• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.873-879
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• 2024

A sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) core has a potential of prompt criticality due to a change of core material distribution during a severe accident, and the resultant energy release has been one of the safety issues of SFRs. In this study, the safety assessment of an unprotected loss-of-flow (ULOF) in a small SFR (SSFR) has been performed using the SIMMER-IV computer code, which couples the models of space- and time-dependent neutronics and multi-component, multi-field thermal hydraulics in three dimensions. The code, therefore, is applicable to the simulations of transient behaviors of extended disrupted core material motion and its reactivity effects during the transition phase (TP) of ULOF, including a potential of prompt-criticality power excursions driven by fuel compaction. Several conservative assumptions are used in the TP analysis by SIMMER-IV. It was found out that one of the important mechanisms that drives the reactivity-inserting fuel motion was sodium vapor pressure resulted from a fuel-coolant interaction (FCI), which itself was non-energetic local phenomenon. The uncertainties relating to FCI is also evaluated in much conservative way in the sensitivity analysis. From this study, the ULOF characteristics in an SSFR have been understood. Occurrence of recriticality events under conservative assumptions are plausible, but their energy releases are limited.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.5-12
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to analyze heterogeneous distribution of branch-like structure at downstream region of inner spray. The previous many studies about diesel spray structure have yet stayed in the analysis of 2-D structure, and there are very few of informations which are concerned with 3-D analysis of the structure. The heterogeneous distribution of droplets in inner spray affects the mixture formation of diesel spray, and also the combustion characteristics of the diesel engines. Therefore, in order to investigate 3-D structure of evaporative spray the laser beam of 2-D plane was used in this study. Liquid fuel was injected from a single-hole nozzle (l/d=5) into a constant-volume vessel under high pressure and temperature in order to visualize the spray phenomena. The incident laser beam was offset on the central axis. From the images analysis taken by offset of laser beam, we examine formation mechanism of heterogeneous distribution by vortex flow at the downstream of the diesel spray. As the experimental results, the branch-like structure formed heterogeneous distribution of the droplets consists of high concentration of vapor phase in the periphery of droplets and spray tip of branch-like structure. Also the 3-D spatial structure of the evaporative diesel spray can be verified by images obtained from 2-D measurement methods.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.237-246
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• 1994

A high flow critical heat flux (CHF) correlation, based on the single-pin CHF experimental data for finned and unfinned heated rods, was developed for the thermal-hydraulic design and safety analysis of the Korea Multi-purpose Research Reactor (KMRR) core. The correlation consists of dimensionless parameters such as Reynolds number, thermodynamic equilibrium quality, liquid-to-vapor density ratio, and hydraulic equivalent diameter ratio. The fin effect was taken into account in the correlation by a finned-to-unfinned heated perimeter ratio. The effects of a cold wall and non-uniform axial power distribution ore discussed to verify the applicability of the single-pin based correlation to the KMRR fuel bundle. The correlation limit departure from nucleate boiling ratio (DNBR) was determined as 1.44 from the statistical analysis of the CHF data.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.310-315
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• 2012

A simple drying process was developed for the preparation of a Pt/Nafion self-humidifying membrane to be used for a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Platinum (II) bis (acetylacetonate), $Pt(acac)_2$ was sublimed, penetrated into the surface of a Nafion film and then reduced to Pt nanoparticles simultaneously without any support of a reducing agent in a glass reactor at $180^{\circ}C$ for 15 min. The process was carried out in $N_2$ atmosphere to prevent the oxidation of Pt nanoparticles at high temperature. The morphology and distribution of the Pt nanoparticles were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and we found that the average Pt particle size was ca. 3.7 nm, the penetration depth was ca. $17{\mu}m$. Almost all Pt nanoparticles were formed just beneath the surface and the number density decreased rapidly as the penetration depth increased. To estimate water absorption characteristics of the Nafion membranes, water uptake at an isothermal condition was measured by dynamic vapor sorption (DVS), and it was found that water uptake of the Pt/Nafion membrane was higher than that of the neat Nafion membrane.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.119-128
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• 2006

We start to develop a predictable technology for thermal-hydraulic performance of the RMWR core using an advanced numerical simulation technology. As a part of this technology development, we are developing the advanced interface tracking method to improve the conservation of volume of fluid. The present paper describes a part of the development of the twophase flow simulation code TPFIT with the advanced interface tracking method. The numerical results applied to large-scale water-vapor two-phase flow in tight lattice rod bundles are shown and compared with experimental results. In the results of numerical simulation, a tendency of the predicted void fraction distribution in horizontal plane agreed with the measured values obtained by the advanced neutron radiography technique including the bridge formation of the liquid at the position of adjacent fuel rods where an interval is the narrowest.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.165-173
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• 2016

On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale and subsequent 10-.14 m waves struck the Fukushima Daiichi (FD) Nuclear Power Plant. The main and backup electric power was damaged preventing the cooling system from functioning. Fuel rods overheated and led to hydrogen explosions. If heat in the fuel rods is not dissipated, the nuclear fuel coating material (e.g., Zircaloy) reacts with water vapor to generate hydrogen at high temperatures. This hydrogen is released into the containment area. If the released hydrogen burns, the stability of the containment area is significantly impacted. In this study, researchers performed an explosion analysis in a high-risk explosion area, analyzing the hydrogen distribution in a containment building [1] and the effects of a hydrogen explosion on containment safety. Results indicated that a hydrogen explosion was possible throughout the containment building except the middle area. If an explosion occurs at the top of the containment building with more than 40% of the hydrogen collected or in the bottom right or left side of the of containment building, safety of the containment building could be threatened.

