Studies on the Bituminization Process of Radioactive Liquid Waste[I]

Immobilization of the second-cycle radioactive liquid wastes from a Purex process was developed with the blown asphalt (manufactured by Kukdong Shell Oil Company Ltd) to eliminate the possibility that the radioactive materials will be redispersed into the environment. Attempts to incorporate these wastes directly into the asphalt martrices without any pretreatment were not successful, as it was observed that the sulphuric acid in the waste oxidised the asphalt. Hence, the waste was treated with caustic soda and made alkaline prior to bituminization, so that it was found that this pretreatment made the waste compatible to the asphalt matrices. The pure blown asphalt samples irradiated with doses of 4.0$\times$10$^{7}$ rad showed no evidence of volume increase. The suitable temperature for incorporation of the alkaline wastes into blown asphalt was 180-20$0^{\circ}C$. The Products containing 50 wt% salts represented the following good properties viz., volume reduction (about 1.4), homogeneity, teachability etc. During the period of 131 day $s^{l37}$Cs from products containing 40wt% salts was leached at rates ranging from 2.70$\times$10-4 to 8.27$\times$10-4g/cm2_day but the rate for $^{90}$ Sr was lower by one to two orders of magnitude by distilled water. The leaching rates for $^{137}$ Cs and $^{90}$ Sr by sea water were slightly lower than by distilled water. Both of the leaching rates decreased with increasing pH.H.

알카리로 처리한 국산 blown asphalt를 사용해서 방사성 폐액을 180-20$0^{\circ}C$ 범위 내에서 고화처리한 것이 산처리 한것보다 좋은 결과를 얻었으며, 방사선 조사선량이 4.0$\times$$10^{7}$ rad까지도 안정된 고화체로 존재하고 있다. 한편 40wt%의 고형분이 함유되어 있는 $^{137}$Cs-asphalt 고화체의 증류수에 의한 $^{137}$Cs의 용출율이 8.27$\times$$10^{-4}$ g/$\textrm{cm}^2$-day 인데 반하여 $^{90}$ Sr은 낮았으며, 일반적으로 증류수보다 해수때가 또한 pH가 증가함에 따라 용출율은 낮아진다.