When decommissioning and operating nuclear power plants, a lot of radioactive waste in concentrated waste powder, slurry, sludge, and powder is generated. The radioactive waste, non-conformity for disposal, cannot be treated or disposed of, but is currently being stored instead. To dispose of the waste, the waste can be solidified by mixing with an appropriate solidification agent. However, when the solidification agent and powder particles are mixed as in the conventional method, the final volume of the waste form to be disposed of increases. In order to solve this problem, in this study, volume reduction was achieved, compared to the existing powder, by applying the roll compaction technology to mold the radioactive waste into compressed pellets. Soil, concrete, concentrate waste, and contaminated soil powder were used as test materials, and pellets were prepared under different operating conditions. Subsequently, a compressive strength test was performed to confirm the integrity and optimal process conditions of the manufactured pellets. However, in order to perform the compressive strength test, the upper and lower surfaces of the pellets must be horizontal, but the pellet has the shape of two tetrahedrons joined together. Hence, test specimens for measuring compressive strength were prepared by making a surface treatment jig. The compressive strength test showed a high strength of 5.20~28.20 MPa. The process conditions showing high compressive strengths were selected as the optimal process conditions. Finally, the volume reduction ratios were calculated by measuring the weight, density and volume of the manufactured pellets. The degrees of volume reduction of the manufactured pellets compared to the existing powder were checked. When the roll gap was 0 mm, the average reduction ratios of the test materials were 3.7 for the soil, 4.0 for the concrete, 4.6 for the concentrate waste, and 3.8 for the contaminated soil. When roll gap was 1 mm, the ratios were 2.7 for the soil, 2.9 for the concrete, 3.4 for the concentrate waste, and 2.8 for the contaminated soil. Therefore, from a conservative point of view (Roll gap = 1 mm), when powdered waste is formed into pellets, it means that the volume is reduced by 1/2.7 for soil, 1/2.9 for concrete, 1/3.4 for concentrated waste, and 1/2.8 for contaminated soil.

Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD), regulatory body and civic groups are calling for an infrastructure system that can more systematically and safely manage data on the results of radioactive waste sampling and nuclide analysis in accordance with radioactive waste disposal standards. To solve this problem, a study has been conducted on the analysis of the nuclide pattern of radioactive waste on the nuclide data contained in low-and intermediate-level radioactive waste. This paper will explain the optimal repackaged algorithm for reducing radioactive waste based on previous research results. The optimal repackaged algorithm for radioactive waste reduction is comprised based on nuclide pattern association indicators, classification by nuclide level of small-packaged waste, and nuclide concentration. Optimization simulation is carried out in the order of deriving nuclide concentration by small-packaged, normalizing drum minimization as a function of purpose, normalizing constraints, and optimization. Two scenarios were applied to the simulation. In Scenario 1 (generating facilities and repackaged by medium classification without optimization), it was assumed that there are 886 low-level drums and 52 very low-level drums. In Scenario 2 (generating facilities and repackaged by medium classification with optimization), 708 and 230 drums were assigned to the low-level and very low-level drums, respectively. As a result of the simulation, when repackaged in consideration of the nuclide concentration and constraints according to the generating facility cluster & middle classification by small package (Scenario 2) the low-level drum had the effect of reducing 178 drums from the baseline value of 886 drums to 708 drums. It was found that the reduced packages were moved to the very low-level drum. The system that manages the full life-cycle of radioactive waste can be operated effectively only when the function of predicting or tracking the occurrence of radioactive waste drums from the source of radioactive waste to the disposal site is secured. If the main factors affecting the concentration and pattern of nuclides are systematically managed through these systems, the system will be used as a useful tool for policy decisions that can prevent human error and drastically reduce the generation of disposable drums.