• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권5호
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• pp.709-716
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• 2018

A criticality safety analysis was performed for the APR-1400 spent fuel pool region-II to ensure the safe storage of spent fuel, with credit taken for depletion and in-rack neutron absorbers (Metamic panels). PLUS7 fuel assembly was modeled using TRITON-NEWT of SCALE-6.1. The burnup-dependent cross-section library was generated under limiting core-operating conditions with 5%-w U-235 initial enrichment. MCNP5 was used to evaluate the neutron multiplication factor in an infinite array of rack cells with the axially nonuniformly burnt PLUS7 assemblies under normal, abnormal, and accident conditions; including all biases and uncertainties. The main purpose of this study is to investigate reactivity variations due to the critical depletion and reactor operation parameters. The approach, assumptions, and modeling methods were verified by analyzing the contents of the most important fissile and the associated reactivity effects. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) guidance on k-eff being less than 1.0 for spent fuel pools filled with unborated water was the main criterion used in this study. It was found that assemblies with 49.0 GWd/MTU and 5.0 w/o U-235 initial enrichment loaded in Region-II satisfy this criterion. Moreover, it was found that the end effect resulted in a positive bias, thus ensuring its consideration.

• 자원환경지질
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.33-41
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• 1995

Tin mineralizations in South Korea have been found only in the Ulchin and the Sangdong areas. The Wangpiri and the Yuchang Sn pegmatites appear to be in close spatial and genetical relation to the Wangpiri granitoid in the Ulchin area, and the Soonkyeong Sn pegmatite be in close association with the Nonggeori granites in the Sangdong area from geochemical viewpoint. The electron-microprobe analysis of muscovite, biotite, tourmaline and cassiterite from the granitoids and pegmatites in the Ulchin and the Sangdong areas has revealed a distinct differences of geochemical compositions. The Wangpiri and the Yuchang Sn pegmatites show an enrichment of MnO and a depletion of $TiO_2$, FeO and MgO in comparison with the Soonkyeong Sn pegmatite. This result coincides with the geochemical compositions of granitoid rocks in these areas. Enrichment of MnO and depletion of $TiO_2$ FeO and MgO are characteristic in muscovite, biotite and tourmaline of pegmatites compared with those of granitoids. These geochemical differences of muscovite, biotite and tourmaline between granitoids and pegmatites in these areas implies that pegmatites are more fractionated than granitoids.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.351-359
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• 2016

The Korean Prototype Gen-IV sodium-cooled fast reactor (PGSFR) is supposed to be loaded with a relatively-costly low-enriched U fuel, while its envisaged transuranic fuels are not available for transmutation. In this work, the U-enrichment reduction by improving the neutron economy is pursued to save the fuel cost. To improve the neutron economy of the core, a new reflector material, PbO, has been introduced to replace the conventional HT9 reflector in the current PGSFR core. Two types of PbO reflectors are considered: one is the conventional pin-type and the other one is an inverted configuration. The inverted PbO reflector design is intended to maximize the PbO volume fraction in the reflector assembly. In addition, the core radial configuration is also modified to maximize the performance of the PbO reflector. For the baseline PGSFR core with several reflector options, the U enrichment requirement has been analyzed and the fuel depletion analysis is performed to derive the equilibrium cycle parameters. The linear reactivity model is used to determine the equilibrium cycle performances of the core. Impacts of the new PbO reflectors are characterized in terms of the cycle length, neutron leakage, radial power distribution, and operational fuel cost.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권12호
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• pp.4731-4742
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• 2022

