Republic of Korea is preparing to decommission Kori Unit 1 and Wolsong Unit 1. Decommissioning of a nuclear power plant proceeds in the following stages: shutdown, transition period, decontamination, cutting, waste treatment, and site restoration. When nuclear power plant is decommissioned, It is expected that approximately 80,000 drums of radioactive waste will be generated per nuclear power plant. Therefore, various technologies are being researched and developed to reduce this to approximately 14,500 drums. Technologies for waste volume reduction are largely mechanical and electrical/thermal methods. Representative examples of mechanical volume reduction technologies include super compactors and electrical/thermal volume reduction technologies include induction and plasma torch furnaces. Both technologies are effective reduction technologies, but the reduction ratio varies depending on the type or condition of waste before treatment. For example, as a result of testing waste reduction using a super compactor at NUKEM in Germany, the reduction ratio was found to be between 1.3 and 7 depending on the type or condition of waste such as chips, ash, scrap metal, sand, etc. And according to IAEA-TECDOC-1527, when reducing the volume of metals, aluminum, lead, copper, brass, etc. using induction melting, the waste volume reduction ratio is 5 to 20. In this paper, referring to these results, a melting test was conducted using a previously developed plasma torch with an output of more than 100 kW. And volume reduction characteristics of this plasma torch was considered depending on waste type or condition.

Metals such as stainless steel and alloy 600 are used as structures and materials in nuclear power plants due to their excellent mechanical properties and heat resistance. And recently thermal and mechanical cutting technologies are being actively researched and developed for dismantling NPP. Among them, the mechanical cutting method has the advantage of less secondary waste generation such as fume and fine dust, but according to the wider the cutting range, the reaction force and the cutting device size are increased. In this paper, plasma assisted milling has been proposed to reduce the reaction force and device size, and the plasma efficiency was measured for SUS 316L. The plasma torch was operated at the level of 3 to 4 kW so that it was heated only without cutting. And the feedrate was set at 150 to 250 mm/min. The test confirmed that the plasma efficiency was 35% about SUS 316L, and it is expected that the numerical analysis using these test results can be used as basic data for plasma assisted milling.

Various cutting technologies such as thermal and mechanical are being researched and developed to dismantle shutdown nuclear power plants. Each technology has the following advantages and disadvantages. The thermal cutting method has low reaction force and fast cutting speed, but secondary waste such as fume, dross, and fine dust is generated. The mechanical cutting method has the advantage of low generation of secondary waste such as fume, dross, and fine dust, but has the disadvantage of increasing the size of the device due to its large reaction force. In this study, the performance of plasma milling robot cutting technology for nuclear power plant materials was evaluated. First, before applying plasma auxiliary milling to the robot, tests were conducted on SUS 316 L and Alloy 600 to secure processing conditions such as plasma torch output and transfer speed. The test have shown that the mechanical strength was decreased of each material at the output power of the plasma torch of 4.4 and 8.4 kW, the transfer speed of 200 and 100 mm/min. Based on the test results, a plasma milling was attached to the robot and tested, and it was confirmed that even a small robot with a load of 140 kg can cut without any major problems.

Depending on the type of waste, DC plasma torch uses a transfer type operation for conductive waste and a non-transfer type operation for non-conductive waste. The transfer mode plasma torch can secure high throughput because the arc directly contacts the object and has high thermal efficiency. However, since the non-transfer mode does not have a higher thermal efficiency than the transfer mode, higher output is required to secure high throughput. A method of increasing the output of the plasma torch is increasing the current or extending the length of the plasma arc. However, the method of increasing the current affects the life of the electrode, and there is a limit to extending the arc length in the positive polarity plasma torch. Therefore, it is effective to design the plasma torch with reverse polarity to secure life and extend the arc length. In the reverse polarity plasma torch, the front electrode serves as the cathode, and the cathode point is not easy to control compared to the anode point, which may cause abnormal arcing and damage the plasma torch. This paper was conducted to investigate the conditions for securing the safety of these non-transferable reverse polarity plasma torch. The plasma torch is designed to have an output of 100 kW or less and to use the detachable nozzle to control the cathode point. The test showed that the shape of the nozzle prevented the cathode point moving outside of plasma torch and the excessive extension of the arc. Thanks to this, it was confirmed that plasma could be stably formed and abnormal arcing could also be prevented.

It is important that the plasma torch used in the waste treatment field has a high output to increase throughput. In order to increase the output of the plasma torch, there is a method of increasing the current or extending the length of the plasma arc. Among these methods, high power can be easily achieved simply by increasing current, but it is difficult to ensure electrode life. Therefore, it is necessary to check the appropriate current and arc length conditions to achieve high power and stable operation. In this paper, the power performance according to the arc length, current, and operation mode was confirmed in the transfer mode plasma torch. The test conditions are the distance (arc length) between the plasma torch and the external electrode was set to 5-180 mm, and the current was set to be in the range of 90-460 A. As a result of the test, it was confirmed that the reverse polarity operation had a maximum output of 159 kW depending on the arc length and current, and the positive polarity operation had a maximum output of 138 kW. Through this result, it was confirmed that the arc length had an effect on increasing the output, and that the reverse polarity operation had a longer arc than the positive polarity operation.

