A sequential column experiment was conducted for uranium removal of excessively high or highly U-contaminated soils, simultaneously. Two pilot-scale acryl columns with a 24 cm ID and 48 cm length were uniformly packed with each U-contaminated soil (both < 2 mm, 119, and 22.4 Bq/g as initial U-238 activities). A column packed with soil contained very high U constant located first then sequentially located second columns with relatively lower U-contaminated soil. Thus the effluents which passed very high U-contaminated soil and having extremely high dissolved U concentration was directly inflowed the second columns. Both columns initially and respectively flushed with demi water (or condensing water of air conditioner generated from radiation controlled area) to saturate and displace the air from the pore space. Elution was carried out with alkaline and acidic solutions, respectively, and sequentially. The uranium removal efficiencies were found and a comparison was made with the pilot soil flushing experiments. During this study, a new approach to reducing acidic flushing waste which is considered the biggest defect of soil washing/flushing was established, and optimal factors were calculated to demonstrate industrial-scale uranium decontamination of soil with high uranium content.

This study aimed to remove uranium (U(VI)) ions from sulfate-based acidic soil-washing effluent using the ion-exchange method. For effective ion exchange of U(VI) ions under acidic conditions, one chelate resin (Purolite S950) stable under low pH conditions and two anion-exchange resins (Ambersep 400 SO4 and 920U SO4) used in sulfuric acid leaching systems were selected. The exchange performance of the three selected ion-exchange resins for U(VI) ions was evaluated under various experimental conditions, including ion-exchange resin dosages, pH conditions, reaction times, and reaction temperatures. U(VI) ion exchange was consistent with the Langmuir model and followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Thermodynamic experiments revealed that the U(VI) ion exchange by the ion-exchange resins is an endothermic and spontaneous process. On the other hand, U(VI) ions was effectively desorbed from the ion-exchange resins using 0.5 M H2SO4 or Na2CO3 solution. Overall, on the basis of the results of the present study, we propose that Purolite S950, Ambersep 400 SO4, and Ambersep 920U SO4 are ion-exchange resins that can be practically applied to effectively remove U(VI) ions from sulfate-based acidic soil-washing effluents.

The purpose of this study was to effectively purify U-contaminated soil-washing effluent using a precipitation/distillation process, reuse the purified water, and self-dispose of the generated solid. The U ions in the effluent were easily removed as sediments by neutralization, and the metal sediments and suspended soils were flocculated–precipitated by polyacrylamide (PAM). The precipitate generated through the flocculation–precipitation process was completely separated into solid–liquid phases by membrane filtration (pore size < 45 μm), and Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions remaining in the effluent were removed by distillation. Even if neutralized or distilled effluent was reused for soil washing, soil decontamination performance was maintained. PAM, an organic component of the filter cake, was successfully removed by thermal decomposition without loss of metal deposits including U. The uranium concentration of the residual solids after distillation is confirmed to be less than 1 Bq·g−1, so it is expected that the self-disposal of the residual solids is possible. Therefore, the treatment method of U-contaminated soil-washing effluent using the precipitation/distillation process presented in this study can be used to effectively treat the washing waste of U-contaminated soil and self-dispose of the generated solids.

전해환원공정의 금속전환체로부터 우라늄을 회수하는 전해정련공정의 수율을 높이기 위해 고수율 전해정련장치가 개발되 었다. 전해정련장치의 수율을 증대시키기 위해서는 고체음극에 전착되는 우라늄 덴드라이트를 음극 표면으로부터 효율적 으로 회수할 수 있어야 한다. 철강 재료의 음극을 고체음극으로 사용하면, 우라늄 덴드라이트가 전착되어 쉽게 떨어지고 않 고 고착 되어 점착계수(sticking coefficient)가 높아진다. 본 연구에서는 효율적으로 고체음극의 점착계수를 낮출 수 있는 진 동 탈리법을 개발하였고 이를 적용하였다. 고체음극에 진동을 가함으로써 고체 표면에서 우라늄 전착물이 흑연음극의 자발 특성과 유사하게 효율적으로 탈리됨을 확인하였다. 이러한 진동모드에 의한 고체음극에서의 전착물의 탈리 특성을, 고수율 전해정련장치 개념으로 개발한 흑연음극의 자발탈리 특성과 비교 검토하였다. 그리고 우라늄 덴드라이트의 진동 탈리에 대 한 인가전류밀도와 진동 스트로크에 의한 영향 등을 고찰하였다.

