Currently, KHNP-CRI has developed 100 kW plasma torch melting facility to reduce the amount of radioactive waste in nuclear power plant. Plasma torch melting technology uses electric arc phenomena like lightning to melt the target material at a high temperature of about 1,600°C. The technology is applicable to treatment for various types of waste such as combustible, non-combustible and mixed wastes. The volume reduction ratio by the technology is respectively expected to be about 1/60 of combustible wastes and about 1/5 for non-combustible wastes. It is important to discharge the melt without problems in the melting technology. In general, molten slag has properties such as high viscosity and quick solidification. Because of the properties, when discharging into slag container, the final product is accumulated like a mountain. To improve this problem, there is three suggestions; 1) rotation of the slag container, 2) vibration of the slag container, and 3) heating of the slag container.

Plasma melting technology has been considered as promising technology for treatment of radioactive wastes. According to the IAEA TECDOC-1527 report (2006), the technology has an advantage that it can treat regardless of waste types which is both combustible and non-combustible wastes. In particular, it is expected that a large amount of concrete, a representative non-combustible wastes, will be generated during the operation and dismantling of nuclear power plants. In order to treat the concrete waste in plasma torch melting system, various factors could be considered like the slag of electric conductivity, viscosity and melting temperature. Above all, as a critical factor, the viscosity of the melt is very important to easily discharge the melt. The viscosity of slag (SiO2-CaO-Al2O3 system) can be lowered by adding a basic oxide such as CaO, Na2O, MgO and MnO. The basic oxides are donors of oxygen ions. These oxides are called notwork breakers, because they destroy the network of SiO2 by reacting with it. In this study, the slag composition of the concrete waste was developed to apply the plasma torch melting. Also, demonstration test was performed with the developed slag composition and 100 kW plasma torch melting system.

Powder mine wastes cause secondary environmental problems from dust flying around villages. It is necessary to recycle to prevent this secondary pollution and to use its beneficial contents. Magnesium and iron may play a role like that of aluminum in geopolymer forming. In this study, therefore, we analyzed the compressive strength of geopolymer prepared from melting slag (MS) and high-magnesium iron mine waste (MW). The compressive strength increased by increasing the mixing ratio of MS and decreasing the L/S ratio. The optimal properties were obtained at a mixing ratio of MS to MW of 5 : 5, molar ratio of SiO2/Na2O of 1.8, and L/S ratio of 0.2. Under these conditions, the compressive strength at 28 days was 112.5 MPa. According to the FT-IR analysis, a geopolymer structure was identified. As a result, we confirmed the possibility of geopolymer forming from MS and MW.

Geopolymer foam block was prepared and its characteristics discussed to evaluate the possibility of replacing blastfurnace slag (below BFS) with melting slag in this study. 10~20wt% of BFS was replaced with melting slag. And also10wt% of mine tailing was replaced with fly ash discharged from municipal solid waste incinerator (below MSWI). Thecompressive strength of foam block prepared was similar to that of foam block prepared without replacing BFS. Andalso it was increased by replacing 10wt% of mine tailing with MSWI fly ash. Considering these results, melting slagmay be used instead of BFS without damaging the quality of foam block.

In this work, the effect of CaO and Fe2O3 on the geopolymer made from mine tailing and melting slag has been studied. Geopolymer was made from mine tailing, melting slag and blast furnace slag. The mechanical property of geopolymer prepared was affected by raw material used. Compressive strength of the geopolymer using blast furnace slag was higher than the geopolymer using melting slag. Because CaO and Fe2O3 content of two-type geopolymers was different. Therefore, the content of these controled to find out how to affect the property of geopolymer. According to the result of FT-IR(Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), the compressive strength of geopolymer increased by activation of CS- H gel with increasing CaO content. In contrast, the compressive strength of geopolymer decreased by inhibition of geopolymerization with increasing Fe2O3 content. According to the result of XRD(X-ray diffraction), the geopolymerization was weakened by formation of olivine, goethite.

In this work, lightweight brick was prepared from aluminum dross, MS and MBA. Aluminum dross is discharged as by-product through the process of aluminum smelting. It can be used as foaming agent, because it produces hydrogen gas due to the reaction with alkali activator. In this study, the specific gravity and compressive strength of prepared brick was discussed with the addition of aluminum dross. Compressive strength, flexural strength and specific gravity was 36 MPa, 2.6 MPa and 1.48 at mixing ratio of 0.9wt% aluminum dross, respectively. The physical property of brick was debased with the addition of aluminum dross. Because the pore size was bigger in accordance with the addition of aluminum dross.