DC plasma torch is reported as a technology that can be treated regardless of waste types because it can select transfer or non-transfer operation modes depending on the electrical conductivity of waste. Thanks to this characteristic, countries that operate nuclear power plants such as Switzerland, Japan, and Taiwan have developed high-power DC plasma torch to dispose of radioactive waste. And also in korea, a plasma torch is being developed to dispose of radioactive waste. This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of the reverse polarity plasma torch according to the conditions of interelectrodes. The inter-electrodes of plasma torch used in the study was designed to be 25, 37 mm in diameter and 180 to 400 mm in length. As a result of the test, it was confirmed that the smaller the diameter and the longer the length of the inter-electrode, the more advantageous it was to achieve a high output power. And it was confirmed that the power torch would be 500 kW when the diameter of the inter-electrode was 25 mm, the length was 400 mm, and the current was 500 A.

In this work, a PAM(Plasma Assisted Machining) technology was applied to milling of high manganese steel, a typical hard-to-machine materials. For this purpose, a transferred type of arc plasma torch was coupled with a 3-axis milling machine, then, used to heat and soften the surface of a high manganese steel plate in front of a 16 mm end mill with 2 blades and hard coatings. From the test results, it was concluded that the cutting load can be significantly reduced down to 57 % by plasma heating with the power level of 3.9 kW, ensuring the improvement of tool life and surface roughness in milling of high manganese work pieces.

Electronic products are a major part of evolving industry and human life style; however most of them are known to emit electromagnetic waves that have severe health hazards. Therefore, different materials and fabrication techniques are understudy to control or limit transfer of such waves to human body. In this study, nanocomposite powder is dispersed into epoxy resin and shielding effects such as absorption, reflection, penetration and multiple reflections are investigated. In addition, nano size powder (Ni, Fe2O3, Fe-85Ni, C-Ni) is fabricated by pulsed wire evaporation method and dispersed manually into epoxy. Characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy and Transmission electron microscopy are used to investigate the phase analysis, size and shape as well as dispersion trend of a nano powder on epoxy matrix. Shielding effect is measured by standard test method to investigate the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of planar materials, ASTM D4935. At lower frequency, sample consisting nano-powder of Fe-85%Wt Ni shows better electromagnetic shielding effect compared to only epoxy, only Ni, Fe2O3 and C-Ni samples.

고품질 쌀 생산을 위한 질소비료절감 재배시 품종특성별 최적 재식밀도를 구명하고자 '06년부터 '08년에 수수형 품종과 수중형 품종을 공시하여 벼 생육, 수량 및 등숙특성 등을 검토한 결과 가. 당 경수는 밀식함에 따라 많아졌고, 품종간에는 호평벼가 많고 신동진벼가 적었다. 엽색값은 재식밀도간 차이가 없이 동진1호가 높았고, 엽면적 지수는 밀식함에 따라 높아졌으며, 품종간에는 호평벼가 가장 높았다. 줄기 건물중 증가 정도는 동진벼와 호평벼는 3.3 m2당 90주에서 현저히 증가하였으나 신동진벼는 재식밀도 증가에 비례적으로 증가하는 경향이었다. 나. 재식밀도 증가에 따른 이삭수의 증가정도는 동진1호와 호평벼가 높고, 신동진벼가 낮았다. 유효경비율은 재식밀도가 증가함에 따라 다소 낮아지는 경향이었으며, 품종간에는 경수가 많았던 호평벼가 낮았다. 전체 건물중에서 잎이 차지하는 비율은 대체로 밀도가 증가함에 따라 다소 낮아지는 경향이었으며, 품종간에는 동진1호가 가장 높았다. 다. 완전립 비율은 공시품종 모두 재식밀도가 높아짐에 따라 낮아지는 경향으로, 특히 3.3 m2당 90주 이상에서 현저하였다. 단백질 함량은 재식밀도간 큰 차이가 없고 품종간에는 신동진벼가 낮았다. 라. 쌀 수량은 수중형인 동진1호와 신동진벼는 3.3 m2당 90주를 심으면 80주 이하를 심는 것이 비해 쌀 수량은 약간 높아지지만 완전미 수량은 차이가 없었으며, 수수형인 호평벼는 재식밀도간 완전미 수량 차이가 없었다. 따라서 질소감비 조건에서는 수중형 품종인 신동진벼와 동진1호는 3.3m2 80주를 심고, 수수형 품종인 호평벼는 70주를 심는 것이 완전미를 생산하는데 가장 유리한 것으로 나타났다. 마. 벼 품종별 재식밀도에 따른 이삭당 분화 영화수는 공시품종 모두 밀식함에 적어지는 경향이었으며, 품종간에는 동진1호> 신동진벼> 호평벼 순으로 많았다. 바. 이삭당 1차지경수와 1차지경착생 영화수는 신동진벼가 각각 10.06, 60.4개로 가장 많았고, 호평벼가 8.87, 53.1개로 가장 적었다. 사. 총 유관속수에 대한 대유관속수 비율은 신동진벼가 32.6%, 호평벼 34.0%, 동진1호가 34.8%였으며 재식밀도가 증가함에 따라 대유관속수 비율도 증가하는 경향이었다.

