• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.922-932
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• 2024

This paper presents the design features and preliminary design analysis results of the Wielenga Innovation Static Salt Reactor (WISSR). The WISSR incorporates features that make it both flexible and inherently safe. It is based on innovative technology that controls a nuclear reactor by moving molten salt fuel into or out of the core. The reactor is a low-pressure, fast spectrum transuranic (TRU) burner reactor. Inherent shutdown is achieved by a large negative reactivity feedback of the liquid fuel and by the expansion of fuel out of the core. The core is made of concentric, thin annular fuel chambers containing molten fuel salt. A molten salt coolant passes between the concentric fuel chambers to cool the core. The core has both fixed and variable volume fuel chambers. Pressure, applied by helium gas to fuel reservoirs below the core, pushes fuel out of a reservoir and up into a set of variable volume chambers. A control system monitors the density and temperature of the fuel throughout the core. Using NaCl-(TRU,U)Cl₃ fuel and NaCl-KCl-MgCl₂ coolant, a road-transportable compact WISSR core design was developed at a power level of 1250 MWt. Preliminary neutronics and thermal-hydraulics analyses demonstrate the technical feasibility of WISSR.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.959-965
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• 2024

The High Temperature Test Unit (HTTU) was an experimental set-up to conduct separate and integral effects tests of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) core. The annular core consisted of a randomly packed bed of uniform spheres. Natural convection tests using both nitrogen and helium, and forced convection tests using nitrogen, were conducted. The maximum material temperature achieved during forced convection testing was 1200 ℃. This paper presents the numerical analysis of the flow and temperature distribution for a forced convection test using 3D CFD as well as a 1D systems-CFD computer code. Several modelling approaches are possible, ranging from a fully explicit to a semi-implicit method that relies on correlations of their associated phenomena. For the comparison between codes, the analysis was performed using a porous media approach, where the conduction and radiative heat transfer were lumped together as an effective thermal conductivity and the convective heat transfer was correlated between the solid and gas phases. The results from both codes were validated against the experimental measurements. Favourable results were obtained, in particular by the systems-CFD code with minimal computational and time requirements.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2024

High-temperature superconducting rotors offer advantages in terms of output-to-weight ratio and efficiency compared to conventional phase conduction motors or generators. The rotor can be cooled by conduction cooling, which attaches a cryocooler, and by refrigerant circulation, which uses circulating liquid or gas neon, helium and hydrogen. Recent work has focused on environmental issues and on high-temperature superconducting motors cooled with liquid hydrogen that can be combined with fuel cells. However, to ensure smooth supply and return of the cryogenic cooling fluid, a cryogenic rotational coupling between the rotating and stationary parts is necessary. Additionally, the development of a sealing structure to minimize fluid leakage applicable to the coupling is essential. This study describes the design and performance evaluation of a non-contact sealing method, specifically a labyrinth seal, which avoids power loss and heat load caused by friction in contact sealing structures. The seal design incorporates a spiral flow path to reduce leakage using centrifugal force, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to analyze the flow path and rotational speed. A performance evaluation device was configured and employed to evaluate the designed seal. The results of this study will be used to develop a cryogenic rotational coupling with supply and return flow paths for cryogenic applications.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.2769-2773
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• 2013

Red phosphors $Ca_{(1-1.5x)}Eu_xWO_4$ and $Ca_{(1-2x)}Eu^_xNa_xWO_4$ were synthesized with various concentrations x of $Eu^{3+}$ ions by using a solid-state reaction method. The crystal structure of the red phosphors were found to be a tetragonal scheelite structure with space group $I4_1/a$. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show the (112) main diffraction peak centered at $2{\theta}=28.71^{\circ}$, and indicate that there is no basic structural deformation caused by the vacancies ${V_{Ca}}^{{\prime}{\prime}}$ or the $Eu^{3+}$ (and $Na^+$) ions in the host crystals. Densities of $Ca_{(1-1.5x)}Eu_xWO_4$ were measured on a (helium) gas pycnometer. Comparative results between the experimental and theoretical densities reveal that $Eu^{3+}$ (and $Na^+$) ions replace the $Ca^{2+}$ ions in the host $CaWO_4$. Also, the photoluminescence (PL) emission and photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra show the optical properties of trivalent $Eu^{3+}$ ions, not of divalent $Eu^{2+}$. Raman spectra exhibit that, without showing any difference before and after the doping of activators to the host material $CaWO_4$, all the gerade normal modes occur at the identical frequencies with the same shapes and weaker intensities after the substitution. However, the FT-IR spectra show that some of the ungerade normal modes have shifted positions and different shapes, caused by different masses of $Eu^{3+}$ ions (or $Na^+$ ions, or ${V_{Ca}}^{{\prime}{\prime}}$ vacancies) from $Ca^{2+}$.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.60-63
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• 2011

We investigated the etching characteristics of zinc oxide (ZnO) and the effect of additive gases in a $Cl_2$-based inductively coupled plasma. The inert gases were argon, nitrogen, and helium. The maximum etch rates were 44.3, 39.9, and 37.9 nm/min for $Cl_2$(75%)/Ar(25%), $Cl_2$(50%)/$N_2$(50%), and $Cl_2$(75%)/He(25%) gas mixtures, 600 W radiofrequency power, 150 W bias power, and 2 Pa process pressure. We obtained the maximum etch rate by a combination of chemical reaction and physical bombardment. A volatile compound of Zn-Cl. achieved the chemical reaction on the surface of the ZnO thin films. The physical etching was performed by inert gas ion bombardment that broke the Zn-O bonds. The highly oriented (002) peak was determined on samples, and the (013) peak of $Zn_2SiO_4$ was observed in the ZnO thin film sample based on x-ray diffraction spectroscopy patterns. In addition, the sample of $Cl_2$/He chemistry showed a high full-width at half-maximum value. The root-mean-square roughness of ZnO thin films decreased to 1.33 nm from 5.88 nm at $Cl_2$(50%)/$N_2$(50%) plasma chemistry.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.29 no.spc1
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• pp.171-172
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• 1996

