• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.55-64
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• 2017

A geological repository has been considered one of the most adequate options for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. A geological repository will be constructed in a host rock at a depth of 500~1,000 meters below the ground surface. The geological repository system consists of a disposal canister with packed spent fuel, buffer material, backfill material, and intact rock. The buffer is very important to assure the disposal safety of high-level radioactive waste. It can restrain the release of radionuclide and protect the canister from the inflow of groundwater. High temperature in a disposal canister is released into the surrounding buffer material, and thus the thermal transfer behavior of the buffer material is very important to analyze the entire disposal safety. Therefore, this paper presents a thermal conductivity prediction model for the Kyungju compacted bentonite buffer material which is the only bentonite produced in Korea. Thermal conductivity of Kyungju bentonite was measured using a hot wire method according to various water contents and dry densities. With 39 data obtained by the hot wire method, a regression model to predict the thermal conductivity of Kyungju bentonite was suggested.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.247-260
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• 2010

The developement of a HLW disposal canister is under way in KAERI using Cold Spray Coating technique. To estimate corrosion behavior of a cold sprayed copper, a creivice corrosion test was conducted at Southwest Research Institute(SWRI) in the United State. For the measurement of repassivation potential needed for crevice corrosion, three methods such as (1) ASTM G61-86 : Cyclic Potentiodynamic Polarization Measurements, (2) Potentiodynamic Polarization plus intermediate Potentiostatic Hold method, and (3) ASTM G192-08 (THE method) : Potentiodynamic- Galvanostatic-Potentiostatic Method, were introduced in this report. In the crevice corrosion test, the occurrence of corrosion at crevice area was optically determined and the repassivation potentials were checked for three kind of copper specimens in a simulated KURT underground water, using a crevice former dictated in ASTM G61-86. The applied electrochemical test techniques were cyclic polarization, potentiostatic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. As a result of crevice corrosion tests, every copper specimens including cold sprayed one did not show any corrosion figure on crevice areas. And the open-cell voltage, at which corrosion reaction initiates, was influenced by the purity of copper, but not their manufacturing method in this experiment. Therefore, it was convinced that there is no crevice corrosion for the cold sprayed copper in KURT underground environment.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.181-188
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• 2010

Metal surface decontamination characteristics were investigated by using a laser ablation method. A second harmonic generation of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with a wave length of 532 nm, a pulse energy of 150 mJ and a pulse width of 5 ns was employed to assess the decontamination performance for metal surfaces contaminated with $CsNO_3$, $Co(NH_4)_2(SO_4)_2$, $Eu_2O_3$ and $CeO_2$. The ablation behavior was investigated for the decontamination variables such as a number of laser shots, laser fluence and an irradiation angle. Their optimum values were found to be 8, 13.3 J/$cm^2$ and $30^{\circ}$, respectively. The decontamination efficiency was different depending on the kinds of the contaminated ions, due to their different melting and boiling points and was in the order: $CsNO_3>Co(NH_4)_2(SO_4)_2>Eu_2O_3>CeO_2$. We also evaluated a correlation between the metal ablation thickness and the number of laser shots for the different laser fluences.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.233-242
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• 2018

To overcome the low mechanical strength and corrosion behavior of a carbon steel canister at high temperature condition of a deep borehole, SiC ceramics were studied as an alternative material for the disposal canister. In this paper, a design concept for a SiC canister, along with an outer stainless steel container, was proposed, and its manufacturing feasibility was tested by fabricating several 1/3 scale canisters. The proposed canister can contain one PWR assembly. The outer container was also prepared for the string formation of SiC canisters. Thermal conductivity was measured for the SiC canister. The canister had a good thermal conductivity of above $70W{\cdot}m^{-1}{\cdot}K^{-1}$ at $100^{\circ}C$. The structural stability was checked under KURT environment, and it was found that the SiC ceramics did not exhibit any change for the 3 year corrosion test at $70^{\circ}C$. Therefore, it was concluded that SiC ceramics could be a good alternative to carbon steel in application to deep borehole disposal canisters.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.417-428
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• 2021

The combustion characteristics of anthracite, which follow a complex process with low reactivity, must be considered through the dynamic behavior of circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boilers. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was performed to analyze the combustion characteristics of anthracite in a pilot scale 0.1 MW_th Oxy-fuel circulating fluidized bed (Oxy-CFB) boiler. The 0.1MW_th Oxy-CFB boiler is composed of combustor (0.15 m l.D., 10 m High), cyclone, return leg, and so on. To perform CFD analysis, a 3D simulation model reactor was designed and used. The anthracite used in the experiment has an average particle size of 1,070 ㎛ and a density of 2,326 kg/m³. The flow pattern of gas-solids inside the reactor according to the change of combustion environment from air combustion to oxygen combustion was investigated. At this time, it was found that the temperature distribution in air combustion and oxygen combustion showed a similar pattern, but the pressure distribution was lower in oxygen combustion. addition, since it has a higher CO₂ concentration in oxygen combustion than in air combustion, it can be expected that carbon dioxide capture will take place actively. As a result, it was confirmed that this study can contribute to the optimized design and operation of a circulating fluidized bed reactor using anthracite.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.492-500
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• 2019