RBMK fuel assemblies differ from other LWR FA due to a specific arrangement of the fuel rods, the low enrichment, and the used burnable absorber - erbium. Therefore, there is a challenge to adapt modeling tools, developed for other LWR types, to solve RBMK problems. A set of 10 different depletion simulation schemes were tested to estimate the impact on reactivity and spent fuel composition of possible SCALE code options for the neutron transport modelling and the use of different nuclear data libraries. The simulations were performed using cross-section libraries based on both, VII.0 and VII.1, versions of ENDF/B nuclear data, and assuming continuous energy and multigroup simulation modes, standard and user-defined Dancoff factor values, and employing deterministic and Monte Carlo methods. The criticality analysis with burn-up credit was performed for the SFP loaded with RBMK-1500 FA. Spent fuel compositions were taken from each of 10 performed depletion simulations. The criticality of SFP is found to be overestimated by up to 0.08% in simulation cases using user-defined Dancoff factors comparing the results obtained using the continuous energy library (VII.1 version of ENDF/B nuclear data). It was shown that such discrepancy is determined by the higher U-235 and Pu-239 isotopes concentrations calculated.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제51권6호
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• pp.1638-1649
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• 2019

Top soil samples across the state of Kuwait numering ninety were collected and analysed using gamma-ray spectrometry, to evaluate the elemental concentration of $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$ and $^{40}K$ and their depletion/enrichment. Results of elemental concentration ranges from 0.48 to 2.61 mg/kg, 0.87-5.23 mg/kg, and 0.24-2.23%, with a mean values of 1.39 mg/kg, 3.47 mg/kg, and 1.18%, for the $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$ and $^{40}K$, respectively. Further analysis was conducted amongst the five identified soil types, i.e. Aquisalids (S1), Calcigypsids (S2), Petrocalcids (S3), Petrogypsids (S4), and torripsamment (S5). The highest radioactivity concentrations from both uranium and thorium were recorded in the S2 (Calcigypsids) soil, with a value of 1.71 (mg/kg) and 4.45 (mg/kg), respectively. Minimum and maximum values of $^{40}K$ are 1.1(%) and 1.27(%) and is prevalent in Aquisalids (S1) and Petrocalcids (S3) soil types, respectively. Ratios of elemental concentration for $^{232}Th/^{238}U$, $^{40}K/^{238}U$, $^{40}K/^{232}Th$ across the soil types are 2.53, 0.09 and 0.03, with a correlation coefficient of 0.92, 0.34, and 0.38, respectively. A progressively higher $^{232}Th/^{238}U$ ratio is observed moving south-wards, indicating lower $^{238}U$ content in soils from the south relative to the northern part. Overall results indicate Kuwait to be relatively an area with low level of natural radioactivity.

• 에너지공학
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.256-262
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• 2014

국내 원자력발전소의 주기길이는 전력회사의 전력수급계획에 따라 결정된다. 주기길이는 노심에 장전할 신연료 다발수와 핵연료 농축도를 조정하여 결정할 수 있다. 전력회사에서는 특정 주기길이를 만족시키기 위한 방법으로 신연료 다발수를 정한 후 핵연료 농축도를 결정하는 방법을 적용하고 있다. 그러나 이 방법의 경우 같은 주기길이를 갖는 다른 신연료 다발수와 핵연료 농축도의 조합들 보다 핵연료 주기비 측면에서 가장 경제적인지 판단할 수가 없다. 따라서 본 분석에서는 상용 노심설계 코드인 CASMO/MASTER 코드를 사용하여 OPR1000(Optimized Power Reactor 1000) 발전소를 대상으로 신연료 다발수와 핵연료 농축도 조합에 대한 노심 연소계산을 수행하여 동일한 주기길이를 갖는 최적의 신연료 다발수와 핵연료 농축도 조합은 무엇인지 분석하였다. 천이노심계산에서 발생할 수 있는 불확실도를 최소화하기 위해 노심 특성인자들이 변하지 않는 평형노심(equilibrium cycle)까지 계산을 수행하여 이때의 계산결과를 핵연료 주기비 계산에 사용하였다. 또한 평준화 핵연료 주기비(levelized fuel cycle cost) 계산에 있어 중요한 인자인 할인율(discount rate)에 대해서 국내뿐만 아니라 다른 나라의 실정에도 적용 가능하도록 민감도 분석을 수행하였다. 평준화 핵연료 주기비(levelized fuel cycle cost) 평가 결과 할인율(discount rate)이 낮은 경우 신연료 다발수는 줄이고 대신 핵연료 농축도를 높이는 조합을 통해 특정 주기길이를 만족시키는 방법이 경제적인 것으로 나타났다. 반면 할인율(discount rate)이 높은 경우는 핵연료 농축도는 낮추고 신연료 다발수를 늘리는 조합을 통해 특정 주기길이를 만족시키는 방법이 경제적인 것으로 나타났다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.337-344
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• 1994