We present the results of an rocket-borne observation of far-infrared [CII] line at 157.7 ${\mu}m$ from the diffuse inter-stellar medium in the Ursa Major. We also introduce a part of results on the [CII] emission recently obtained by the IRTS, a liquid-helium cooled 15cm telescope onboard the Space Flyer Unit. From the rocket-borne observation we obtained the cooling rate of the diffuse HI gas due to the [CII] line emission, which is $1.3{\pm}0.2 {\times} 10^{-26}$ $ergss^{-1} H^{-1}_{atom}$. We also observed appreciable [CII] emission from the molecular clouds, with average CII/CO intensity ratio of 420. The IRTS observation provided the [CII] line emission distribution over large area of the sky along great circles crossing the Galactic plane at I = $50^{\circ}$ and I = $230^{\circ}$. We found two components in their intensity distributions, one concentrates on the Galactic plane and the another extends over at least $20^{\circ}$ in Galactic latitude. We ascribe one component to the emission from the Galactic disk, and the another one to the emission from the local interstellar gas. The [CII] cooling rate of the latter component is $5.6 {\pm} 2.2 {\times}10$.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.158-163
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• 1997

Properties of $Al_{86}Ni_6Ce_4Mg_4$ alloy powder produced by helium gas atomization process were investigated by using DSC, XRD, SEM and TEM. The powders below 32 ${\mu}m$ in diameter were identified as an amorphous phase mixed with a ${\alpha}-Al$ phase. $Al_{86}Ni_6Ce_4Mg_4$ bulk alloy was manufactured by hot extruding the alloy powders at various temperatures, and the estimation of its mechanical properties was carried out subsequently. As a result, the bulk alloy extruded at the temperature below $450^{\circ}C$ exhibited the microstructure in which the near-spherical shape of some powders below 20 ${\mu}m$ were nearly unchanged and fine voids between matrix and powders were formed during extrusion process. On the other hand, the tensile strength and elongation at room temperature for $Al_{86}Ni_6Ce_4Mg_4$ bulk alloy extruded at $450^{\circ}C$ were 750 MPa and 7.5%, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.42-47
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• 2011

Going underwater is supposed to begin with the history of human beings. At first it was confined to relatively shallow level, less than several meters by holding breath. Recently, deep level diving has been necessary for such purpose as construction, maritime salvage, military operations, research and sports by using SCUBA(self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) equipment. As one goes down into water, the pressure on the diver is increased due to water pressure with depth, usually 1 atm for each 10 m water level. In deep water, mixed gas or nitrox(EAN, enriched air nitrox) could be applied for the divers lest they should get disease due to high pressure. Of these, the former is usually composed of oxygen and inert gas like helium or hydrogen, the latter contains higher oxygen content than that in normal air in which the oxygen concentration is designated by the character "EAN" followed by vol. % of oxygen, for example, "EAN 40" contains 40% of oxygen. In this case, a victim was found at the 39 m below the sea surface breathing air and nitrox in cylinder wrongly marked as EAN 36, which was analyzed to contain 63% of oxygen by GC/TCD. The cause of death could not be exactly related with the oxygen content in the nitrox cylinder, because the accurate depth for the victim to dive was not known, even though the victim was just found at the depth of 39 m. However, the wrongly marked nitrox could be believed to be the main cause of the death at the depth unless there happened any other accident except that during diving.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.188-191
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• 1964

A new gas-chromatographic method for determining carbon and hydrogen in organic compounds has been developed. After sample combustion was performed in a regular analytical combustion tube with an internal oxidant (a mixture of silver oxide and manganese dioxide) under a helium flow, the water produced was converted to acetylene by passing through a calcium carbide tube. The carbon dioxide and acetylene were trapped by a molecular sieve 5A column at room temperature. The trapped gases were released under programmed temperature raise up to $340^{\circ}C$ and the released gases were passed through a silica gel column. The adsorption of $CO_2$ and $C_2H_2$ in the molecular sieve 5A trapping column were found to be quantitative and the silica gel column showed an excellent resolution of $CO_2$ and $C_2H_2$ for analytical purpose. The analytical results for various known compounds based on the out-put of the thermal conductivity cell calibrated for the amounts of carbon and hydrogen contents in benzoic acid, showed average errors ${\pm}0.5%$ and ${\pm}0.33%$ for carbon and hydrogen, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.54-61
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• 2007

Propellant pressurization system in liquid rocket propulsion system plays a role supplying pressurant gas at a controlled pressure into the ullage space of propellant tanks. The most important design parameter for such propellant pressurization system is the temperature of pressurant gas fed from pressurant tank. Such pressurant is gaseous state, of which density is very sensitive to the temperature of pressurant. Generally for the propulsion system, which requires high thrust and is consisted of cryogenic propellant the pressurant is stored at high density and high pressure to reduce the weight of pressurant tanks, which are placed inside of cryogenic propellant tank. That is called cryogenic storage pressurization system. This study investigates the temperature variation of pressurant at the time when the pressurant is coming out of pressurant tank experimentally as well as numerically. Fluids used in this study are air and liquid oxygen as outer fluid and gaseous nitrogen and gaseous helium as pressurant respectively.