• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.351-361
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• 2015

External reactor vessel cooling (ERVC) for in-vessel retention (IVR) has been considered one of the most useful strategies to mitigate severe accidents. However, reliability of this common idea is weakened because many studies were focused on critical heat flux whereas there were diverse uncertainties in structural behaviors as well as thermal-hydraulic phenomena. In the present study, several key factors related to molten corium behaviors and thermal characteristics were examined under multi-layered corium formation conditions. Thereafter, systematic finite element analyses and subsequent damage evaluation with varying parameters were performed on a representative reactor pressure vessel (RPV) to figure out the possibility of high temperature induced failures. From the sensitivity analyses, it was proven that the reactor cavity should be flooded up to the top of the metal layer at least for successful accomplishment of the IVR-ERVC strategy. The thermal flux due to corium formation and the relocation time were also identified as crucial parameters. Moreover, three-layered corium formation conditions led to higher maximum von Mises stress values and consequently shorter creep rupture times as well as higher damage factors of the RPV than those obtained from two-layered conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.713-718
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• 1997

In the TMI-2 accident, approximately twenty(20) tons of molten core material drained into the lower plenum. Early advanced light water reactor (LWR) designs assumed a lower head failure and incorporated various measures for ex-vessel accident mitigation. However, one of the major findings from the TMI-2 Vessel Investigation Project was that one part of the reactor lower head wall estimated to have attained a temperature of 1100$^{\circ}C$ for about 30 minutes has seemingly experienced a comparatively rapid cooldown with no major threat to the vessel integrity. In this regard, recent empirical and analytical studies have shifted interests to such in-vessel retention designs or strategies as reactor cavity flooding, in-vessel flooding and engineered gap cooling of the vessel Accurate thermohydrodynamic and creep deformation modeling and rupture prediction are the key to the success in developing practically useful in-vessel accident/risk management strategies. As an advanced in-vessel design concept, this work presents the COrium Attack Syndrome Immunization Structures (COASIS) that are being developed as prospective in-vessel retention devices for a next-generation LWR in concert with existing ex-vessel management measures. Both the engineered gap structures in-vessel (COASISI) and ex-vessel (COASISO) are demonstrated to maintain effective heat transfer geometry during molten core debris attack when applied to the Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plant(KSNPP) reactor. The likelihood of lower head creep rupture during a severe accident is found to be significantly suppressed by the COASIS options.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.101-108
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• 1997

In repaired weldment of ASTM A-470 class 8 high pressure stream turbine rotor steel, creep rupture life was studied in relation with carbide morphology. Carbides were identified using carbide extraction replica method. A retired rotor has molybdenum rich carbide $M_2C$, lndacochea vanadium rich carbide $M_4C_3$, and chromium rich carbides $M_{23}C_6$and $M_7C_3$. Weldments ruptured at ICHAZ showed that some of carbides have been transformed into spherical types of coarsened carbides at ruptured area. Those carbides were revealed as molybdenum rich $M_6C$ carbide and they provided cavitation sites due to molybdenum depletion around $(M_6C)$ carbide. However coarsened $M_6C$ and $M_{23}C_6$ carbides were observed at ruptured area in case of ruptured at CGHAZ.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.2 no.6
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• pp.468-476
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• 1992

Stress rupture properties and fracture behavior of Ni microalloyed W were studied using direct load creep tester at 100$0^{\circ}C$, 110$0^{\circ}C$ and 120$0^{\circ}C$ in $H_2$. At the same grain size, 15${\mu}$m, the 100hr. stress rupture strength of W-0.4wt% Ni was 23% higher than that of W-0.2wt%Ni due to the grain growth during test. The minimum creep rate of W-0.2wt%Ni was decreased with an increase in initial grain size. By increasing the Ni content of Ni microalloyed W, rupture time was increased owing to the smaller number and size of cavity. All the specimens showed intergranular fracture by grain boundary sliding and nucleation, growth and coalescence of cavities at grain boundary.

• International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.269-277
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• 2009