산화물 사용후핵연료에 대한 전해환원의 금속전환체를 양극으로 한 전해정련공정에는 LiCl-KCl 공융염에 우라늄 원소뿐 아 니라 초우란 원소 및 희토류 원소들이 용해되므로 우라늄을 선택적으로 회수하기 위해서는 우라늄과 다른 원소들이 음극에 전착되는 거동에 대한 연구가 필요하다. LiCl-KCl 공융염 내 희토류 원소의 농도에 따른 음극에서의 전착거동을 고찰하기 위 해 U 및 Ce를 기준으로 한 U, Ce, Y 그리고 Nd 원소들의 분리계수에 대한 연구를 수행하였다. Ce 금속을 희생 양극으로 이용 하여 정전류 정련반응을 통해 용융염 상과 전착물 상의 U, Ce, Y 그리고 Nd 원소의 농도를 분석하여 이로부터 분리계수를 얻 었으며 UCl3 농도와 CeCl3/UCl3 농도비에 따른 분리계수로부터 우라늄을 선택적으로 회수할 수 있는 조건들을 고찰하였다.

In this study, we investigated variations in particle size distribution in the process flow from a fluff-SRF manufacturing process in Y city via particle size analysis of waste. About 110 kg of MSW was analyzed in accordance with the process flows for the analysis of the particle size distribution by separating from 300 mm to 10 mm. The first tranche of waste was crushed with a primary crusher such that 100% of particles were smaller than 200 mm. A secondary crusher was used to ensure that 90% of particles were smaller than 10 mm. The crushing function and disintegration effect resulted in waste that contained 30% particles smaller than 10 mm. The primary multistage bulk selection process separated the first non-combustibles from waste passed by the secondary crusher. It produced 19.24% non-combustibles. Secondary multistage bulk selection discharges the final set of non-combustibles from the first non-combustibles after recovering any remaining combustibles. The combustible recovery ratio was 28.24%, and the final non-combustible discharge ratio was about 71.76%. The regular and high-speed disintegrators exhibited 85% and 97% efficiency in producing waste smaller than then 50 mm, respectively. This is thought to improve the yield and quality of SRF in the context of a reasonable management plan via characteristic analysis of residues from the disintegration process.

비성형 SRF 제조공정은 대상지역의 특성과 계절 등 변동요인에 따라 제품품질의 큰 영향을 끼친다. 본 연구에서는 2016년 9월, Y시에 설치되어 있는 15톤/일급 Pilot 비성형 SRF 제조공정에 대하여 총량, 폐기물조성, 수분량 별로 물질수지를 세우고 그 결과를 분석하여 실증시설 설계반영에 반영하고자 하였다. 연속 정상운전 상태에서 각 공정별 시료채취는 3회씩 겉보기밀도, 물리적조성, 조성별 수분 분석을 하였고, 총괄수분 분석을 위한 시료채취는 공정별 각 5회씩 수행하였다. 1차 자력선별물, 2차 자력선별물, 비철선별에 대해서는 시료채취를 1회 하였다. 30mm미만 시료는 조성별 분리가 어렵기 때문에 협잡물로 가정하고 회분을 측정하여 가연분을 추정하였다. 물리적 조성은 3회 측정한 것을 총괄적으로 환산하여 평균으로 사용하였고 총량은 시스템의 최종 배출지점의 폐기물의 전체량을 측정한 결과로 분석하였다. 물질수지 분석결과 1차 파쇄 후 기준으로 고형연료제품 수율 74.90%, 잔재물 비율 22.66%, 선별물 비율 2.45%을 보였다. 누출량을 포함하여 계산하면 누출물의 비율 11.36%, 고형연료제품 수율 66.39%, 잔재물 비율 20.08%, 선별물 비율 22.17%로 큰 차이가 없었다.