• Journal of computational fluids engineering
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 2010

Since emission regulations for vehicles have become more stringent, SCR technology has drawn a strong attention in order to reduce NOx emissions. Optimal design of a reductant injection nozzle and a multi-hole plate located between the cone and catalyst is critical in that the uniform distribution of reductant is necessary to maximize the NOx conversion efficiency and minimize the slip of reductant in SCR. In this work, an LPG fuel(C3H8 in vapor state) was used as a reductant for LPG vehicles. A Realizable k-$\varepsilon$ model is used for turbulence, and SCR body is defined as porous media with inertia and viscous resistances measured in this work. Effect of the number of nozzle holes on the flow mixing index was analyzed, which revealed that a four hole nozzle shows the best performance in terms of uniformity of flow. An installment of a multi-hole plate at the entrance of catalyst was evaluated with flow mixing index, uniformity of flow, and pressure drop. A multi-hole plate with gradual hole diameter change in three steps showed the best uniformity of flow within the conditions suggested in this work.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.175-182
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• 2018

Accumulation of coal ash at the boiler wall reduces combustion and fuel efficiency. The design of a wall blower is important to effectively remove coal ash. We present numerical results for the removal of coal ash from boiler walls of domestic coal-fired power plants, associated with the computational fluid dynamics for the flow from spray nozzle to boiler wall. The numerical model simulates an erosion process in which the multiphase fluid comprising saturated vapor and fluid water is sprayed from the nozzle, and the water particles impact the boiler wall. We adopt the Finnie erosion model for water particles. We obtain the erosion rate density as a function of nozzle angle and its injection angle. As excessive coal ash removal usually induces damage to the boiler wall, the removal operation typically focuses on a large area with uniform depth rather than the maximum removal of coal ash at a specific location. In order to estimate the removal performance of the wall blower nozzle considering several functionality and reliability factors, we evaluate the optimal injection and nozzle angles with respect to the biggest cumulative and highest erosion rates, as well as the widest range and lowest standard deviation of the erosion rate distribution.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2010

The chemistry and ignition delay of hydrogen/air/HFP premixed mixtures was investigated numerically with unsteady perfectly stirred reactor(PSR). The detailed chemistry of 93 species and 817 reaction mechanism was introduced for hydrogen/air/HFP mixtures. The results shows the temporal concentration variations of major or reactants such as hydrogen and oxygen during autoignition were similar to the spatial distribution of premixed flame while water vapor produced at the ignition temperature was decomposed later, which can be clarified with the relate species production rates that the the re-growth (or shoulder) of OH concentration is a result of F radicals attacking $H_20$ forming OH and HF. For the stoichiometric $H_2$/air mixture inhibited by 20% HFP, HFP thermal decomposition reaction prevails over the radical attack such as H at initial stage. Even though relatively large HFP addition contributes to delay the ignition, chemical effect on the ignition delay is not effective because of late thermal decomposition of HFP. The most small ignition delay was observed at a slightly fuel lean condition ($\phi$ = 0.9), and temperature dependency of ignition delay was clearly shown near 900 K.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2006

The characteristics of the aluminum waste melting and the distribution of the radioactive nuclides have been investigated for the estimation on the volume reduction and the decontamination of the aluminum wastes from the decommissioning of the TRIGA MARK it and III research reactors at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI). The aluminum wastes were melted with the use of the fluxes such as flux $A:NaCl-KCl-Na_3AlF_6$, flux B:NaCl-NaF-KF, flux $C:CaF_2$, and flux $D:LiF-KCl-BaCl_2$ in the DC graphite arc furnace. For the assessment of the distribution of the radioactive nuclides during the melting of the aluminum, the aluminum materials were contaminated by the surrogate nuclides such as cobalt(Co), cesium(Cs) and strontium(Sr). The fluidity of aluminum melt was increased with the addition of the fluxes, which has slight difference according to the type of fluxes. The formation of the slag during the aluminum melting added the flux type C and D was larger than that with the flux A and B. The rate of the slag formation linearly increased with increasing the flux concentration. The results of the XRD analysis showed that the surrogate nuclide was transferred to the slag, which can be easily separated from the melt and then they combined with aluminum oxide to form a more stable compound. The distribution ratio of cobalt in ingot to that in slag was more than 40% at all types of fluxes. Since vapor pressures of cesium and strontium were higher than those that of the host metals at the melting temperature, their removal efficiency from the ingot phase to the slag and the dust phase was by up to 98%.