생활폐기물 소각재를 용융시켜 제조한 슬래그에는 제올라이트 합성에 영향을 주는 많은 불순물이 포함되어 있다. 이러한 불순물들은 원하는 제올라이트 합성을 방해하며, 수율과 순도를 저하시킨다. 용융 슬래그에는 특히 Fe2O3, FeO 그리고 CaO가 많이 포함되어 있다. 이런 불순물들을 제거하기 위해 염산으로 슬러리의 초기 pH를 1, 3, 5 그리고 7로 하여 각각 처리하였다. 실험결과, 슬러리의 초기 pH가 낮아질수록 SiO2, Fe2O3, TiO2 등의 함량은 증가되었으나, Al2O3, FeO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, MgO 등의 함량은 감소되었다. 염산처리한 슬래그를 NaOH 용액과 함께 80℃에서 반응시킨 결과, 슬래그, pH 7과 pH 5에서 처리한 시료로부터는 토버모라이트(tobermorite)가, pH 3과 pH 1에서 처리한 시료로부터는 Na-P1형과 Na-X형 제올라이트가 생성되었다. 또한 CaO가 제올라이트 합성을 방해한다는 것을 확인하였다.

현대 산업사회의 큰 문제로 대두되고 있는 도시소각재를 용융시킨 용융슬래그를 출발물질로 하여 부가가치가 높은 P형 제올라이트를 "hydrogelation"법과 "clay conversion"법을 혼합한 새로운 방법에 의해 수열합성하였다. 출발물질은 용융슬래그 이외에 Si 공급원으로 시판되는 규산소다용액을, Al 공급원으로는 Na2O/Al2O3의 비가 약 1.2인 알루민산소다용액을 사용하였다. 80℃의 반응 온도에서 P형 제올라이트의 최적합성조건은 SiO2/Al2O3의 비율 3.2~4.2, H2O/Na2O의 비율 70.7~80.0, 그리고 반응시간이 15시간 이상일 때이었다. P형 제올라이트가 합성되었을 때, 크기가 일정하지 않은 용융슬래그 입자들은 용해되어 사라졌으며, 그 대신 균일한 크기의 P형 제올라이트 결정이 형성되었다. 암모니움 아세테이트법에 의해 측정된 합성 제올라이트의 양이온 교환능은 240cmol/kg 정도이었다.

소각재 용융슬래그를 출발물질로 하여 알카리 조건하에서 활성화시킴으로써 Na-A형 제올라이트를 합성하였다. 합성실험은 스텐레스 철재로 제작된 반응용기를 사용하였다. 출발물질은 슬래그 외에 수정인공합성 공장에서 배출되는 '규산질 수용액'과 NaAlO₂ 수용액을 사용하였는데, 전자의 화학조성은 SiO₂ 5.7 wt% Na₂O 3.2 wt%이고, 후자는 몰비가 Na₂O/Al₂O₃= 1.2와 H₂O/Ma₂O=9의 조건으로 알루미늄 드로스와 NaOH 수용액을 반응시켜 제조하였다. 위에서 언급된 슬래그, '규산질 수용액' 그리고 NaAlO₂ 수용액을 혼합시킨 혼성물을 약 80℃에서 7∼8시간 반응시키면 Na-A형 제올라이트가 단일상으로 합성되었다. 출발물질의 이상적인 혼합비율은 Na₂O:Al₂O₃:SiO₂의 몰비가 1.3∼l.4 : 0.8∼0.9 : 2이었으며 반응용액과 슬래그의 비율은 1 : 7∼10 (g/cc)이었다. 합성된 제올라이트의 형태는 균일한 입방형이었으며 입도는 약 1 ㎛이었다. 한편, Ca<SUP>2+</SUP>이온에 대한 이온교환 용량(CEC)은 180∼210 meq/100 g이었으므로 통용되는 세제용 제올라이트와 비교하면 약 80% 수준이었으므로 폐수처리나 오염된 중금속처리와 같은 환경처리용으로 사용될 수 있을 것이다.