• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.176-185
• /
• 2002

A 4-bundle shift refuelling method of CANDU6 F/H (Fuel Handling) System is analyzed to assess the operational flexibility and capacity of F/H system. The current 8-bundle shift refuelling scheme requires to refuel eight fuel bundles from a single fuel channel, and to refuel 14 fuel channels in a week on average assuming that the reactor is in a steady state. The analysis showed that the 4-bundle shift refuelling method increases F/M (Fuelling Machine) duty cycle and operator load. However, the fuellin’g method change from the 8- to 4-bundle shift refuelling ill not require additional team of operators. A marginal increase in the maintenance cost may be resulted in by the change of fuelling method and the increase of fatigue usage factors requires some components to be replaced during the FM lifetime.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.468-481
• /
• 2002

There are 4 CANDU6 type reactors operating at Wolsong site. For fuelling operation of certain fuel channels (with flow less than 21.5 kg/s) a FARE flow Assist Ram Extension) device is used. During the refuelling operation, two remote controlled F/Ms (Fuelling Machines) are attached to a designated fuel channel and carry out refuelling job. The upstream F/M inserts new fuel bundles into the fuel channel while the downstream F/M discharges spent fuel bundles. In order to assist fuelling operation of channels that has lower coolant How rate, the FARE device is used instead of F/M C-ram to push the fuel bundle string. The FARE device is essentially a How restricting element that produces enough drag force to push the fuel bundle string toward downstream F/M. Channels that require the use of FARE device for refuelling are located along the outside perimeter of reactor. This paper presents the FARE device design feature, steady state hydraulic and operational characteristics and behavior of the device when coupled with fuel bundle string during fuelling operation. The study showed that the steady state performance of FARE device meets the design objective that was confirmed by downstream F/M C-ram force to be positive.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.132-145
• /
• 2001

The purpose and need of the study is to quantify the advantage or disadvantage of the environmental friendliness of the partitioning of nuclear fuel cycle. To this end, a preliminary study on the quantitative effect of the partition on the permanent disposal of spent PWR and CANDU fuel (HLW) was carried out. Before any analysis, the so-called reference radionuclide release scenario from a potential repository embedded into a crystalline rock was developed. Firstly, the feature, event and processes (FEPs) which lead to the release of nuclides from waste disposed of in a repository and the transport to and through the biosphere were identified. Based on the selected FEPs, the ‘Well Scenario’which might be the worst case scenario was set up. For the given scenario, annual individual doses to a local resident exposed to radioactive hazard were estimated and compared to that from direct disposal. Even though partitioning and transmutation could be an ideal solution to reduce the inventory which eventually decreases the release time as well as the peaks in the annual dose and also minimize the repository area through the proper handling of nuclides, it should overcome major disadvantages such as echnical issues on the partitioning and transmutation system, cost, and public acceptance, and environment friendly issues. In this regard, some relevant issues are also discussed to show the direction for further studies.