Hyundai Engineering & Construction Secures Commercialization Technology in Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Site Restoration Field

Obtained Green Certification from the Ministry of Environment for 'Cesium' Removal Technology in Radioactive Contaminated Soil

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] Hyundai Engineering & Construction announced on the 13th that it has obtained green certification from the Ministry of Environment for its nuclear power plant dismantling site restoration technology.

This technology separates soil contaminated with radioactive materials by particle size, then washes it with a potassium chloride (KCl) solution to remove cesium attached to the soil. Hyundai Engineering & Construction is the only company to receive green certification in the field of radioactive contaminated soil restoration. The official name of this technology is "Particle Size Classification and Cation Exchange Washing Process for Reducing Radioactive Cesium Contaminated Soil Waste."

Radioactive materials tend to adsorb onto fine soil particles that are small in size and have a large surface area, resulting in higher radioactivity concentrations in smaller soil particles. Therefore, the core of the technology is to precisely sort soil particles and wash them to effectively remove adsorbed contaminants.

Hyundai Engineering & Construction focused particularly on removing "cesium," which is likely to be present at nuclear power plant dismantling sites, using potassium chloride as the washing process solution. By utilizing the ion exchange reaction between potassium and cesium, the technology detaches cesium strongly bound to clayey soil and selectively adsorbs and removes cesium present in the washing water. The cesium-removed washing water can be reused 100%, preventing the generation of secondary waste.

For performance evaluation, Hyundai Engineering & Construction conducted a pilot test with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, which oversees nuclear power plant dismantling projects, successfully removing about 90% of cesium from more than 900 kg of radioactive contaminated soil per hour, thereby proving its commercialization.

In addition, Hyundai Engineering & Construction possesses commercialized technologies for nuclear power plant dismantling, including ▲ groundwater monitoring and contamination assessment technology for dismantled nuclear power plants ▲ radioactive contaminated soil and groundwater restoration technology ▲ site regulation removal and safety assessment technology ▲ site reuse evaluation technology. A Hyundai Engineering & Construction official stated, "With this green certification, we have laid the foundation to lead future nuclear power plant dismantling site restoration projects. Through continuous research and development, we will strengthen our advantageous position in the global nuclear power plant dismantling market and establish a robust response system across the nuclear industry."

Meanwhile, green certification is a system that certifies green technologies that minimize greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions by saving and efficiently using energy and resources, in accordance with the Carbon Neutrality Basic Act. It is evaluated based on the level and innovativeness of the technology, feasibility of the business plan, and contribution to green growth.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.