• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 2001

The KN-12 spent nuclear fuel (SNF) transport cask is designed for transportation of up to 12 assemblies and is in standby status for being licensed in accordance with Korea Atomic Energy Act. To evaluate radiation shielding and criticality safety of the KN-12 cask, each case of study was carried out using MCNP4B Code. MCNP code is verified by performing benchmark calculation for the KSC-4 SNF cask designed in 1989. As a result of radiation safety evaluation for the KN-12 cask, calculated dose rates always satisfied the standards at the cask surface, at 2m from the surface in normal transport condition, and at 1 m from the surface in hypothetical accident condition. Maximum dose rate was always arisen on the side of the cask. For normal transport condition, photons primarily contribute to dose rate between two kinds of released sources, neutrons and photons, from spent nuclear fuel but for hypothetical accident condition, contrary case was resulted. The level of calculated dose rate was 27.8% of the limit at the cask surface, 89.3% at 2 m from the cask surface, and 25.1% at 1 m from the cask surface. For criticality analysis, keff resulting from the criticality analysis considering the condition of optimum partial flooding with fresh water is 0.89708(0.00065. The results confirm the standards recommended by all regulations on radiation safety.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.507-521
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• 1996

Quantification of uncertainties in the source term estimations by a large computer code, such as MELCOR and MAAP, is an essential process of the current Probabilistic safety assessment. The main objective of the present study is to investigate the applicability of a combined procedure of the response surface method (RSM) based on input determined from a statistical design and the Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) technique for the uncertainty analysis of CsI release fractions under a Hypothetical severe accident sequence of a station blackout at Younggwang nuclear power plant using MAAP3. OB code as a benchmark problem. On the basis of the results obtained in the present work, the RSM is recommended to be used as a principal tool for an overall uncertainty analysis in source term quantifications, while using the LHS in the calculations of standardized regression coefficients (SRC) and standardized rank regression coefficient (SRRC) to determine the subset of the most important input parameters in the final screening step and to check the cumulative distribution functions obtained by RSM. Verification of the response surface model for its sufficient accuracy is a prerequisite for the reliability of the final results that can be obtained by the combined procedure proposed in the present work.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.721-730
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• 2013

Within the framework of the ASTRID project, core design studies are being conducted by the CEA with support from AREVA and EDF. The pre-conceptual design studies are being conducted in accordance with the GEN IV reactor objectives, particularly in terms of improving safety. This involves limiting the consequences of 1) a hypothetical control rod withdrawal accident (by minimizing the core reactivity loss during the irradiation cycle), and 2) an hypothetical loss-of-flow accident (by reducing the sodium void worth). Two types of cores are being studied for the ASTRID project. The first is based on a 'large pin/small spacing wire' concept derived from the SFR V2b, while the other is based on an innovative CFV design. A distinctive feature of the CFV core is its negative sodium void worth. In 2011, the evaluation of a preliminary version (v1) of this CFV core for ASTRID underlined its potential capacity to improve the prevention of severe accidents. An improved version of the ASTRID CFV core (v2) was proposed in 2012 to comply with all the control rod withdrawal criteria, while increasing safety margins for all unprotected-loss-of-flow (ULOF) transients and improving the general design. This paper describes the CFV v2 design options and reports on the progress of the studies at the end of pre-conceptual design phase 1 concerning: - Core performance, - Intrinsic behavior during unprotected transients, - Simulation of severe accident scenarios, - Qualification requirements. The paper also specifies the open options for the materials, sub-assemblies, absorbers, and core monitoring that will continue to be studied during the conceptual design phase.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.63-74
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• 2011

The 600 MWe, pool-type, sodium-cooled, metallic fuel loaded KALIMER-600 (Korea Advanced LiquId MEtal Reactor, 600 MWe) has been conceptually designed with an emphasis on safety by self-regulating (inherent/intrinsic) negative reactivity feedback in the core. Its inherent safety under the ATWS (Anticipated Transient Without Scram) events was demonstrated in an earlier study. Initiating events of an HCDA (Hypothetical Core Disruptive Accident), however, also need to be analyzed for assessment of the margins in the current design. In this study, a hypothetical triple-fault accident, ULOF (Unprotected Loss Of Flow) with a reduced pump halving time, is investigated as an initiator of a core disruptive accident. A ULOF with insufficient primary pump inertia may cause core sodium boiling due to a power-to-flow mismatch. If the positive sodium reactivity resulting from this boiling is not compensated for by other intrinsic negative reactivity feedbacks, the resulting core power burst would challenge the fuel integrity. The present study focuses on determination of the limit of the pump inertia for assuring inherent reactivity feedback and behavior of the core after sodium boiling as well. Transient analyses are performed with the safety analysis code SSC-K, which now incorporates a new sodium boiling model. The results show that a halving time of more than 6.0 s does not allow sodium boiling even with very conservative assumptions. Boiling takes place for a halving time of 1.8 s, and its behavior can be predicted reasonably by the SSC-K.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.881-892
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• 2016