가압경수형 원자로의 노심장전모형 선정시 제약이 되는 집합체첨두 $F_{{\Delta}H}$$^{N}$ 을 감소시키기 위하여 다중농축도 개념을 적용하여 핵연료봉의 집합체내 출력분포를 평탄화함으로써 첨두봉출력을 감소시키는 방안에 대하여 연구하였다. 다중농축도 핵연료집합체란 기존 집합체의 단일 농축도핵연료봉을 이중농축도 핵연료봉으로 대체한 집합체를 말한다. 농축도의 차이를 변화시켜가며 적절한 배치에 의하여 핵연료봉의 집합체내 배치모형을 최적화 하였고, 이러한 다중농축도 핵연료 집합체에서 첨두봉출력의 감소를 가장 크게하는 농축도의 차이는 약 0.3~0.4w/o 일때가 가장 적절한 것으로 밝혀졌다. 다중농축도 핵연료 집합체의 노심에서의 효과를 알아보기 위하여 고리 4호기를 대상으로 8주기에서 평형주기까지 계산을 수행하였으며 그 결과 약 1.5%의 $F_{{\Delta}H}$$^{N}$ 감소효과를 얻을 수 있었다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권1호
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• pp.148-154
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• 2020

The radiation induced segregation of Cr at grain boundaries (GBs) in Ferritic/Martensitic steels was modeled assuming vacancy and interstitialcy diffusion mechanisms. In particular, the dependence of segregation on temperature and grain boundary misorientation angle was analyzed. It is found that Cr enriches at grain boundaries at low temperatures primarily through the interstitialcy mechanism while depletes at high temperatures predominantly through the vacancy mechanism. There is a crossover from Cr enrichment to depletion at an intermediate temperature where the Cr:Fe vacancy and interstitialcy diffusion coefficient ratios intersect. The bell-shape Cr enrichment response is attributed to the decreasing void sinks inside the grains as temperature rises. It is also shown that low angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) and special Σ coincidence-site lattice (CSL) grain boundaries exhibit suppressed radiation induced segregation (RIS) response while high angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) have high RIS segregation. This different behavior is attributed to the variations in dislocation density at different grain boundaries.

• 암석학회지
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.149-170
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• 1999

