• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.240-252
• /
• 2015

In the original licensing application for the prototype fast-breeder reactor, MONJU, the event progression during an unprotected loss of flow (ULOF), which is one of the technically inconceivable events postulated beyond design basis, was evaluated. Through this evaluation, it was confirmed that radiological consequences could be suitably limited even if mechanical energy was released. Following the Fukushima-Daiichi accident, a new nuclear safety regulation has become effective in Japan. The conformity of MONJU to this new regulation should hence be investigated. The objectives of the present study are to conduct a preliminary evaluation of ULOF for MONJU, reflecting the knowledge obtained after the original licensing application through CABRI experiments and EAGLE projects, and to gain the prospect of in-vessel retention for the conformity of MONJU to the new regulation. The preliminary evaluation in the present study showed that no significant mechanical energy release would take place, and that thermal failure of the reactor vessel could be avoided by the stable cooling of disrupted-core materials. This result suggests that the prospect of in-vessel retention against ULOF, which lies within the bounds of the original licensing evaluation and conforms to the new nuclear safety regulation, will be gained.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.104-108
• /
• 2014

The recent Fukushima nuclear power plant accidents shows that the core make up at high RCS pressure condition is very important to prevent core melting. The core make up flow at high pressure condition should be driven by gravity force or passive forces because the AC-powered safety features are not available during a Station Black Out (SBO) accident. The reactor Coolant System (RCS) mass inventory is continuously decreased by releasing steam through the pressurizer safety valves after reactor trip during a SBO accident. The core will be melted down within 2~3 hours without core make up action by active or passive mode. In the new design concept of a Hybrid Safety Injection Tank (Hybrid SIT) both for low and high RCS pressure conditions, the low pressure nitrogen gas serves as a charging pressure for a LBLOCA injection mode, while the PZR high pressure steam provides an equalizing pressure for a high pressure injection mode such as a SBO accident. After the pressure equalizing process by battery driven initiation valve at a high pressure SBO condition, the Hybrid SIT injection water will be passively injected into the reactor downcomer by gravity head. The SBO simulation by MARS code show that the core makeup injection flow through the Hybrid SIT continued up to the SIT empty condition, and the core heatup is delayed as much.

• Korean Journal of Legislative Studies
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.151-185
• /
• 2017

Seoul's One Less Nuclear Power Plant is the major urban energy policy launched in April 2012. Its effort to respond to climate change and energy crisis in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear accident turned out very successful, considering huge decrease of energy consumption. However, the question of how the cut of energy consumption was possible remains unanswered. This paper introduces the concept of urban governance capacity as the cause of the success. It is the managing and governing capability to maintain the logical consistency policy system, comprising of policy perception, goals, policy tools and evaluation. Without this logical correspondence between the policy factors, any system including energy regime easily falls apart during the systemic transitional period. Governance capacity provides the integrating framework, so that the system as a whole maintains the internal homeostasis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Systems Engineering
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.97-109
• /
• 2020

On March 11, 2011, an earthquake followed by a tsunami caused an extended station blackout (SBO) at the Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP Units. The accident was initiated by a total loss of both onsite and offsite electrical power resulting in the loss of the ultimate heat sink for several days, and a consequent core melt in some units where proper mitigation strategies could not be implemented in a timely fashion. To enhance the plant's coping capability, the Diverse and Flexible Strategies (FLEX) were proposed to append the Emergency Operation Procedures (EOPs) by relying on portable equipment as an additional line of defense. To assess the success window of FLEX strategies, all sources of uncertainties need to be considered, using a physics-based model or system code. This necessitates conducting a large number of simulations to reflect all potential variations in initial, boundary, and design conditions as well as thermophysical properties, empirical models, and scenario uncertainties. Alternatively, data-driven models may provide a fast tool to predict the success window of FLEX strategies given the underlying uncertainties. This paper explores the applicability of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify the success window of FLEX strategy for extended SBO. The developed model can be trained and validated using data produced by the lumped parameter thermal-hydraulic code, MARS-KS, as best estimate system code loosely coupled with Dakota for uncertainty quantification. A Systems Engineering (SE) approach is used to plan and manage the process of using AI to predict the success window of FLEX strategies under extended SBO conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.53-58
• /
• 2016

March 11, 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident has occurred, the last four years, his is the current state of anxiety remains on the consumer. Therefore, 2015 the current progress continues to have continued research for the purpose of resolving the insecurity of fishery in the country. We measured the radiation of the origin of fishery products, by 2015, research was carried out through a number of references to get additional data or studies that influence this to some degree. Create a consumer and one for the seller for the survey to find out the thoughts of both consumers and sellers on fisheries was to create the statistics by direct survey in 2014 year survey meter using PM1405 equipment dynamics of several species of aquatic origin in accordance with the (Taiwan, China, Russia), mackerel, pomfret, hairtail, saury, shrimp, squid measurements of radiation were investigated. The measurement in 2014 was $0.043{\sim}0.073{\mu}Sv/h$. The seller influenced the survey (90%) on fishery products sales, consumer safety, without this fishery (90%), radioactive contamination very high (28%) and the polarization was not as nearly 72%. The study of the stability of the radiation determined by the radiation levels of the aquatic marine products in a comparison the radiation levels result was determined in ICRP below the standard value (1 mSv/y).

