• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제48권3호
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• pp.785-794
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• 2016

The Argonne National Laboratory of the United States and the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology of the Ukraine have been collaborating on the design, development and construction of a neutron source facility at Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology utilizing an electron-accelerator-driven subcritical assembly. The electron beam power is 100 kW using 100-MeV electrons. The facility was designed to perform basic and applied nuclear research, produce medical isotopes, and train nuclear specialists. The biological shield of the accelerator building was designed to reduce the biological dose to less than 5.0e-03 mSv/h during operation. The main source of the biological dose for the accelerator building is the photons and neutrons generated from different interactions of leaked electrons from the electron gun and the accelerator sections with the surrounding components and materials. The Monte Carlo N-particle extended code (MCNPX) was used for the shielding calculations because of its capability to perform electron-, photon-, and neutron-coupled transport simulations. The photon dose was tallied using the MCNPX calculation, starting with the leaked electrons. However, it is difficult to accurately tally the neutron dose directly from the leaked electrons. The neutron yield per electron from the interactions with the surrounding components is very small, ~0.01 neutron for 100-MeV electron and even smaller for lower-energy electrons. This causes difficulties for the Monte Carlo analyses and consumes tremendous computation resources for tallying the neutron dose outside the shield boundary with an acceptable accuracy. To avoid these difficulties, the SOURCE and TALLYX user subroutines of MCNPX were utilized for this study. The generated neutrons were banked, together with all related parameters, for a subsequent MCNPX calculation to obtain the neutron dose. The weight windows variance reduction technique was also utilized for both neutron and photon dose calculations. Two shielding materials, heavy concrete and ordinary concrete, were considered for the shield design. The main goal is to maintain the total dose outside the shield boundary less than 5.0e-03 mSv/h during operation. The shield configuration and parameters of the accelerator building were determined and are presented in this paper.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.161-176
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• 2012

McCARD is a Monte Carlo (MC) neutron-photon transport simulation code. It has been developed exclusively for the neutronics design of nuclear reactors and fuel systems. It is capable of performing the whole-core neutronics calculations, the reactor fuel burnup analysis, the few group diffusion theory constant generation, sensitivity and uncertainty (S/U) analysis, and uncertainty propagation analysis. It has some special features such as the anterior convergence diagnostics, real variance estimation, neutronics analysis with temperature feedback, $B_1$ theory-augmented few group constants generation, kinetics parameter generation and MC S/U analysis based on the use of adjoint flux. This paper describes the theoretical basis of these features and validation calculations for both neutronics benchmark problems and commercial PWR reactors in operation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권2호
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• pp.575-600
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• 2024

During an earthquake on December 29th 2020, the Krško NPP automatically shutdown due to the trigger of the negative neutron flux rate signal on the power range nuclear instrumentation. From the time course of the detector signal, it can be concluded that the fluctuation in the detector signal may have been caused by the mechanical movement of the ex-core neutron detectors or the pressure vessel components rather than the actual change in reactor power. The objective of the analysis was to evaluate the sensitivity of the neutron flux at the ex-core detector position, if the detector is moved in the radial or axial direction. In addition, the effect of the core barrel movement and core inside the baffle movement in the radial direction were analysed. The analysis is complemented by the calculation of the thermal and total neutron flux gradient in radial, axial and azimuthal directions. The Monte Carlo particle transport code MCNP was used to study the changes in the response of the ex-core detector for the above-mentioned scenarios. Power and intermediate-range detectors were analysed separately, because they are designed differently, positioned at different locations, and have different response characteristics. It was found that the movement of the power range ex-core detector has a negligible effect on the value of the thermal neutron flux in the active part of the detector. However, the radial movement of the intermediate-range detector by 5 cm results in 7%-8% change in the thermal neutron flux in the active part of the intermediate-range detector. The analysis continued with an evaluation of the effects of moving the entire core barrel on the ex-core detector response. It was estimated that the 2 mm core barrel radial oscillation results in ~4% deviation in the power and intermediate-range detector signal. The movement of the reactor core inside baffle can contribute ~6% deviation in the ex-core neutron detector signal. The analysis showed that the mechanical movement of ex-core neutron detectors cannot explain the fluctuations in the ex-core detector signal. However, combined core barrel and reactor core inside baffle oscillations could be a probable reason for the observed fluctuations in the ex-core detector signal during an earthquake.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.165-175
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• 2015

