• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.286-298
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• 2003

A steam explosion module, STX, has been developed using the mechanistic steam explosion analysis code, TEXAS-V, in order to estimate the dynamic load with steam explosion by implementing the module to the integrated safety analysis code, MELCOR. One of the difficulties in using mechanistic steam explosion codes is that they do not have any obvious criteria for defining some uncertain parameters such as triggering timing, triggering magnitude, mesh axial length and mesh cross-sectional area. These parameters have been user decision parts in the past. Steam explosion sample calculations and sensitivity studies on uncertain parameters were conducted to investigate those uncertain parameters. The TEXAS-V simulations were summarized in the format of a look-up table and a linear interpolation technique was adopted to calculate the steam explosion load between the data points in the table. The STX-module merged with MELCOR showed the same results as the original MELCOR and additionally it could estimate the steam explosion load in the reactor cavity.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2024

This paper employs stochastic processing techniques to analyze explosion risks in plant facilities based on explosion return periods. Release probability is calculated using data from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), along with annual leakage frequency per plant provided by DNV. Ignition probability, derived from various researchers' findings, is then considered to calculate the explosion return period based on the release quantity. The explosion risk is assessed by examining the volume, radius, and blast load of the vapor cloud, taking into account the calculated explosion return period. The reference distance for the design blast load model is determined by comparing and analyzing the vapor cloud radius according to the return period, historical vapor cloud explosion cases, and blast-resistant design guidelines. Utilizing the multi-energy method, the blast load range corresponding to the explosion return period is presented. The proposed return period serves as a standard for the design blast load model, established through a comparative analysis of vapor cloud explosion cases and blast-resistant design guidelines. The outcomes of this study contribute to the development of a performance-based blast-resistant design framework for plant facilities.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.26-36
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• 2020

With the increase of expansion and use of the underground space, the possibility of an underground explosion by terrorists is increasing. In this study, after modeling a circular tunnel excavated at a depth of 50m, an explosion load was applied to the inside of the tunnel. As for the explosion load, the explosion load of the maximum explosive amount for six types of vehicle booms proposed by ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms) was calculated. For the rock mass around the circular tunnel, three types of rock grades were selected according to the support pattern suggested in the domestic tunnel design. Nonlinear dynamic analysis was performed to evaluate the influence of the ground structure by examining the surface displacement using the explosion load and rock mass characteristics as parameters. As a result of the analysis, for grade 1 rock, the influence on the uplift of the surface should be considered, and for grade 2 and 3 rocks, the influence on a differential settlement should be considered. In particular, for grade 3 rocks, detailed analysis is required for ground-structure interaction within 40m. Also, it is considered that the influence of Young's modulus is the main factor for the surface displacement.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.571-581
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• 2004

A methodology is proposed for the evaluation of a steam explosion load on a reactor scale by evaluating the steam explosion model against the experimental data. Being part of the OECD/SERENA program,, appropriate data was selected by international experts and the analytical model of TEXAS-V was chosen. The procedure consists of two steps. the pre-mixing model was verified against the FARO L-14 and FARO L-28 data. The explosion model was verified against the experimental data of KROTOS-44, FARO L-33, TROI-13, and TROI-34. The capabilities and deficiencies of the fundamental models of the TEXAS-V are reviewed in terms of their adequacy in a simulation of steam explosion on a reactor scale.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.7
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• pp.907-914
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• 2015

The energetic steam explosion caused by contact between the high temperature molten core and water is one of the phenomena that may threaten the integrity of the containment vessel during severe accidents of light water reactors (LWRs). We examined the dependence of steam explosion loads in a typical reactor cavity geometry on selected model parameters and initial/boundary conditions by using a steam explosion simulation code, JASMINE, developed at Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). Among the parameters, we put an emphasis on the water pool depth that has significance in terms of accident mitigation strategies including cavity flooding. The results showed a strong correlation between the load and the premixed mass, defined as the mass of the molten material in low void zones (void fraction < 0.75). The jet diameter and velocity that comprise the flow rate were the primary factors to determine the premixed mass and the load. The water pool depth also showed a significant impact. The energy conversion ratio based on the enthalpy in the premixed mass was in a narrow range ~4%. Based on this observation, we proposed a simplified method for evaluation of the steam explosion load. The results showed fair agreement with JASMINE.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.413-430
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• 2011

