Study for Reduction Effect of Pool Top Radiation in Research Reactor by Using Ion Exchanger of Hot Water Layer

고온층계통의 이온교환기에 의한 연구로 수조 상부 방사선의 저감효과에 대한 연구

A hot water layer (HWL hereinafter) was installed at the depth of 1.2 m from the pool surface to reduce the radiation level at the pool top. After the HWL system was improved by the replacement of the filter with the Ion Exchanger to capture the Na-24, to purify the pool water of HWL and finally to reduce the radiation at the pool top. It was confirmed by the performance test of the pump and the measurement of the pressure difference through the Ion Exchanger and the strainer, that the flow characteristics of HWL system was not adversely affected after the system modification. Also the flow analysis using the pressure loss coefficients of the Ion Exchanger and strainer, calculated by the Darcy formula, could predict the flow variations by pressure changes within $10\%$ error in comparison with the field test results. It was also confirmed that HWL was maintained with the depth of 1.2 m from the pool surface because each electric water heater was electrically and thermodynamically maintained at 30 kW and the temperature of HWL was maintained with $5^{\circ}C$ higher temperature than that of pool water. Finally, it was confirmed that the pool top radiation was saturated and stabilized below 10000 nG/hr within 24 hours as the ion exchanger captured the main nucleus, Na-24 and purified the pool water of HWL.