• Mycobiology
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.159-165
• /
• 2006

One of the most economically viable processes for the bioconversion of many lignocellulosic waste is represented by white rot fungi. Phanerochaete chrysosporium is one of the important commercially cultivated fungi which exhibit varying abilities to utilize different lignocellulosic as growth substrate. Examination of the lignocellulolytic enzyme profiles of the two organisms Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Rhizopus stolonifer show this diversity to be reflected in qualitative variation in the major enzymatic determinants (ie cellulase, xylanase, ligninase and etc) required for substrate bioconversion. For example P. chrysosporium which is cultivated on highly lignified substrates such as wood (or) sawdust, produces two extracellular enzymes which have associated with lignin deploymerization. (Mn peroxidase and lignin peroxidase). Conversely Rhizopus stolonifer which prefers high cellulose and low lignin containg substrates produce a family of cellulolytic enzymes including at least cellobiohydrolases and ${\beta}-glucosidases$, but very low level of recognized lignin degrading enzymes.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.89-96
• /
• 2014

The repository for the disposal of LILW which is generated from nuclear power plants and industries is expected to be completed in 2014. For the disposal of LILW, it is important to secure a disposal facility itself, but it is also very important to establish a reasonable charging system which all shareholders are satisfied with. Korea's disposal fee for LILW is higher than other countries' fee, which is a burden to waste generators as well as the waste management organization. The partial reason for the high disposal fee is put on the high social and construction cost when compared with other countries. However the major reason is put on the excessive borrowing cost that is used for the construction of the LILW disposal facility. In this study, we proposed the way to reduce the excessive borrowing cost for sustainable project managements of LILW disposal by analyzing a cost structure.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.178-186
• /
• 2020

Background: Reactor pressure vessel (RV) with internals (RVI) are activated structures by neutron irradiation and volume contaminated wastes. Thus, to develop safe and optimized disposal plan for them at a disposal site, it is important to perform exact activation calculation and evaluate the dose rate on the surface of casks which contain cut-off pieces. Materials and Methods: RV and RVI are subjected to neutron activation calculation via Monte Carlo methodology with MCNP6 and ORIGEN-S program-neutron flux, isotopic specific activity, and gamma spectrum calculation on each component of RV and RVI, and dose rate evaluation with MCNP6. Results and Discussion: Through neutron activation analysis, dose rate is evaluated for the casks containing cut-off pieces produced from decommissioned RV and RVI. For RV cut-off ones, the highest value of dose rate on the surface of cask is 6.97 × 10-1 mSv/hr and 2 m from it is 3.03 × 10-2 mSv/hr. For RVI cut-off ones, on the surface of it is 0.166 × 10-1 mSv/hr and 2 m from it is 1.04 × 10-1 mSv/hr. Dose rates for various RV and RVI cut-off pieces distributed lower than the limit except the one of 2 m from the cask surface of RVI. It needs to adjust contents in cask which carries highly radioactive components in order to decrease thickness of cask. Conclusion: Two types of casks are considered in this paper: box type for very-low-level waste (VLLW) as well as low-level waste (LLW) and cylinder type for intermediate-level waste (ILW). The results will contribute to the development of optimal loading plans for RV and RVI cut-off pieces during the decommissioning of nuclear power plant that can be used to prepare radioactive waste disposal plans for the different types of wastes-ILW, LLW, and VLLW.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.228-243
• /
• 2023

Bentonite is widely recognized and utilized as a buffer material in high-level radioactive waste repositories, mainly due to its favorable characteristics such as swelling capability and low permeability. Bentonite buffers play an important role in ensuring the safe disposal of radioactive waste by providing a low permeability barrier and effectively preventing the migration of radionuclides into the surrounding rock. However, the long-term performance of bentonite buffers still remains a subject of ongoing research, and one of the main concerns is the erosion of the buffer induced by swelling and groundwater flow. The erosion of the bentonite buffer can significantly impact repository safety by compromising the integrity of buffer and leading to the formation of colloids that may facilitate the transport of radionuclides through groundwater, consequently elevating the risk of radionuclide migration. Therefore, it is very important to numerically quantify the erosion of bentonite buffer to evaluate the long-term performance of bentonite buffer, which is crucial for the safety assessment of high-level radioactive waste disposal. In this technical note, Two-region model is introduced, a proposed model to simulate the erosion behavior of bentonite based on a dynamic bentonite diffusion model, and quantitative evaluation is conducted for the bentonite buffer erosion with this model.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.462-467
• /
• 2006