Following the Fukushima accident and its extended station blackout, attention was brought to the importance of the spent fuel pools' (SFPs) behavior in case of a prolonged loss of the cooling system. Since then, many analytical works have been performed to estimate the timing of hypothetical fuel uncovery for various SFP types. Experimentally, however, little was done to investigate issues related to the formation of a flammable gas mixture, distribution, and stratification in the SFP building itself and to some extent assess the capability for the code to correctly predict it. This paper presents the main outcomes of the Experiments on Spent Fuel Pool (ESFP) project carried out under the auspices of Swissnuclear (Framework 2012-2013) in the PANDA facility at the Paul Scherrer Institut in Switzerland. It consists of an experimental investigation focused on hydrogen concentration build-up into a SFP building during a predefined scaled scenario for different venting positions. Tests follow a two-phase scenario. Initially steam is released to mimic the boiling of the pool followed by a helium/steam mixture release to simulate the deterioration of the oxidizing spent fuel. Results shows that while the SFP building would mainly be inerted by the presence of a high concentration of steam, the volume located below the level of the pool in adjacent rooms would maintain a high air content. The interface of the two-gas mixture presents the highest risk of flammability. Additionally, it was observed that the gas mixture could become stagnant leading locally to high hydrogen concentration while steam condenses. Overall, the experiments provide relevant information for the potentially hazardous gas distribution formed in the SFP building and hints on accident management and on eventual retrofitting measures to be implemented in the SFP building.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.1174-1183
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• 2016

Hydrogen release during severe accidents poses a serious threat to containment integrity. Mitigating procedures are necessary to prevent global or local explosions, especially in large steel shell containments. The management of hydrogen safety and prevention of over-pressurization could be implemented through a hydrogen reduction system and spray system. During the course of the hypothetical large break loss-of-coolant accident in a nuclear power plant, hydrogen is generated by a reaction between steam and the fuel-cladding inside the reactor pressure vessel and also core concrete interaction after ejection of melt into the cavity. The MELCOR 1.8.6 was used to assess core degradation and containment behavior during the large break loss-of-coolant accident without the actuation of the safety injection system except for accumulators in Beznau nuclear power plant. Also, hydrogen distribution in containment and performance of hydrogen reduction system were investigated.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.156-168
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• 2023

This study investigates the high temperature oxidation behaviour of a Ni-20Cr-1.2Si (wt.%) alloy in steam from 1200 ℃ to 1350 ℃ by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The results demonstrate that exposed Ni-based alloy developed a thin oxide scale, consisted mainly of Cr₂O₃. The oxidation kinetics obtained from the experimental results was applied to evaluate the hydrogen generation considering a simplified reactor core model with different cladding alloys following an unmitigated Loss-Of-Coolant Accident (LOCA) scenario in a hypothetical Small Modular Reactor (SMR). Overall, experimental data and simulations results show that both Fe-based and Ni-based alloys may enhance cladding survivability, delaying its melting, as well as reducing hydrogen generation under accident conditions compared to Zr-based alloys. However, a substantial neutron absorption occurs when Ni-based alloys are used as cladding for current uranium-dioxide fuel systems, even when compared to Fe-based alloys.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.2504-2515
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• 2023

In past years the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI, Switzerland) and the Karlsruhe Institue of Technology (KIT, Germany)) collaborated to develop a model to account for the active role of nitrogen in the air oxidation of a Zircalloy cladding. The "PSI-KIT Nitriding Model for Zirconium based Fuel Cladding" model was implemented at PSI into PSI-MELCOR 1.8.6. In order to make a preliminary evaluation of the effect of the new model on the evolution of full-scale spent fuel pool accidents, one spent fuel pool event was analyzed using the PSI research version of PSI-MELCOR 1.8.6, which includes the nitriding model. To adapt an existing input deck for the calculations, a sensitivity study was conducted to find an optimal nodalization for the analyses. The nitriding model results were compared to those calculated with the MELCOR 1.8.6-PSI without the new nitriding model. The results demonstrate the effect of the nitriding reactions in spent fuel pool accident progression. Moreover, they confirm the impact of ZrN formation during cladding oxidation in air when the oxidation reactions lead to oxygen starvation inside the fuel assemblies. The nitriding reaction led to higher chemical heat generation during the accident and to an earlier failure of the cladding than when the effect of nitrogen reactions was not considered. It should be noted that the nitriding model, as implemented in the PSI version of MELCOR 1.8.6 has not yet been conclusively validated. Thereby the results presented in this paper should be treated as a preliminary demonstration of the capabilities of the model.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.370-377
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• 2009

A simple preliminary analysis is often useful to check a validity of design alternatives before the detailed analysis phase in the viewpoint of efficiency. This paper describes a preliminary analysis procedure for the selection among basket design candidates for the spent fuel shipping cask of Korean standard nuclear power plant. As the cask should maintain the structural integrity in hypothetical accident condition, the case of 9 m drop is significantly considered as the worst scenario among the accident conditions in structural design viewpoint in this paper. As basket design options, totally four different types are considered and analyzed in the point of structural integrity at drop impact and weldability for fabrication. As a result, an insertion round plate type with densely spaced supports turns out to be the best in both of the viewpoints, though the weld plate type shows a bit more design margin.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.79-88
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• 1996

A hypothetical accident in the containment vessel of liquid metal reactor could cause a pressure, temperature rise, and a strong aerosol release. The computer codes relating to the modelization of these accident make it necessary to use various input parameter, among which is the dynamic shape factor of aerosols produced. Combustion experiments of sodium spray fire carried out in a closed vessel, which was vertical cylinder made of 1.2m in diameter and 1.8m hight with a volume of 1.7$m^3$. The results of theoretical analysis presented here was compared to data obtained from experiments. The experimental results were summarized as follows. 1) The aerodynamic diameter and geometric diameter of aerosols are decreasing with increasing of injection pressure and injection temperature of sodium 2) The dynamic shape factor of aerosol is proportional to the aerodynamic diameter for a given particle. 3) The correspondence between the aerodynamic diameter and geometric diameter can be as $D_{ae}=0.70 D_{ge}$. 4) Peak pressure rose with increase in pressure and temperature of injection sodium, being more sensitive to the injection pressure than the injection temperature.