This study was conducted to examine the appropriate transplanting date of the top-quality rice variety, Unkwangbyeo, in Honam plain area. The results obtained from 2006 to 2007 in Iksan are as follows. The number of panicle per m2 increased as the transplanting date became late and the number of grain per m2 was the highest in the plot of which the transplanting date was June 15. Percent ripened grain increased as the transplanting date became late until June 15, however, it decreased in the plot of which the transplanting date was June 30. Imperfect grain increased as the transplanting date became early due to the occurrence of immature rice and cracked rice. Protein content increased as the transplanting date became late, but didn't show statistical significance. Toyo texture increased as the transplanting date became late. Rice yield and the head rice yield increased as the transplanting date became late until June 15, however, they decreased in the plot of which the transplanting date was June 30. Even though the rice price was high in early transplanting cultivation, gross profit was the highest in June 15 transplanting since the rice yield increased as the transplanting date became late until June 15. Considering the yield, rice quality and profit, the most appropriate transplanting date of Unkwangbyeo in Honam plain area is the middle of June.

Clay-coated rice seeds (clay-coated seeds A and B) were directly sown on dry paddy and their growth and yield were compared with the normal drill-sown seeds on dry flat paddy. In clay-coated seeds, germination was 1 day earlier and the emergence rate was higher up to 5% than that of normal drill-sown seeds. But the apparent number of seedling stand per m2 was lower than that of normal drill-sown seeds, which is due to the smaller amount of seeding in clay-coated seeds. At the early growth stage, the plant height of clay-coated seeds A was taller than that of drill-sown seeds, while the plant height of clay-coated seeds B was 0.7 cm shorter than that of drill-sown seeds. At the late growth stage, however, the difference was insignificant in both cases. The maximum tillering stage was 10 days earlier in drill-sown seeds. Lodging index was the lowest in clay-coated seeds B and there was no difference between clay-coated seeds A and drill-sown seeds. The ratio of stem base weight, culm diameter and culm wall thickness were higher in clay-coated seeds, while the lower internodes (4th, 5th and 6th) length was shorter in claycoated seeds than in drill-sown seeds. In clay-coated seeds, the number of panicle per m2 was smaller, while the number of spikelet per panicle was a little larger than in drill-sown seeds. The rate of ripened grain and brown rice 1,000 grain weight were lower in the clay-coated seeds, thus the yield was 98~99% level of drill-sown seeds. Considering that the amount of seeding in clay-coated seeds was two-thirds of that in drill-sown seeds, it is expected that clay coating method could become an additional technique for direct seeding cultivation.

Over 2,000 ha of rice fields in the western and southern coastal region of Korea were flooded with sea water during the spring tide, on August 19-21, 1997, and the rice plant at heading stage was injured. The field surveys were undertaken at the sea water flooded paddy fields in Chonbuk Province, to identify the injury symptoms and rice yield damage subjected to different flooding condition and desalinization methods. Five days after sea water flooding at heading stage, the flag leaves of rice plants flooded with 30 ㎝ deep sea water withered from the tip, the withering progressed to the lower leaves in deeper flooding. The spikelets were spotted black and discolored from the tip at 50 ㎝ deep flooded rice, and some panicles changed to white at 80 ㎝ deep flooded rice. Most of the rice leaves submerged completely for an hour were withered and most of panicles changed to white. The milled rice yield, percentage of ripened grain, and 1000 grain weight of flooded rice decreased with deeper flooding water, higher water salinity and longer flooding time. Even under the same flooding conditions, the damage of rice yield varied with the growth stage: heading stage>dough stage>booting stage. Rice yield damage was less in the fields on the upper riverside than those of the fields on the estuary and seaside, because of lower water salinity. In a flooded field, the rice yield damages were reduced as the distance increased from the levees where the sea water inflowed and increased as the distance increased from the fresh water irrigation gate. The desalinization treatments consisting of frequent exchange of irrigation water and spraying with fresh water soon after flooding effectively reduced the rice yield damage.