The application of neutron noise analysis (NNA) to the ex-core neutron detector signal for monitoring the vibration characteristics of a reactor core support barrel (CSB) was investigated. Ex-core flux data were generated by using a nonanalog Monte Carlo neutron transport method in a simulated CSB model where the implicit capture and Russian roulette technique were utilized. First and third order beam and shell modes of CSB vibration were modeled based on parallel processing simulation. A NNA module was developed to analyze the ex-core flux data based on its time variation, normalized power spectral density, normalized cross-power spectral density, coherence, and phase differences. The data were then analyzed with a fuzzy logic module to determine the vibration characteristics. The ex-core neutron signal fluctuation was directly proportional to the CSB's vibration observed at 8Hz and15Hzin the beam mode vibration, and at 8Hz in the shell mode vibration. The coherence result between flux pairs was unity at the vibration peak frequencies. A distinct pattern of phase differences was observed for each of the vibration models. The developed fuzzy logic module demonstrated successful recognition of the vibration frequencies, modes, orders, directions, and phase differences within 0.4 ms for the beam and shell mode vibrations.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제48권6호
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• pp.1291-1302
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• 2016

This paper presents a new and efficient scheme to determine the optimal neutron source position in a model near-equilibrium pressurized water reactor, which is based on the OPR1000 Hanul Unit 3 Cycle 7 configuration. The proposed scheme particularly assigns importance of source positions according to the local adjoint flux distribution. In this research, detailed pin-by-pin reactor adjoint fluxes are determined by using the Monte Carlo KENO-VI code from solutions of the reactor homogeneous critical adjoint transport equations. The adjoint fluxes at each allowable source position are subsequently ranked to yield four candidate positions with the four highest adjoint fluxes. The study next simulates ex-core detector responses using the Monte Carlo MAVRIC code by assuming a neutron source is installed in one of the four candidate positions. The calculation is repeated for all positions. These detector responses are later converted into an inverse count rate ratio curve for each candidate source position. The study confirms that the optimal source position is the one with very high adjoint fluxes and detector responses, which is interestingly the original source position in the OPR1000 core, as it yields an inverse count rate ratio curve closest to the traditional 1/M line. The current work also clearly demonstrates that the proposed adjoint flux-based approach can be used to efficiently determine the optimal geometry for a neutron source and a detector in a modern pressurized water reactor core.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1995년도 추계학술발표회논문집(2)
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• pp.847-852
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• 1995

A shielding analysis for KSC-7, the shipping cask for transporting the 7 PWR spent fuel assemblies, has been carried out. Radiation source term has been calculated on spent fuel with burnup of 50,000 MWD/MTU and 1.5 years cooling time by ORIGEN2 code. The shielding calculation for the cask has been made by using MCNP4A code with continuous cross section data library from ENDF/B-V. As a result of neutron dose rate analysis, another shielding calculational model on spent fuel shipping cask was provided which is using the Monte Carlo method.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.1280-1286
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• 2023