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
• /
• v.20 no.10
• /
• pp.1063-1066
• /
• 2014

The humanoid robot, DRC-HUBO is developed from the KHR (KAIST Humanoid Robot) series to meet the requirements of the DARPA Robotics Challenge. DARPA Robotics Challenge was a competition to develop semi-autonomous humanoid robot so that dispatched in dangerous environments in place of humans like the Fukushima nuclear accident. In this paper, we introduce DRCH-UBO briefly and a methodology to remove debris blocking an entryway. The methodology includes inverse kinematics for DRC-HUBO and stabilization controller based on ZMP. Proposed inverse kinematics is robust, and pelvis-related tasks improve the manipulability and workspace of the arms. The controller improves the damping characteristic of the system and mitigates the instability during removal of debris. For given position and orientation of the debris, DRC-HUBO generates motion to reach the debris and lift up while stabilizing itself. Many experimental results verify our proposed methodology.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
• /
• 2017.10a
• /
• pp.714-715
• /
• 2017

Much of the interest in ocean radiation detection has been heightened as a lot of radioactivity has leaked to the ocean due to the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. In the study, MCNP simulation for radiation detection in the ocean was performed. Unlike in the air, the marine environment must ensure the stability of the sensor from water depth, temperature, pressure, and salinity. In the marine environment, too much radiation is shielded. Therefore, it is an object to select a housing with a low radiation shielding ratio.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.775-788
• /
• 2012

This study was done at a scientific camp sponsored by Nara Women's University Secondary School, Japan. In this school, $10^{th}$ grade students from 4 East Asian countries: Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore, participated. We made a research on students' perceptions about nuclear energy. Sample populations include 77 students in total, with 12 Korean, 46 Japanese, 9 Taiwanese and 10 Singaporean students. Overall perceptions comparison about nuclear energy shows average values from the order of highest Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and to lowest, Japan. We implemented a T-test to identify perception differences about nuclear energy, with one group that include 3 countries (Korea, Taiwan and Singapore) and another group that includes all the Japanese students. T-test results of perceptions about nuclear energy shows students from the 3 countries of Korea, Taiwan and Singapore having higher average than Japanese students. (p<.05). Korean average scores regarding overall perceptions about nuclear energy show as the highest in all 4 East Asian countries and also highest in all subcategories. On the contrary in Japan, they have lower and negative perceptions of nuclear energy. In spite of these facts, perceptions of Japanese students about nuclear energy seem lowest and negative mainly because of the recent Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster, caused by the tsunami and its subsequent damages and fears of radiation leaks, etc. This shows that negative information about future disasters and its resulting damages like the Chernobyl nuclear accident could influence more on people's risk perception than general information like nuclear energy-related technologies or the news that the plant is operating normally, etc. Even if the possibility of this kind of accident is very low, just one accident could bring abnormal risks to technology itself. This strong signal makes negative image and strengthens its perceptions to the people. This could bring a stigma about nuclear energy. This study shows that Government's policy about the highest priority for nuclear energy safety is most important. As long as such perception and decision are fixed, we found that it might not be easy to get changed again because they were already fortified and maintained.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.65-69
• /
• 2014

The Korean nuclear industry has been influenced by Fukushima nuclear accident of Japan which occurred two years ago. With information about the accident mainly through mass media such as television or internet, most people are inclined to have a negative perception about nuclear and radiation. They have lack of proper understanding of the fact. Especially, Korean students being future generation have a very limited chance to learn about nuclear and radiation from their regular school curricula. To meet this need, the effectiveness of an extra curricula program is studied using a set of survey on the change of knowledge and perception on radiation, which has been conducted by providing a radiation experiencing program, developed for this study, to high school students in Daejeon area. As a result, a large number of students are found to have enhanced their knowledge on radiation, while some students have shown their positive change of perception on radiation. Based on this, further study may need to improve the survey method and to promote its application for the development of more diverse and systematic radiation experiencing programs. Moreover, better ways for synergy between education and public relations activities on radiation safety may need to be sought.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.221-225
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident of Japan in 2011 on kindergarten teachers' perception on young children's safety due to radioactive contamination. This study analysed the 134 questionnaire forms out of 197 kindergarten teachers in the region of Chungbuk. The findings of the study indicated that the Japanese unclear power plant accident exerted an influence on anxious of kindergarten teachers on young children's safety due to radioactive contamination. In conclusion, kindergarten teacher education are required to improve the safety knowledge of kindergarten teachers and alternative resolution method for young children's safety due to radioactive contamination.