• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.1156-1163
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• 2020

Fuel temperature coefficient (FTC) of PuO₂+ZrO₂ (ROX) fueled LWR cell is analyzed neutronically with reactor- and weapons-grade plutonium fuels in comparison with a U-free PuO₂+ThO₂ (TOX), and a conventional MOX fuel cells. The FTC value of a ROX fueled LWR is smaller compared to a TOX or a MOX fueled LWRs and becomes extremely positive especially, at EOL. This is because when fuel temperature is increased, thermal neutron spectrum is shifted to harder, which is extreme at EOL in ROX fuel than that in TOX and MOX fuels. Consequently at EOL, ²³⁹Pu and ²⁴¹Pu contributes to positive fuel temperature reactivity (FTR) in ROX fuel, while they have negative contribution in TOX and MOX fuels. The FTC problem of ROX fuel is mitigated by additive ThO₂, UO₂ or Er₂O₃. In ROX-additive fuel, the atomic density of fissile Pu becomes more than additive free ROX fuel especially at EOL, which is the main cause to improve the FTC problem. The density of fissile Pu is more effective to decrease the thermal spectrum shifts with increase the fuel temperature than additive ThO₂, UO₂ or Er₂O₃ in ROX fuel.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.136-140
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• 2006

We are developing a vol-oxidizer which transforms the spent $UO_2$ pellets into the $U_3O_8$ power through oxidizing process. The vol-oxidizer consists of furnace, filter, heater and valve etc. When the filter is blocked by the powder, the internal pressure of the furnace is increased owing to the air flow restriction. Then, the furnace vessel is swelled and deformed by it. In this paper, we proposed a procedure of the thermal analysis for furnace vessel design of spent fuel vol-oxidizer. In this work, we determined the thickness of the furnace through analyzing the internal pressure and the thermal stress of the furnace with respect to various pressure and temperature. To analyze the thermal stress, we used ANSYS 8.0 for constructing a FEM model of the furnace, and then analyzed it based on the ASME code. We also surveyed the material property and yield stress of SUS304 with various temperature. Analysis results are compared with the yield stress of the material. We manufactured the furnace and conduct the verification experiments.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.191-198
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• 2008

The influence of fission products' contents on the DUPIC fuel powder and pellet properties was experimentally evaluated using SIMFUEL as a surrogate for actual spent PWR fuel due to the high radioactivity of spent fuel. Pure $UO_2$ and SIMFUEL pellets with fission products equivalent to a burn-up of 35,000 MWd/tU and 60,000 MWd/tU were used as impurities in this study. The specific surface area of the powder milled after the OREOX treatment increased and resulted in sintered pellets with a theoretical density (TD) higher than 95%, regardless of the impurity contents. However, the grain size of the sintered pellets decreased with the increasing impurity contents. As a result of the dissolved oxides in $UO_2$ from the impurity groups, the specific surface area of the OREOX powder increased with an increase of the impurities. The grain size of the sintered pellets was significantly decreased by the metallic and oxide precipitates.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2004

Trace amount of uranyl (II) has been determined spectrophotometrically by measuring the optical density of the light blue yellowish coloured solutions formed by reaction between the metal ion and nicotinohydroxamic acid (NHx) in presence of different secondary ligands in strong isoamyl alcohol alkaline medium. The absorption maxima for both aqueous and extracted systems measured at their respective optimum pH were found to be 360 and 559 nm (DETA), 375 and 358 nm (EDA), 369 and 362 nm (piperidine), 354 and 341 nm (pyridine) and 363 and 336 nm (3 piperidine), 354 and 341 nm (pyridine) and 363 and 336 nm (3 - picoline), respectively at which Beer's law was obeyed. Effect of pH, reagent concentration, order of addition of reagent, time, temperature and solvent media on the absorption spectra have also been studied. Among the different systems studied, the shortest concentration range of uranyl(II) adhering to Beer's Law was 2.4 - 10.5 ppm observed for $UO_2(II)$ - NHx - DETA system in aqueous medium and also for iso amyl alcohol(IAA) extracted $UO_2$ - NHx - pyridine system was 2.4 - 7.8.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.8
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• pp.2454-2463
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• 2021

The objective of this research is to the use of americium (AmO₂) as a burnable absorber effectively instead of conventional gadolinium (Gd₂O₃) for VVER-1200 reactor by analyzing its impacts on reactivity, power peaking factor (PPF), safety factor, and quality of the spent fuel. The assembly is burned to 60 GWd/t by using SRAC-2006 code and JENDL-4.0 data library for finding the optimum amount and effective way of using AmO₂ as a burnable absorber. From these studies, it is found that AmO₂ can decrease the excess reactivity like Gd₂O₃ without changing the criticality life span and enrichment of ²³⁵U. A homogeneous mixture of the 0.20% AmO₂+ 4.95% enriched UO₂ fuel rod (model MF-4) decreases the PPF than the reference assembly. The use of AmO₂+UO₂ in the integral burnable absorber (IBA) rod or the outer layer could also decrease the PPF up to 10 GWd/t but increases rapidly after 30 GWd/t, which could be a safety threat. The fuel temperature coefficient and void coefficient of the model MF-4 are the same as the reference assembly. In addition, 22% of initially loaded Am are burning effectively and contributing to the power production.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.238-238
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• 2004