Consideration on the explosion resistant design of infrastructure has increased in the recent years. The explosion load is caused by gas explosion or bomb blast. In this study an analytical model is developed, whereby the tunnel structure is divided in several elements that are schematized as single degree of freedom mass-spring-dashpot systems on gas explosion. Using this simple model a sensitivity analysis has been carried out on tunnel structure design parameters such as explosive peak pressure, duration of the load, thickness of structure, burial depth. Finite element method was used to investigate the dynamic response and plastic zone of a tunnel under gas explosion. And it was found from the comparison of the analysis results that there are slight differences in the response of the intermediate wall between the single degree of freedom mass-spring-dashpot model and FEM.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.191-198
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• 2017

To study the behavior of structures subject to blast loads it is important to calculate the loads due to the explosives accurately, especially in the case of interior explosions. It is known that numerical method based on computational fluid dynamics can estimate relatively accurate blast load due to the interior explosion including reflection effect. However, the numerical method has disadvantages that it is difficult to model the analysis and it takes much time to analyze it. Therefore, in this study, the analytical method which can include the reflection effect of the interior explosion was studied. The target structures were set as the slabs of residential buildings subject to interior explosion that could lead to massive casualties and progressive collapses. First, the numerical method is used to investigate the interior explosion effect and the maximum deflection of the slab which was assumed to be elastic, and compared with the analytical method proposed in this study. In the proposed analytical method, we determine the weighting factor of the reflection effect using the beam theory so that the explosion load calculation method becomes more accurate.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2002.08a
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• pp.407-410
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• 2002

A series of steam explosion experiments using real core materials of $ZrO_2$ and corium(a mixture of $ZrO_{2}\;and\;UO_{2}$) has been performed to evaluate the risk of steam explosion load in nuclear power plants. Surprisingly, spontaneous steam explosions are observed far both materials, which have been thought to be inexplosive so far. The dynamic pressure and morphology of the debris clearly indicate the evidence of an explosion. The experimental results also indicate that $ZrO_2$ is more explosive than corium.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05b
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• pp.3485-3490
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• 2007

The TEXAS-V code tuned for TROI-13 was used for analyzing the parametric findings in TROI experiments. The calculations on the melt composition are relatively similar to the TROI experimental results. The water depth effect in TEXAS-V code seems to be consistent with TROI experiments in some degree. The water area effect of TEXAS-V calculations seems not to be harmonious to that in TROI experiments. This seems to indicate that TEXAS-V as 1-dimensional code or as the numerical steam explosion has a limitation on estimating area effect. Thus, TEXAS-V tuned for TROI-13 seems to have an ability to estimate the parametric effect of TROI experiments. The evaluated TEXAS-V was used for estimating the ex-vessel steam explosion load. The calculated explosion pressure and load were about 40 MPa and 75 kPa.sec, which are not much threatening level for containment integrity, but are arguable value for the integrity.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.622-628
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• 2009

The TEXAS-V code tuned for TROI-13 was used for analyzing the parametric findings in TROI experiments. The calculations on the melt composition are relatively similar to the TROI experimental results. The water depth effect in TEXAS-V code seems to be consistent with TROI experiments in some degree. The water area effect of TEXAS-V calculations seems not to be harmonious to that in TROI experiments. This seems to indicate that TEXAS-V as 1-dimensional code or as the numerical steam explosion has a limitation on estimating area effect. Thus, TEXAS-V tuned for TROI-13 seems to have an ability to estimate the parametric effect of TROI experiments. The evaluated TEXAS-V was used for estimating the ex-vessel steam explosion load. The calculated explosion pressure and load were about 40 MPa and 75 kPa.sec, which are not much threatening level for containment integrity.