• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Energy Engineering kosee Conference
• /
• 2008.04a
• /
• pp.69-75
• /
• 2008

기포반응도는 월성발전소를 비롯한 CANDU형 원자로의 주된 안전성 쟁점사안으로 끊임없이 논의되어 왔다. 이는 설계기준사고가 노심에서 열에너지 불균형이 원인이 되어 기준이상의 핵연료 파손과 방사성물질 누출로 발전할 위험이 있는 사건들로 정의될 때, 사건 진행 과정에 기포반응도 증가는 조기에 운전중단을 실패할 경우 출력폭주로 이어지므로 사건의 결말이 중대사고로 전환될 위험이 크기 때문이다. 본 연구는 공개된 최신 핵자료인 ENDF/B-VII.0를 NJOY.99로 처리한 연속에너지 반응단면적 라이브러리를 구축하고 MCNP-4C에 접속하여 37봉 천연우라늄 핵연료다발의 표준노심격자에 대한 기포반응도를 시뮬레이션하여, 지금까지 각종문헌에 제시된 값들과 비교, 종합하므로 내제된 불확실성을 추정하는 내용이다. ENDF/B-VII.0 기반 MCNP-4C의 CANDU 노심격자 모델은 동일한 핵자료와 핵종농도를 사용한 WIMS-IAEA 모델과 비교할 때, 초기 노심의 임계도 오차 약 3.51mk가 연소 진행에 따라 $7.5\times10^{-4}mk$/MWD/teU의 비율로 감소하는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 MCNP-4C 예측기포반응도는 초기노심에서 기포율 50% 및 100%에 대해 각각 8.38 및 15.96mk, 평형노심에서 7.68 및 14.72mk로 계산된다. 이는 월성 2, 3, 4 FSAR의 초기노심 및 평형노심에서 100% 기포상태에 대한 값, 약15.0 및 10.6mk와 비교할 때, 초기노심은 약 1.0mk 평형노심은 약4, 1mk 보수적이지만, 다른 연구결과들과는 최대오차 ${\pm}1{\sim}2mk$ 이내에서 잘 일치하는 것으로 평가되었다. 본 연구는 CANDU 노심의 기포반응도 불확실성 요인의 규명 및 영향평가를 위한 노력의 일부로서 앞으로 감속재의 붕산농도 변화, 감속재 및 냉각재의 중수 순도 변화, 기기노화에 의한 격자 구조 및 물성 변화, 중성자속 및 출력 분포 불균형, 반응도조절장치의 위치, 등 주요 설계변수의 변화에 대한 반응도영향 분석연구를 계속할 계획이다.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.51-59
• /
• 2004

The NSSS (Nuclear Steam Supply System) thermal-hydraulic programs adopted in the domestic full-scope power plant simulators were provided in early 1980s by foreign vendors. Because of limited compulsational capability at that time, they usually used very simplified physical models for a real-time simulation of NSSS thermal-hydraulic transients, which entails inaccurate results and, thus, the possibility of so-called "negative training", especially for complicated two-phase flows in the reactor coolant system. In resolve the problem, KEPRI developed a realistic NSSS T/H program ARTS which was based on the RETRAN-3D code for the improvement of the Nuclear Power Plant full-scope simulator. The ARTS (based on the RETRAN-3D code) guarantees the real-time calculations of almost all transients and ensures the robustness of simulations. However, there is some possibility of failing to calculate in the case of large break loss of coolant accident (LBLOCA) and low-pressure low-flow transient. In this case, the backup calculation system cover automatically the ARTS. The backup calculation system was expected to provide substantially more accurate predictions in the analysis of the system transients involving LBLOCA. The results were reasonable in terms of accuracy, real-time simulation, robustness and education of operators, complying with FSAR and the AMSI/ANS-3.5-1998 simulator software performance criteria.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.12
• /
• pp.4447-4464
• /
• 2023

This paper focuses on the development of a new computational model of the CNESTEN's TRIGA Mark II research reactor using the 3D continuous energy Monte-Carlo code TRIPOLI-4 (T4). This new model was developed to assess neutronic simulations and determine quantities of interest such as kinetic parameters of the reactor, control rods worth, power peaking factors and neutron flux distributions. This model is also a key tool used to accurately design new experiments in the TRIGA reactor, to analyze these experiments and to carry out sensitivity and uncertainty studies. The geometry and materials data, as part of the MCNP reference model, were used to build the T4 model. In this regard, the differences between the two models are mainly due to mathematical approaches of both codes. Indeed, the study presented in this article is divided into two parts: the first part deals with the development and the validation of the T4 model. The results obtained with the T4 model were compared to the existing MCNP reference model and to the experimental results from the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR). Different core configurations were investigated via simulations to test the computational model reliability in predicting the physical parameters of the reactor. As a fairly good agreement among the results was deduced, it seems reasonable to assume that the T4 model can accurately reproduce the MCNP calculated values. The second part of this study is devoted to the sensitivity and uncertainty (S/U) studies that were carried out to quantify the nuclear data uncertainty in the multiplication factor k_eff. For that purpose, the T4 model was used to calculate the sensitivity profiles of the k_eff to the nuclear data. The integrated-sensitivities were compared to the results obtained from the previous works that were carried out with MCNP and SCALE-6.2 simulation tools and differences of less than 5% were obtained for most of these quantities except for the C-graphite sensitivities. Moreover, the nuclear data uncertainties in the k_eff were derived using the COMAC-V2.1 covariance matrices library and the calculated sensitivities. The results have shown that the total nuclear data uncertainty in the k_eff is around 585 pcm using the COMAC-V2.1. This study also demonstrates that the contribution of zirconium isotopes to the nuclear data uncertainty in the k_eff is not negligible and should be taken into account when performing S/U analysis.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.43-52
• /
• 2024

Currently, there are no interim storage facilities and permanent disposal facilities in Korea, so all spent nuclear fuels are temporarily stored. However, the temporary storage facility is approaching saturation, and as a measure to this, the 2nd Basic Plan for the Management of High-Level Radioactive Waste presented an operation plan for dry interim storage facilities and dry temporary storage facilities on the NPP on-site. The dry storage can be operated in various ways, and to select the optimal dry storage method, the reduction of exposure for workers must be considered. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop a worker exposure scenario according to the dry storage method and evaluate and compare the radiological impact for each method. The purpose of this study is to develop an exposure scenario for workers transporting spent nuclear fuel by dry storage method. To this end, first, the operation procedure of the foreign commercial spent nuclear fuel dry storage system was analyzed based on the Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR). 1) the concrete overpack-based system, 2) the metal overpack-based system, and 3) the vertical storage module-based system were selected for analysis. Factors were assumed that could affect the type of work (working distance, working hours, number of workers, etc.) during transportation work. Finally, the work type of the processes involved in transporting spent nuclear fuel by dry storage method was set, and an exposure scenario was developed accordingly. The concrete overpack method, the metal overpack method, and the vertical storage module method were classified into a total of 31, 9, and 23 processes, respectively. The work distance, work time, and number of workers for each process were set. The product of working hours and number of workers (Man-hour) was set high in the order of concrete overpack method, vertical storage module method, and metal overpack method, and short-range work (10 cm) was most often applied to the concrete overpack method. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data for performing radiological comparisons of transport workers by dry storage method of spent nuclear fuel.