The current paper focuses on the analysis of transient cavitating flow in pressurised polyethylene pipes, which are characterized by viscoelastic rheological behaviour. A hydraulic transient solver that describes fluid transients in plastic pipes has been developed. This solver incorporates the description of dynamic effects related to the energy dissipation (unsteady friction), the rheological mechanical behaviour of the viscoelastic pipe and the cavitating pipe flow. The Discrete Vapour Cavity Model (DVCM) and the Discrete Gas Cavity Model (DGCM) have been used to describe transient cavitating flow. Such models assume that discrete air cavities are formed in fixed sections of the pipeline and consider a constant wave speed in pipe reaches between these cavities. The cavity dimension (and pressure) is allowed to grow and collapse according to the mass conservation principle. An extensive experimental programme has been carried out in an experimental set-up composed of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes, assembled at Instituto Superior T$\acute{e}$cnico of Lisbon, Portugal. The experimental facility is composed of a single pipeline with a total length of 203 m and inner diameter of 44 mm. The creep function of HDPE pipes was determined by using an inverse model based on transient pressure data collected during experimental runs without cavitating flow. Transient tests were carried out by the fast closure of the ball valves located at downstream end of the pipeline for the non-cavitating flow and at upstream for the cavitating flow. Once the rheological behaviour of HDPE pipes were known, computational simulations have been run in order to describe the hydraulic behaviour of the system for the cavitating pipe flow. The calibrated transient solver is capable of accurately describing the attenuation, dispersion and shape of observed transient pressures. The effects related to the viscoelasticity of HDPE pipes and to the occurrence of vapour pressures during the transient event are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.270-278
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• 1992

The effect of Ni-rich phase on the stress-rupture properties of Ni mlcroalloyed W were studied using direct load creep tester at 100$0^{\circ}C$, 110$0^{\circ}C$, and 120$0^{\circ}C$ in $H_2.$ The stress rupture strength of 100hrs. of W-0.4wt% Ni was 43% higher at 100$0^{\circ}C$ and 35% higher at 110 $0^{\circ}C$than that of W-0.2wt% Ni due to the larger initial grain size, the higher relative density and the higher grain growth during test. That of W-0.8wt% Ni was 90% higher at 100$0^{\circ}C$ and 60% higher at 110$0^{\circ}C$ than that of W-0.2wt% Ni. The activation energy of W-0.4wt% Ni for creep was 81.3 Kcal/mole. It was considered that creep deformation was controlled by the diffusion of W in the Ni rich phase between the grains and the deformation of grains. All of the specimens showed intergranular fracture by grain boundary cavitation and growth of cavity throughout the entire spcimen cross-section.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.1186-1193
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• 1996

The analytic solution of the stress field at creep crack in the presence of grain boundary caviation is to be obtained by solving the governing equation which was derived through the previous paper. The complex integral technique is used to slove the singular integral equation. under the help of the information about stress behaviors at the ends of integral region know by numerical solution. The resultant stress disstribution obtained shows the relaxed crack-tip singularity of $r^{1/2+\theta}$ due to the intervention of cavitation effect, otherwise, it should assumed to be $r^{1/2}$ singularity of linear elastic fracture mechanics with no cavitation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.595-602
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• 1998

Specimens of 304 stainless steel were tested to failure at elevated temperatures under multiaxial stress states, uniaxial tension using smooth bar specimens, biaxial shearing using double shear bar specimens, and triaxial tension using notched bar specimens. Rupture times are compared for uniaxial, biaxial, and triaxial stress states with respect to the maximum principal stress, the von Mises effective stress, and the principal facet stress. The results indicate that the principal facet stress gives the best correlation for the material investigated, and this parameter can predict creep life data under multiaxial stress states with rupture data obtained with specimens under uniaxial stresses. The results also suggest that grain boundary cavitation, coupled with localized deformation processes such as grain boudary sliding, controls the lifetimes of the specimens.

• Plant Journal
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2014

The metallographic examination and hardness measurements were conducted for the rotor of the 500 MW tandem steam turbine of Unit 4 in Dangjin Thermal Power Plants at the locations of steam inlet where the high temperature steams pass; high and intermediate pressure turbines. Creep cavity and degradation levels of optical micrographs of them are observed. The remaining life time of 201,523h for the rotor of the 500 MW tandem steam turbine of Unit 4 in Dangjin Thermal Power Plants was determined by the results of the inspection.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.107 no.4
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• pp.393-401
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• 2018

The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of ground subsidence and land-creeping in four mining areas in Korea. Land creeping were occurred by large-scale sinkholes and tensile cracks in the mining areas. This ares showed the shape as large-scale landslides by the collapsed stone debris pushed in the direction of gravity. The rock type in the No. 4 survey area was sandstone and shale, whereas that of other three areas was limestone. The limestone was generally vulnerable to land creeping. The ground subsidence and land creeping in four mining areas were located near the ridge of the mountain. The land creeping by ground subsidence in the mining areas showed complex shapes due to the cavity of underground tunnel and the colluvial debris by gravity in the mountain area, whereas the land creeping in Korea are in the shape of landslide. The average slope of the mining area was ranged from $30.4^{\circ}$ to $33.7^{\circ}$. The values were higher ($1.5^{\circ}{\sim}4.8^{\circ}$) than the average slopes for landslide areas.