본 연구에서는 에너지 소모가 큰 기존 진공 증류 공정의 대안으로 친환경이면서 에너지 효율적인 투과증발 분리 공정을 이용하여 1,2 hexane diol/water (1,2 HDO/water) 혼합물에서 물을 분리하는 데 적용되었다. 사용한 분리막은 glutaraldehyde (GA)로 가교된 PVA를 알루미나 중공사 막(Al-HF) 내부에 코팅하여 사용하였다. 1,2 HDO/water 투과증발 분리공 정에서는 PVA/GA 비율, 경화 온도 및 투과증발 분리공정 운전 조건에 대한 막의 최적화를 연구하였다. 장기 안정성 시험에 서 PVA/GA (몰 비율 = 0.08, 경화 온도 = 80°C) 로 코팅된 Al-HF 막이 공정온도 40°C에서 1.90~2.16 kg/m2h 범위의 투과 도를 보였으며, 투과용액의 수분 함량은 99.5% (separation factor = 68) 이상이었다.

Bentonite, primarily composed of montmorillonite, plays a crucial role as one of the engineering barrier materials in a deep geological repository (DGR). The advantageous properties of montmorillonite, such as its swelling capacity, low permeability, and low thermal conductivity, make it a key component as a buffer material for isolating high-level radioactive waste from the surrounding natural environment. It has been known that the stability of montmorillonite is influenced by a wide range of pressure-temperature-composition (P-T-X) conditions relevant to the DGR environment. When considering potential geological events, of notable concerns are its interactions with groundwater or seawater at elevated temperatures, leading to safety hazards within the system. In this study, therefore, we investigated the hydration and dehydration reactions of Ca-montmorillonite with saline fluids such as NaCl and KCl solutions at elevated pressures and temperatures by conducting in-situ X-ray diffraction experiments using both a capillary sample heating cell and a resistive-heated diamond anvil cell. As a result, we observed different hydration states of montmorillonite depending on the chemical composition of fluids, i.e., tri-hydrated layers in NaCl and bi-hydrated layers in KCl solutions, respectively. Furthermore, we identified that montmorillonite undergoes distinct stepwise dehydration with increasing temperature, and the dehydration temperature of montmorillonite significantly increases with increasing water pressure. Consequently, this study would provide insights into the stability of hydrated montmorillonite in a seawater-dominated fluid environment and its implications for the long-term safety of the disposal system.

Molten salt reactors have several advantages over conventional light water reactors. These include producing less nuclear waste, operating at higher power efficiency and inherent safety due to the low operating pressure. NaCl-MgCl2 eutectic salt is one of the candidates for the molten salt reactor coolant. However, because the salt is very hygroscopic, structural material corrosion occurs resulting in the high cost to maintain. To mitigate corrosion there have been many studies for the dehydration of the salt, especially focusing on the magnesium chloride. The reason is that the moisture adsorbed to the magnesium chloride undergoes hydrolysis over 200 degrees Celsius and decomposes to MgOHCl while the moisture associated with the NaCl is easily liberated during the heating procedure without chemical reaction. As the operating temperature of the molten salt is between 500 and 700 degrees Celsius, the MgOHCl is believed as the main cause for the structural corrosion. In this research, thermal dehydration of the salt with elemental Mg, for the NaCl-MgCl2 eutectic, was studied based on the previous dehydration methods and considering scalable and easy to handle. The MgOHCl was removed both through the thermal decomposition and the reduction by Mg metal. After the removal of MgOHCl, based on the difference between the freezing points and the density, the salt cooled down very slowly to ensure the separation between the purified salt and the disposals such as MgO and remaining Mg metals. The efficiency of the dehydration method was determined by the concentration of the MgOHCl. The concentration was determined by cyclic voltammetry and the result was compared with undehydrated salt and salt dehydrated thermally without the addition of Mg metal. To qualify and quantify the MgOHCl content through the cyclic voltammetry, it was necessary to observe the signal by adding MgOHCl to each sample. Based on the thermogravimetric analysis result of MgCl2· 6H2O, MgOHCl powder was formed through heating the MgCl2·6H2O.

In this study, the effect of osmotic drying conditions of mangoes on hot air drying was investigated. Four different osmotic agents of 60 Brix, such as S60, SM10, HF80, and SG25, were prepared. Mango slabs were osmotically dried with the agents at a ratio of 1:4 (w/w) for up to 8 hours. SG25 showed the lowest weight reduction and moisture loss during the process. As a result of hot-air drying, all samples showed a high correlation with the Page model (0.9761~0.9997), and the required drying time of all samples that were osmotically dried was reduced compared to the non-osmotically dried group. After hot-air drying, the pH value increased according to the drying temperature. The L, a, and b values and the total polyphenol content also decreased. Through this study, the possibility of osmotic drying was confirmed to increase the efficiency of hot air drying of mangoes, which is expected to contribute to the industrial use of domestic mangoes.

Molten salts based on magnesium chloride can be used in the nuclear power reactor because they have a high heat capacity and heat stability, and allow for a faster neutron spectrum. However, magnesium chloride is highly hygroscopic, leading to the formation of moisture-related impurities, which result in the corrosion of structural materials and negatively affect the operation of the reactor. The dehydration of magnesium chloride is studied using both thermal and electrochemical treatments. According to previous studies, water impurities in magnesium chloride molten salt transform into magnesium oxide over 650 degrees Celsius. The temperature profile of the molten salt is suggested to separate magnesium chloride and magnesium oxide, focusing on cooling rate near the freezing point of magnesium chloride. Two layers separated by a phase boundary on the salt surface appear due to the density difference between magnesium oxide and magnesium chloride. Further, the removal of oxide ions remaining in the molten salt is carried out by electrochemical treatment. Two different cells, each consisting of two electrodes, are used. One cell is composed of graphite anode and nickel cathode. The other is composed of tin oxide anode and nickel cathode. As the reaction proceeds, carbon dioxide and oxygen are generated in graphite and tin oxide, respectively, and magnesium electrodeposition occurs at the cathode. The amount of purified magnesium oxide is measured to the endpoint, which is notified by the reduced current. The efficiency of each method is compared by measuring the weight ratio of the purified part to the unpurified part. Thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and UV-vis spectroscopy are used to check the quality of the purified part. Only magnesium oxide remains at a temperature above the boiling point of magnesium chloride. Therefore, the amount of magnesium oxide in the purified part can be measured by the mass change of the salt through the TGA method. For UV-vis spectroscopy, the transmittance is measured which depends on the weight percent of the impurities in the purified part. The suggested purification method using both thermal and electrochemical treatment is assessed quantitatively and qualitatively. It is expected that hygroscopic molten salts other than magnesium chloride will be able to be dehydrated through the above process.