In NPP (nuclear power plant), boric acid is used as a neutron absorbent. So radioactive boric acid waste are generated from various waste streams such as discharge or leakage of reactor coolant water, floor drains, drainage of equipment for operation or maintenance, reactor letdown flows and etc. Depending on KHNP, 20,015 drum (200 L drum) of concentrated boric acid waste were stored in KOREA NPP until 2019. In previous study, our group suggested the waste upcycling process synthesizing B4C neutron absorber using boric acid waste and activated carbon waste to innovatively reduce radioactive wastes. Radioactive activated carbon waste was utilized in off gas treatment system of NPP to capture nuclide such as I-131, C-14 and H-3. Activated carbon waste is treated as low-level radioactive waste and pre-treatment system for removing nuclide from the activated carbon waste is needed to use B4C up-cycling process. In this study, microwave treatment system is suggested to treat the activated carbon waste. Activated carbon waste was exposed to microwave for a few minutes and temperature of the waste was dramatically increased over 400°C. Nuclide in the activated carbon waste were selectively removed from the waste without massive production of secondary off gas waste.

Radioactive liquid waste generated during the operation of domestic nuclear power plants is treated through a somewhat different liquid radwaste system (LRS) for each plant. Prior to the introduction of standard nuclear power plants, LRS used a concentrated water dry system (CWDS) to evaporate liquid waste and manage it in the form of dry powder. The boron-containing radioactive liquid waste dry powder was solidified using paraffin from 1995 to 2010, and about 3,650 drums (based on 200 L) of paraffin solidified drums are currently stored in nuclear power plants. Paraffin solidification drums do not meet the acceptance criteria for radioactive waste repositories because it is difficult to secure the homogeneity of the solidified body and there are concerns about leaching of radioactive waste due to the low melting point of paraffin. In order to solve this problem and safely permanently dispose of paraffin solidification drums, the characteristics of dry powder paraffin solidification drums containing boron-containing radioactive liquid waste must be analyzed and appropriate treatment technology utilizing the results must be introduced. This study analyzes the physical properties of paraffin, the chemical properties of boron-containing radioactive waste dry powder, and the physicochemical properties of paraffin solidification powder, and proposes an appropriate alternative technology for treating boron-containing radioactive waste dry drum. When disposing of the paraffin solidification drum with boron-containing radioactive liquid waste dry powder, the solidification body must be effectively withdrawn from the drum and the paraffin must be completely separated from the solidification body. When disposing the drum, the solidified material must be effectively extracted from the drum and the paraffin must be completely separated from the solidified material. Afterwards, the paraffin must be self-disposed, and the radioactive waste must be disposed of in accordance with acceptance criteria of repository. We looked at how each characteristic of the paraffin solidification drum with boron-containing radioactive liquid waste dry powder can be utilized in each of the above treatment processes.

Domestic nuclear power plants can affect the environment if multiple devices are operated on one site and even a trace amount of pollutants that may affect the environment after power generation are simultaneously discharged. Therefore, not only radioactive substances but also ionic substances such as boron should be discharged as minimally as possible. We adopted pilot CDI and SD-ELIX sytem to separating and concenrating of boron containing nulcear power plant discharge water. The boron concentration of the initial inflow water tended to decrease over time. The water quality of concentrated water also reached its peak until the initial 60 minutes, but tended to decrease in line with the decrease in the inflow water concentration. The boron removal rate was in the range of 85 to 99% with respect to the initial boron concentration of 15 to 25 mg/L. On the other hand, performance degradation due to the use of electrochemical modules is also observed, and regeneration through low ion-containing water cleaning effective. We shortened processing time by considering the optimal flow rate conditions and conductivity conditions and converting electrochemical modules into series or parallel.

Regulations on the concentration of boron discharged from industrial facilities, including nuclear power plants, are increasingly being strengthened worldwide. Since boron exists as boric acid at pH 7 or lower, it is very difficult to remove it in the existing LRS (Liquid Radwaste System) using RO and ion exchange resin. As an alternative technology for removing boron emitted from nuclear power plants, the electrochemical boron removal technology, which has been experimentally applied at the Ringhal Power Plant in Sweden, was introduced in the last presentation. In this study, the internal structure of the electrochemical module was improved to reduce the boron concentration to 5 mg/L or less in the 50 mg/L level of boron-containing waste liquid. In addition, the applicability of the electrochemical boron removal technology was evaluated by increasing the capacity of the unit module to 1 m3/hr in consideration of the actual capacity of the monitor tank of the nuclear power plant. By applying various experimental conditions such as flow rate and pressure, the optimum boron removal conditions using electrochemical technology were confirmed, and various operating conditions necessary for actual operation were established by configuring a concentrated water recirculation system to minimize secondary waste generation. The optimal arrangement method of the 1 m3/hr unit module developed in this study was reviewed by performing mathematical modeling based on the actual capacity of monitor tank and discharge characteristics of nuclear power plant.

본 연구에서는 붕소함유 인공염수(간수)를 수산화칼슘으로 포화시켜 calcium borate를 합성하는 반응에서, 첨가하는 황산이 미치 는 영향을 알아보았다. 다양한 조건(반응온도, 반응시간, 가열반응 후 방랭온도)에서 calcium borate 합성을 시도하였고, 각 조건에서 황산 첨 가유무에 따른 calcium borate의 회수율과 순도 변화를 알아보았다. XRD 분석을 통해 황산의 첨가유무에 상관없이 calcium borate(Ca2B2O5·H2O)가 생성되었음을 확인하였고, 황산을 첨가하면 부산물로 황산칼슘(CaSO4·0.5H2O)이 생성되었다. 황산을 첨가하지 않았 을 때, 실험한 모든 반응온도와 반응시간 조건에서 calcium borate의 회수율과 순도가 황산을 첨가했을 때보다 더 높았다. 황산을 첨가하면 수산화칼슘의 용해도는 높아지지만, 부산물로 생성되는 황산칼슘이 calcium borate의 생성을 방해하여 그 회수율과 순도가 낮아진다고 판단 된다. 본 연구에서는 붕소함유(500 mg-B/L) 인공염수(간수)에 황산을 첨가하지 않고 수산화칼슘으로 포화시켜서 80-105 ℃에서 10분 이내로 가열하여 calcium borate를 합성하였고, 그 회수율과 순도는 각각 최대 80 %, 96 %로 매우 높았다.

The removal effectiveness of various heavy metal ions in boron-rich containing plants has been studied by means of spectroscopic and pH methods. Treatment of the boron-rich containing sample which was collected from cherry and root of cabbage to heavy metal ions is resulted in that an excellent removal effect shows in the case of large ionic size of heavy metal. Stability constants are depended on the variation of pH.