MgF₂ as a moderator material has been extensively used in the beam shaping assembly (BSA) that plays an important role in the boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Regarded as important for applications, the thermal neutron scattering data of MgF₂ were calculated, based on the phonon expansion model. The structural properties of MgF₂ were researched by the VASP code based on the ab-initio methods. The PHONOPY code was employed to calculate the phonon density of states. Furthermore, the NJOY code was used to calculate the thermal neutron scattering data of MgF₂. The calculated inelastic cross sections plus absorption cross sections are in agreement with the available experimental data. The neutron transport in the BSA has been simulated by using a hybrid Monte-Carlo-Deterministic code NECP-MCX. The results indicated that compared with the calculation of the free gas model, the thermal neutron flux and epithermal neutron flux at the BSA exit port calculated by using the thermal neutron scattering data of MgF₂ were reduced by 27.7% and 8.2%, respectively.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.41-49
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• 1985

1,300 MWe 가압경수로 공동내에서 중성자의 흐름해석이 수행되었다. 중성자의 흐름을 해석하는데는 1차원 수송코드인 ANISN, 2차원 수송코드인 DOT3.5, 3차원 Monte Carlo 코드인 TRIPOLI-02와 이들을 접속시켜주는 DOTTRI 등의 전산코드가 이용되었고, 본 계산에 사용된 전산기는 IBM 3033형이었다. 계산된 선속 및 선량율은 900 MW 가압경수로의 공동내에서 측정한 측정치와 비교검토 되었고, 그 결과 중성자 군별로 약간의 오차는 있었으나 전체적으로 큰 오차는 없었다. 이 결과는 대용량의 원자로 차폐설계, 원자로보수시, 기타 원자로 공동내에 출입할 경우에 방사선방어상 필요한 방어수단을 제공하는데 기여하였다.

• 지구물리와물리탐사
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.219-226
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• 2012

이 연구에서는 국내에서 연구가 미약했었던 중성자검층 수치모델링을 이용하여 다양한 시추공 환경에서의 검출기 반응을 분석하였다. 이를 위해 중성자검층 환경을 MCNP 알고리듬으로 구현하여 시뮬레이션을 수행하였다. MCNP 알고리듬은 방사선 수송 시뮬레이션이 및 3차원 기하구조 표현이 가능하여 다양한 분야에서 전세계적으로 많이 이용되고 있다. 먼저 시뮬레이션 결과를 검증하기 위해, 기존 연구의 검출기반응 결과 그래프를 이용하여 비교 분석하였다. 중성자 검층 반응 분석이 가능한 중성자 검층기의 일반적인 특징에 기초하여 수학적으로 중성자검층기 모형을 구성하여 반응을 계산하였다. 먼저, 석회암, 사암, 돌로마이트 등과 같은 매질에서 공극률을 다양하게 변화시켜 가며 수치 계산함으로써, 이 연구에서 고려하고 있는 중성자검층기의 교정곡선(calibration chart)을 도출하였다. 이에 기초하여, 실제 중성자검층 시 고려해야 할 공내수 유무에 의한 반응 변화, 염수가 중성자검층에 미치는 영향 등을 분석함으로써 시추공 환경 변화에 따라 보다 정확하게 공극률을 해석할 수 있는 기틀을 마련하고자 한다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권8호
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• pp.1817-1825
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• 2020

Background: Cosmic ray-induced particles can lead to failure of semiconductors packaged for export during air transport. This work performed MCNP 6.2 simulations to optimize shielding against neutrons and protons induced by cosmic radiation Methods and materials: The energy spectra of protons and neutrons by incident angle at the flight altitude were determined using atmospheric cuboid model. Various candidates for the shielding materials and the geometry of the Unit Load Device Container were evaluated to determine the conditions that allow optimal shielding at all sides of the container. Results: It was found that neutrons and protons, at the flight altitude, generally travel with a downward trajectory especially for the particles with high energy. This indicated that the largest number of particles struck the top of the container. Furthermore, the simulation results showed that, among the materials tested, borated polyethylene and stainless steel were the most optimal shielding materials. The optimal shielding structure was also determined with the weight limit of the container in consideration. Conclusions: Under the determined optimal shielding conditions, a significantly reduced number of neutrons and protons reach the contents inside the container, which ultimately reduces the possibility of semiconductor failure during air transport.