우라늄 변환시설은 중수로용 $UO_2$ 분말 제조 시설로서 2001년도부터 제염 해체를 통한 변환시설 환경복원사업을 시작하였다. 변환 공정의 운전 중 발생하여 라군(lagoon)에 저장되어 있는 방사성 슬러지 폐액의 처리는 시설의 해체과정에서 매우 중요한 업무중의 하나이다. 라군 슬러지의 주성분은 $NH_4NO_3$, $NaNO_3$, $Ca(NO_3)_3$, $CaCO_3$ 및 U 화합물과 소량의 Fe, Mg, Al, Si 및 P 화합물로 구성되어 있다.(중략)

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.335-343
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• 1999

The effects of N $b_2$ $O_{5}$ and oxygen potential on the densification and grain growth of U $O_2$ fuel have been investigated.0.3 wt% N $b_2$ $O_{5}$ -doped U $O_2$fuel pellets were sintered at 1$700^{\circ}C$ for 4 hours in sintering atmospheres which have various ratios of $H_2O$ to $H_2$ gas. Compared with those of undoped U $O_2$ pellets, the sintered density and grain size of the 0.3 wt% N $b_2$ $O_{5}$ -doped U $O_2$ pellet increase under the $H_2O$/ $H_2$ gas ratio of 5.0$\times$10$^{-3}$ to 1.0$\times$10$^{-2}$ and under the $H_2O$/ $H_2$gas ratio of 5.0$\times$10$^{-3}$ to $1.5\times$10$^{-2}$ , respectively. The sintering of U $O_2$fuel pellets containing 0.1 wt% to 0.5 wt% N $b_2$ $O_{5}$ was carried out at 168$0^{\circ}C$ for 4 hours. The enhancing effect of N $b_2$ $O_{5}$ on the sintered density and grain size becomes larger as the N $b_2$ $O_{5}$ content increases. The solubility limit of N $b_2$ $O_{5}$ in U $O_{2}$ seems to be between 0.3 wt% and 0.5 wt%, and beyond the solubility limit the second phase whose composition corresponds near to N $b_2$U $O_{6}$ is precipitated on grain boundary. The enhancement of densification and grain growth in U $O_2$ is attributed to the increased concentration of a uranium vacancy which is formed by the interstitial N $b^{4+}$ ion in the U $O_2$ lattice.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.307-314
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• 2001

The changes of weight gain, structure, morphology and uranium oxidation states in l0wt% G $d_2$ $O_3$-doped U $O_2$ during the oxidation below 475$^{\circ}C$ and heat treatment at 130$0^{\circ}C$ in air were investigated using TGA, XRD, SEM, EPMA and XPS. The room temperature ( $U_{0.86}$G $d_{0.14}$) $O_2$Cubic Phase Converted to highly distorted ( $U_{0.86}$G $d_{0.14}$)$_3$ $O_{8}$ -type sing1e Phase by oxidation at 475 $^{\circ}C$ in air. This oxidized phase was reduced by annealing at 130$0^{\circ}C$ in air. The room temperature XRD pattern of the 130$0^{\circ}C$ annealed powder revealed that ( $U_{0.86}$G $d_{0.14}$)$_3$ $O_{8}$ -type single phase was separated into Gd-depleted $U_3$ $O_{8}$ and Gd-enriched ( $U_{0.7}$G $d_{0.3}$) $O_2$$_{+x}$ type cubic phase. The reduction and phase separation by the high temperature annealing of kinetically metastable and highly deformed ( $U_{0.86}$G $d_{0.14}$)$_3$ $O_{8}$ -type phase are interpreted in terms of cation size difference between G $d^3$$^{+}$ and U according to the oxidation state of U.U.U.U.U.te of U.U.U.U.U.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.28-33
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• 2001

The ion chromatography for the separation of plutonium species which are suggested to be $Pu^{3+}$, $Pu^{4+}$, $PuO_2{^+}$ and $PuO_2{^{2+}}$ in natural water was studied. Two separation methods were performed; 1) two-column method containing each of $SiO^-$ and SiO-$SO_3{^-}$ cation exchanger, 2) IC with AG11 column and the eluent of oxalate/nitric acid. Separation conditions for $Eu^{3+}$, $Th^{4+}$, $NpO_2{^+}$, $UO_2{^{2+}}$ in place of plutonium species were acquired from preliminary tests. When these conditions were applied to separate the plutonium species, two-column method was separated them successfully. However, the IC method with oxalate eluent was difficult in the separation of plutonium species due to the change of $Pu^{3+}$ and $PuO_2{^{2+}}$ to $Pu^{4+}$ and $PuO_2{^+}$ respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.916-920
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• 2003

The change of structure and morphology in ( $U_{0.913}$G $d_{0.087}$) $O_2$ during oxidation at 475$^{\circ}C$ and heat treatment at 130$0^{\circ}C$ in air were investigated using XRD, SEM, and EPMA. The ( $U_{0.913}$G $d_{0.087}$) $O_2$ cubic phase converted to ( $U_{0.913}$G $d_{0.087}$)$_3$ $O_{8}$ orthorhombic phase by oxidation at 475$^{\circ}C$ in air. The XRD and EPMA result of the 130$0^{\circ}C$ heat treated powder revealed that ( $U_{0.913}$G $d_{0.087}$)$_3$ $O_{8}$ orthorhombic phase was separated into $U_3$ $O_{8}$ and ( $U_{0.67}$G $d_{0.33}$) $O_{2+}$x/ cubic phase. The weight variations of (U,Gd) $O_2$ with various Gd contents were measured using TGA at the same heat treated condition. The weight variation during the heat treatment of Gd dissolve (U,Gd) $O_2$ in air can be expressed in terms of phase reaction equations related with oxidation and phase separation. Based on these phase reaction, a initial content of Gd dissolved in (U,Gd) $O_2$ can be exactly calculated by measuring the weight change during the heat treatment.