An improvement of nitrogen and phosphorus removal in SBR using the elutriated acids from the food waste as an external carbon source was investigated in this study. The food waste was elutriated at $35^{\circ}C$ and pH 9 to produce the external carbon source. The elutriate of food waste were continuously collected. The elutriated liquid contained VFAs of 39,180 mg/L representing soluble COD of 44,700 mg/L. The SBR showed poor denitrification and EBPR (enhanced biological phosphorus removal) without elutriated VFAs addition. An average denitrification rate was 0.4 mg NOx-N/g MLVSS/day. In turn, EBPR was also inhibited by this poor denitrification because the remaining nitrate in anaerobic phase resulting a poor denitrification. On the other hand, the denitrification in anoxic phase significantly improved with an elutriated VFAs addition. Nitrate removal was 82% while the denitrification rate was 2.9 mg NOx-N/g MLVSS/day with 18.4 mL/cycle of elutriated VFAs. With the enhanced denitrification, nitrate concentration in anaerobic phase could effectively be controlled to a very low level. The elimination of nitrate inhibition in anaerobic phase resulted enhancement of EBPR. The specific phosphate release rate was $1.9mg\;PO_4^{3-}-P/g\; MLVSS/day$ with less than 0.5 mg/L of $PO_4^{3-}-P$ concentration.

• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.289-297
• /
• 2019

Indiscriminate disposal of waste and citation of open dumpsites are some of the key factors affecting the various soil geotechnical properties. Atterberg limit and consolidation tests were conducted to determine the effects of two open waste dumpsites (Uselu Market and New Benin) on geotechnical properties of their underlying soils. Soil sample collected from Uselu Market dumpsite in Benin City metropolis showed slightly lower hydraulic conductivity (K) of $1.0{\times}10^{-6}$ with plasticity index of 18.53% compared to sample collected 1.6 m from the same dumpsite which had high K value of $2.42{\times}10^{-3}$ with plasticity index of 6.9%. Soil sample collected from New Benin dumpsite in Benin City metropolis showed slightly lower K of $1.45{\times}10^{-6}$ with plasticity index of 13.8% than sample collected 1.6 m from the same dumpsite which had high K value of $2.14{\times}10^{-2}$ with plasticity index of 6.0%. X-ray florescent analyser (X-MET 7000) and direct soil pH meter were used to determine the composition of the aforementioned soil samples. The result of samples collected from both dumpsites indicated a low hydraulic conductivity compared to samples collected 1.6 m from both dumpsites. Also, the chemical composition and pH of both dumpsite underlying soils indicated high level of soil contaminants with pH of 3.3 and 3.5 which is very acidic unlike pH of other samples which were in the neutral range (6.8-7.1). Hence, a liner is recommended for all dumpsites or engineered landfill systems to mitigate against the challenges associated with open waste dumping system in the environment.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.47-58
• /
• 2015

Four recycling scenarios involving pyroprocessing of spent fuel (SF) have been investigated for a 600-MWe transmutation sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), KALIMER. Performance evaluation was done with code system REBUS connected with TRANSX and TWODANT. Scenario Number 1 is the pyroprocessing of Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU) SF. Because the recycling of CANDU SF does not have any safety problems, the CANDU-Pyro-SFR system will be possible if the pyroprocessing capacity is large enough. Scenario Number 2 is a feasibility test of feed SF from a pressurized water reactor PWR. Thefsensitivity of cooling time before prior to pyro-processing was studied. As the cooling time sensitivity of cooling time before prior to pyro-processing was studied. As the cooling time increases, excess reactivity at the beginning of the equilibrium cycle (BOEC) decreases, thereby creating advantageous reactivity control and improving the transmutation performance of minor actinides. Scenario Number 3 is a case study for various levels of recovery factors of transuranic isotopes (TRUs). If long-lived fission products can be separated during pyroprocessing, the waste that is not recovered is classified as low- and intermediate-level waste, and it is sufficient to be disposed of in an underground site due to very low-heat-generation rate when the waste cooling time becomes >300 years at a TRU recovery factor of 99.9%. Scenario Number 4 is a case study for the recovery factor of rare earth (RE) isotopes. The RE isotope recovery factor should be lowered to ${\leq}20%$ in order to make sodium void reactivity less than <7$, which is the design limit of a metal fuel.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.317-324
• /
• 2007

