. Insoluble uranium compounds were not completely washed out. The (n, f)- radiography technique, having high sensitivity, and capable of getting information on uranium content at each point of a single hair, is an excellent tool for environmental monitoring.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제3권3호
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• pp.177-181
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• 2005

칼슘-벤토나이트와 접한 약 $20\%$의 우라늄 산화물을 함유한 유리고화체가 알곤 분위기에서 모의 화강암지하수에 의해 침출되었을 때 노란색의 우라늄화합물이 벤토나이트와 고화체의 경계면에 농축되었다. 6년간의 침출후 형성된 우라늄 화합물이 beta-uranophane $[Ca(UO_2)_2(SiO_{3}OH)_{2}5H_{2}O]$임을 XRD, 적외선 스펙트럼과 질량분석기를 이용하여 확인하였으며, 이 화합물의 용해도를 $80^{\circ}C$, 탈이온수에서 측정한 결과 약 $10^{-6}\;mole/L$ 이었다.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 2002년도 추계학술발표회요약집
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• pp.406.1-406
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• 2002

• 공업화학
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• 제7권6호
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• pp.1164-1173
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• 1996

현재 국내에서 가동중인 원자력발전소 공급용 핵연료 분말제조 공정에서 발생되는 폐액의 물성과 처리방법에 대한 연구가 수행되었다. 중수로형과 경수로형 발생 폐액에 함유된 우라늄을 회수/처리하기 위하여, 공히 폐액 속의 탄산이온의 제거가 필수적이다. 중수로형은 ADU 형태로 경수로형의 경우 $UO_4$ 화합물 형태로 처리하는 것이, 최종 폐액의 우라늄 농도를 최소화할 수 있었다. 처리후 폐액의 우라늄 농도는 중수로형 폐액의 경우, 폐액을 가열하여 ADU를 제조한 후 여액에 lime을 처리하는 방법으로 1ppm까지, 경수로형 폐액의 경우 $UO_4{\cdot}2NH_4F$형태로 우라늄을 침전시킬 경우 0.8ppm까지 여액중의 우라늄 농도를 낮출 수 있었다. 최적 처리조건은 중수로형 폐액의 경우 $101^{\circ}C$까지 단순 가열방법이, 경수로형 폐액의 경우 가열한 후 $60^{\circ}C$에서 암모니아로 pH를 9.5로 조절한 후 과산화수소 용액을 첨가하여 1시간 반응시키는 경우로 나타났다. 폐액으로부터 회수된 우라늄 화합물은, 중수로형 폐액인 경우 pH가 낮을수록 회수된 ADU 입자의 크기가 증가하였으며, 경수로형 폐액인 경우 회수된 uranium peroxide 화합물을 공기분위기에서 열분해시킨 결과 기존의 AUC 분말이 열분해되어 나타내는 특성과 동일한 특성을 보임에 따라 핵연료분말 제조공정으로 recycle이 가능한 것으로 판단되었다.