In this study, the effect of chemical additives on the reduction of fine particles was identified in $9.2MW_e$ commercial scale circulating fluidized bed boiler firing bituminous coal. Futhermore, a simple and effective method of fine particle collection has been developed to collect the fine particles of the boiler during fossil fuel combustion. Chemical additives were used to reduce particles below 10 PM in the flue gas, and borax solution was used as a chemical additive. In order to identify the particle behavior of PM 10 or less among the collected fine particles, it was analyzed through particle size analyzer and SEM analysis. The Borax solution tends to absorb molten mineral in the flue gas and make fine particles grow. As a result, it was analyzed that particles smaller than $10{\mu}m$ were reduced by using borax solution.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.411-420
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• 2018

This study presents a revised crackling core model for the description of $UO_2$ sphere oxidation in air atmosphere. For close reproduction of the sigmoid behavior exhibited in $UO_2$ to $U_3O_8$ conversion, the fragmentation effect contributing to the increased reactive surface area and the concept of variable grain conversion time were considered in the model development. Under the assumptions of two-step successive reaction of $UO_2{\rightarrow}U_3O_7{\rightarrow}U_3O_8$ and final grain conversion time equivalent to ten times the initial grain conversion time, the revised model showed good agreement with the experimental data measured at 599 - 674 K and a lowest deviation when compared with Nucleation and Growth model and AutoCatalytic Reaction model. The evaluated activation energy at 100% conversion to $U_3O_8$, $57.6kJ{\cdot}mol^{-1}$, was found to be closer to the experimentally extrapolated value than to the value determined in AutoCatalytic Reaction model, $48.6kJ{\cdot}mol^{-1}$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.75-83
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• 2021

To cope with automobile exhaust gas regulations, ISG (Idling Stop & Go) and charging control systems are applied to HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) for the purpose of improving fuel economy. These systems require quick charge/discharge performance at high current. To satisfy this characteristic, improvement of the positive electrode plate is studied to improve the charge/discharge process and performance of AGM(Absorbent Glass Mat) lead-acid batteries applied to ISG automotive systems. The bonding between grid and A.M (Active Material) can be improved by applying the Sand-Blasting method to provide roughness to the surface of the positive grid. When the Sand-Blasting method is applied with conditions of ball speed 1,000 rpm and conveyor speed 5 M/min, ideal bonding is achieved between grid and A.M. The positive plate of each condition is applied to the AGM LAB (Absorbent Glass Mat Lead Acid Battery); then, the performance and ISG life characteristics are tested by the vehicle battery test method. In CCA, which evaluates the starting performance at -18 ℃ and 30 ℃ with high current, the advanced AGM LAB improves about 25 %. At 0 ℃ CA (Charge Acceptance), the initial charging current of the advanced AGM LAB increases about 25 %. Improving the bonding between the grid and A.M. by roughening the grid surface improves the flow of current and lowers the resistance, which is considered to have a significant effect on the high current charging/discharging area. In a Standard of Battery Association of Japan (SBA) S0101 test, after 300 A discharge, the voltage of the advanced AGM LAB with the Sand-Blasting method grid was 0.059 V higher than that of untreated grid. As the cycle progresses, the gap widens to 0.13 V at the point of 10,800 cycles. As the bonding between grid and A.M. increases through the Sand Blasting method, the slope of the discharge voltage declines gradually as the cycle progresses, showing excellent battery life characteristics. It is believed that system will exhibit excellent characteristics in the vehicle environment of the ISG system, in which charge/discharge occurs over a short time.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.50-60
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• 2022

The concentration levels and distribution characteristics of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated and evaluated for total 100 soil samples as a part of the survey on soil contamination in Gwangju. The results (median and range) of T-PAHs (sum of 16 PAH concentrations), C-PAHs (sum of carcinogenic PAH concentrations) and T-TEQs (sum of 16 TEQ concentrations) were 20.8 (7.6~1158.1), 2.2 (N.D~509.6), and 0.3 (N.D~424.6) ㎍/kg, respectively. There was a positive correlation between C-PAHs/T-PAHs and T-TEQs/T-PAHs except one point where the concentration of benzo(a)pyrene was high. The ratios of the C-PAHs/T-PAHs were 31.7% for low molecular weight-PAHs and 68.3% for high molecular weight-PAHs, suggesting that PAHs generation mainly arose from combustion sources. The ratio of isomers of individual PAHs, Phe/Ant, Flu/Pyr, Ant/(Ant+Phe), Flu/(Flu+Pyr), and BaA/(BaA+Chr), also confirmed the predominance of PAHs from combustion activities. Statistical tracing of the source of PAHs through principal component analysis indicated that the main sources of combustion were automobile fuel and coal. The overall results of this study suggested HMW-PAHs, T-PAHs, C-PAHs and T-TEQs should be separately evaluated to better assess the toxicity and environmental behavior of individual PAHs.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.21-56
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• 2022

Since Michael Porter (1991) has proposed that environmental regulation can help a firm increase its competitiveness by encouraging it to engage in more innovative activities to meet the environmental regulation, a number of researchers have empirically investigated the "Porter Hypothesis." However, the empirical results still remain mixed. Combining the perspectives of the behavioral theory of the firm and firm heterogeneity, we argue that the levels of regulation stringency and time-pressure would differentially influence a firm's innovative behavior depending on the firm's aspiration level, performance feedback and technological capabilities. Using the U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) regulation context, we empirically demonstrate that lagging firms that do not meet the new regulation standard announced by the government tend to search for more distant knowledge and that the impact of the patents they file for decreases as the regulation becomes more stringent. In addition, we also find that as time-pressure increases, lagging firms stand to apply for more patents than do leading firms whereas the overall impact of the patents decreases. These results help us advance our understanding of the nuanced causal relationship between regulation and innovation and provide practical implications for policymakers.