The sewage treatment sludge disposal has become a serious environmental problem because of restricted direct land-filling and oceandumping in spite of their large amounts discharged. So the recycling of sewage treatment sludge is very useful alternative for waste management. Here, we studied the feasibility of zeolite synthesis in open system from the sewage treatment sludge incinerator fly ash by means of hydrothermal synthesis. We considered the concentration of NaOH, reaction time, reaction temperature and reaction step as synthesis variables. The phase of zeolite products was identified by X-ray diffractometer(XRD) and ammonium ion exchange test was performed for the raw fly ash and two zeolite products(Z-3 and Z-5). In leaching test of the raw fly ash, hazard metal is detected very low level compared with regulatory leaching test standard. But in total recoverable test, the total contents of the fly ash were very high in terms of the standard for waste-derived fertilizer. Through hydrothermal reaction, small amount of zeolite P was synthesied in 1 N of NaOH solution and relatively large amount of hydroxysodalite was synthesied in 3 N and 5 N of NaOH solution with similar peak intensity. Addition of an aging step in the synthesis didn't increase the amount of zeolite phase. Maximum $NE_4^+-N$ exchange capacity is 1.49 mg $NH_4^+-N/g$ in Z-3 and 1.38 mg $NH_4^+-N/g$ in Z-5. Most of the ammonium ion is exchanged in 30 minutes and disorption did not occur until 5 hours.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.29-37
• /
• 2008

In this work, it was investigated that various aspects of process, application situation, merits and short-coming results of the thermophilic methane fermentation with highly concentrated organic waste substances such as sewage sludges, food wastes and excretions. The merits of this methane fermentation were that it had a very fast reaction rate and was possible to proceed in high loads. It was also high in mortality for pathogenic microorganism and the digested sludge was more hygienic. However, the short-comings were that more energy was required for heating in the fermentation facility, no surplus energy could be gained from low concentration of organic waste, the fermentation treatment dropped level of water quality, thus burdens discharging process of water. Especially, the high concentration of methane fermentation could possibly lack nutritious salt and could face the disturbance by ${NH_4}^+-N$, a proper alternative was required. In general, thermophilic methane fermentation was considered as a better mean in disposing of cow excretion and food waste which were highly concentrated organic wastes. On the other hand, under the condition where the concentration of waste material was low and the high concentrate waste material became higher than 3,000 mg/L in ${NH_4}^+-N$, thermophilic methane fermentation resulted less desirable outcome.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.260-268
• /
• 1997

The effects of three mechanisms, calcium depletion, sulphate and carbonate penetration, on the concrete degradation have been studied. The shrinking core model (SCM) and the HYDROGEOC. HEM (HGC) model have been applied to evaluate how fast the mechanisms proceed. The SCM is an analytical approximation model and the HGC is a numerical mass transport model coupled with chemical reaction. The SCM leads to more conservative results than the HGC, and turns out to be very useful in the viewpoint of simplicity and conservatism. During 300 years, calcium has been depleted within 10 cm from the concrete outer surface, and sulphate has penetrated less than 13.5 cm into the concrete. Carbonate has not penetrated own 7 cm into the concrete in contact with the bentonite, and, furthermore, its penetration into the concrete with the groundwater is negligible. Conclusively, the concrete is expected to maintain its integrity for at least 300 years that are regarded as institutional control period of intermediate and low-level radioactive waste repository.