장기지역의 화산암은 SiO$_2$함량이 48~61%로 TAS 도표에서 안산암, 현무암 질안산암, 현무암 영역에 도시되며 모두 비알칼리암에 해당된다. 19개의 분석치를 AFM 삼각도와 Harker 변화도에서 살펴보면 장기 분지의 중성내지 염기성용암류는 칼크-알칼리 계열과 쏠레아이트 계열로 구분된다. 칼크-알칼리 현무암질안산암(CBA)은 단사휘석과 사방휘석을 포함하며, 쏠레아이트 현무암(TB)은 사장석, 단사휘석, 감람석 등을 함유하고 있으며 조직상 크게 반정이 거의 없는 비반상현무암(TAB)과 반정을 많이 포함한 반상현무암(TPB), 현무암으로부터 분화된 양상의 비반상현무암질안산암(TABA)으로 구분된다. 희토류 원소 및 불호정성 원소의 양상에서 본 역의 화산암은(LILE)의 부화와 HFSE의 결핍이 관찰되며 조산대 화산호 환경과 밀접한 관련이 있으며, 쏠레아이트의 성분은 칼크-알칼리 계열의 현무암질안산암(CBA)에 비해 더욱 MORB에 가깝다. 섭입에 관련된 마그마로부터 진화한 암석에 나타나는 특징과 같이 불호정성원소와 희토류원소 양상에서 칼크-알칼리 현무암질안산암(CBA)는 쏠레아이트에 비해 LILE 및 LREE가 다소 부화되고, HFSE와 HREE는 다소 결핍된 특징을 보인다. Ba/Th, La/Th 비와 같은 판별도에서 칼크-알칼리 현무암질안산암(CBA)은 중~고-K 암체에, 쏠레아이트는 중-K 암체와 MORB 영역에 도시된다. La/Yb 대 Th/Yb 도표에서 본역 화산암은 해양도호현무암의 영역에 도시되는데, 쏠에아이트가 칼크-알칼리 계열에 비해 더욱 원시 환경으로 판별된다.

• Geosciences Journal
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.1-20
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• 2019

We present data from the Mesozoic Keumkang, Palbong, and Baekhwa granites in Garorim Bay, in the southwestern part of the Gyeonggi massif, South Korea. Using major and trace element concentrations, Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions, and sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) zircon U-Pb ages, we aim to constrain the petrogenesis of the granites and explain their origin within a broader regional geological context. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages of $232.8{\pm}3.2$, $175.9{\pm}1.2$, and $176.8{\pm}9.8$ Ma were obtained from the Keumkang, Palbong and Baekhwa granites, respectively. The Late Triassic Keumkang granites belong to the shoshonite series and show an overall enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILE), a depletion in high field strength elements (HFSE) relative to primitive mantle, compared with neighboring elements in the primitive mantle-normalized incompatible trace element diagram with notable high Ba and Sr contents, and negligible Eu anomalies. The Keumkang granites are typified by highly radiogenic Sr and unradiogenic Nd and Pb isotopic compositions: $(^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr)_i=0.70931-0.70959$, $(^{143}Nd/^{144}Nd)_i=0.511472-0.511484$ [$({\varepsilon}_{Nd})_i=-17.0$ to -16.7], and $(^{206}Pb/^{204}Pb)=17.26-17.27$. The Middle Jurassic Palbong and Baekhwa granites belong to the medium- to high-K calc-alkaline series, and show LILE enrichment and HFSE depletion similar to the Keumkang granites, but exhibit significant negative anomalies in Ba, Sr, and Eu. Furthermore, they have elevated Y and Yb contents at any given $SiO_2$ content compared with other Jurassic granitoids from the Gyeonggi massif. The Palbong and Baekhwa granites have slightly less radiogenic Sr and more radiogenic Nd and Pb isotopic compositions [$(^{87}Sr/^{86}Sr)_i=0.70396-0.70908$, $(^{143}Nd/^{144}Nd)_i=0.511622-0.511660$, $({\varepsilon}_{Nd})_i=-15.4$ to -14.7, $(^{206}Pb/^{204}Pb)=17.56-17.76$] relative to the Keumkang granites. The Keumkang granites are considered to have formed in a post-collisional environment following the Permo-Triassic Songrim orogeny that records continent-continent collision between the North and South China blocks, and may have formed by fractional crystallization of metasomatized lithospheric mantle-derived mafic melts. The Palbong and Baekhwa granites may have been produced from a gabbroic assemblage at pressures of less than ~15 kbar, associated with subduction of the paleo-Pacific (Izanagi) plate at the Eurasian continental margin. Elevated ${\varepsilon}_{Nd}(t)$ values in the granitoids from the southwestern part of the Gyeonggi massif relative to those of the central and northern parts, together with the comparatively shallow depth of origin, imply the presence of an exotic block in the Korean lithosphere.