Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A (대한기계학회논문집A)

The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers (대한기계학회)
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Development of Disassembly Tool for Intermediate Examination of Nuclear Fuel Rods

핵연료봉 중간검사를 위한 장탈착 툴 개발

  • Hong, Jintae (Dept. of Research Reactor Applications, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Heo, Sung-Ho (Dept. of Research Reactor Applications, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Kim, Ka-Hye (Dept. of Research Reactor Applications, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Park, Sung-Jae (Dept. of Research Reactor Applications, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) ;
  • Joung, Chang-Young (Dept. of Research Reactor Applications, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute)
  • 홍진태 (한국원자력연구원 연구로이용연구본부) ;
  • 허성호 (한국원자력연구원 연구로이용연구본부) ;
  • 김가혜 (한국원자력연구원 연구로이용연구본부) ;
  • 박승재 (한국원자력연구원 연구로이용연구본부) ;
  • 정창용 (한국원자력연구원 연구로이용연구본부)
  • Received : 2013.11.07
  • Accepted : 2014.01.21
  • Published : 2014.04.01
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Abstract

To check the characteristics of nuclear fuels during an irradiation test, the nuclear fuel rod needs to be disassembled from the test rig located in the pool of the research reactor. Then, the disassembled fuel rod is delivered to the hot cell for intermediate examination. A fuel rod that passes the intermediate examination is delivered to the reactor pool to be reassembled into the test rig. The irradiation test is resumed with the reassembled test rig. Because nuclear fuel rods irradiated by neutrons are highly radioactive, all the disassembly and reassembly processes should be carried out in the pool of the research reactor to prevent operators being exposed to radiation. In particular, because a test rig is 5.4-m long and the reactor pool of HANARO is 6-m deep, special tools need to be developed for performing the disassembly and reassembly processes. In this study, a new assembly design of nuclear fuel rods for intermediate examination is introduced. Furthermore, tools for treating the irradiated fuel rod assembly are introduced, and their performance is verified by an out pile test.

조사시험 도중 핵연료의 특성변화를 확인하기 위하여 원자로 수조내에 위치한 조사리그로부터 핵연료봉을 분리한 후 핫셀로 이송하여 중간검사를 진행한다. 또한 중간검사를 마친 핵연료봉은 원자로의 작업 수조로 이동시켜 조사리그에 재장착을 하게 되며, 재조립된 조사리그는 원자로 노심의 조사리그에 장착시켜 조사시험을 계속 진행한다. 그러나 중성자 조사가 진행된 핵연료봉은 높은 에너지의 방사선을 방출하기 때문에 작업자가 방사선에 피폭되지 않게 하기 위하여 핵연료봉 장탈착 공정은 원자로 작업수조수 내에서 이루어져야 한다. 특히 조사리그의 길이가 5.4 미터이고, 핵연료봉의 장탈착 작업이 이루어질 하나로 작업수조수의 깊이는 6 미터로 매우 깊어 장탈착 작업을위한 특수한 장치가 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 중간검사가 가능한 새로운 핵연료봉 조립체를 설계하고, 조사 핵연료봉 조립체의 장탈착용 툴을 개발하여 노외 성능시험을 통해 그 성능을 검증하였다.

Keywords

References

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