• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.127-138
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• 2005

Approaches to several recent issues in the operation of nuclear power plants using computational intelligence are discussed. These issues include 1) noise analysis techniques, 2) on-line monitoring and sensor validation, 3) regularization of ill-posed surveillance and diagnostic measurements, 4) transient identification, 5) artificial intelligence-based core monitoring and diagnostic system, 6) continuous efficiency improvement of nuclear power plants, and 7) autonomous anticipatory control and intelligent-agents. Several changes to the focus of Computational Intelligence in Nuclear Engineering have occurred in the past few years. With earlier activities focusing on the development of condition monitoring and diagnostic techniques for current nuclear power plants, recent activities have focused on the implementation of those methods and the development of methods for next generation plants and space reactors. These advanced techniques are expected to become increasingly important as current generation nuclear power plants have their licenses extended to 60 years and next generation reactors are being designed to operate for extended fuel cycles (up to 25 years), with less operator oversight, and especially for nuclear plants operating in severe environments such as space or ice-bound locations.

• Journal of Korea Society of Digital Industry and Information Management
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.61-68
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• 2020

Nuclear power plants have a lower cost of power generation, and they are more eco-friendly than other power generation plants. Also, we need to prepare nuclear plant accidents because of their severe damage. In the event of a safety accident, such as a radiation leak, by applying a wireless sensor network to a nuclear power plant, many sensor nodes can be used to monitor radiation and transmit information to an external base station to appropriately respond to the accident. However, applying a wireless sensor network to nuclear power plants requires routing protocols that consider the sensor network size and bypass obstacles such as plant buildings. In general, the hierarchical-based routing protocols are efficient in energy consumption. In this study, we look into the problems that may occur if hierarchical-based routing protocols are applied to nuclear power plants and propose improved routing protocols to solve these problems. Simulation results show that the proposed routing protocol is more effective in energy consumption than the existing LEACH protocol.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2014

Objective: The aim of this study is to enhance the efficiency of education and training through application and management of 'Transfer of Training' in nuclear power plants. Background: Despite the sophistication and standardization of job-related skills and techniques of workers, accidents/incidents keep taking place due to human errors and unsafe actions and behaviors, which translates into the necessity to review and examine the effectiveness and influence of education and training on the workers of nuclear power plants. Method/Results: This study drew the factors of 'Transfer of Training' through a review on the preceding studies and document research. In addition, through expert examination, this study explored the expected effects and possibility of application when managing the influencing factors of 'Transfer of Training' in nuclear power plants. And lastly, management priority order for nuclear power plants was drawn through an AHP analysis. Conclusion: Among the 'Transfer of Training' factors, the training design factor was the most important. In addition, the design of the training and transfer and goal setting showed a high degree of importance among the influencing factors. Application: The management of 'Transfer of Training' in nuclear power plants enhances the capability of workers and improves the operational integrity of nuclear power plants.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2013

This paper describes basic plans for the development of a radioactive waste disposal facility with the introduction of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) for Kenya. The specific objective of this study was to estimate the total projected waste volumes of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) expected to be generated from the Kenyan nuclear power programme. The facility is expected to accommodate LILW to be generated from operation and decommissioning of nuclear power plants for a period of 50 years. An on-site storage capacity of 700 $m^3$ at nuclear power plant sites and a final disposal repository facility of more than 7,000 $m^3$ capacity were derived by considering Korean nuclear power programme radioactive waste generation data, including Kori, Hanbit, and APR 1400 nuclear reactor data. The repository program is best suited to be introduced roughly 10 years after reactor operation. This study is important as an initial implementation of a national LILW disposal program for Kenya and other newcomer countries interested in nuclear power technology.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2018.07a
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• pp.177-179
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• 2018

After Fukushima nuclear accident at 2011, nuclear industrial has been focused on operation and maintenance phase, not design and construction phase. Continued good operating performance of nuclear power plants has been the best critical issue to nuclear utilities. Replacement for complete components as well as parts of components is being procured because nuclear utilities must maintain safety and reliability of operating nuclear power plants. However, many suppliers and manufacturers are giving up a nuclear quality assurance program under reduction in new construction of nuclear power plants. It is able to be increased difficulty in procuring spare parts to support operations and maintenance of nuclear power plants. Over 20% of nuclear power plant equipment in some countries is obsolete. Owing to obsolescence of nuclear safety-related items and/or withdrawing a nuclear quality assurance program of suppliers and manufactures, some replacement item and part might be procured to the item not covered by appendix B to USNRC 10 CFR Part 50. Under various methods of the nuclear repair and replacement methodology, utilities are supposed to establish a typical program for a repair and replacement of an electrical equipment and its parts in conjunction with a nuclear quality assurance. Concerning this typical program, this study suggests the repair and replacement methodology of electrical equipments used in nuclear power plants by procurement of a power supply, based on nuclear regulations, codes, standards, guidelines, specific and general technical information, etc..

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.557-581
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• 2019

This study tries to quantify the regional NIMBY costs to nuclear power plants. NIMBY costs are estimated as willingness to pays for avoiding nuclear power plants near residential areas through the contingent valuation method(CVM). In the study, it was assumed that the nuclear power plants were newly constructed around the residences. The result of 600 respondents living within a radius of 30 km of nuclear power plants compared to the result of 600 respondents living in the metropolitan area, which revealed that there were significant NIMBY costs to the construction of nuclear power plants in all residences. By region, the willingness to pay in the metropolitan area was greater than that in the nuclear power areas. This study focuses on NIMBY to nuclear power plants from a regional point of view, which can provide important information in establishing prudent and sound nuclear power policies.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.91-104
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• 2024

Safe radiation management is essential not only for operational nuclear power plants but also for nuclear plants to be decommissioned. When spent nuclear fuel is present on-site, meticulous radiation emergency plans are necessary to ensure safety. In Korea, numerous radiation emergency plans have been established for operational nuclear reactors. These plans delineate distinct response mitigation measures for white, blue, and red emergencies. However, clear regulations are yet to be devised for radiation emergency plans for reactors to be decommission. Therefore, this study investigated the decommissioning plan and status of Kori unit 1 to comprehensively analyze the current status of decommissioning safety in Korea. In this study, radiation emergency plans of decommissioning nuclear power plants abroad were reviewed to confirm radiation emergency action levels. Furthermore, radioactive waste treatment facilities, to be used for decommissioning reactors in Korea were evaluated. Moreover, the study assessed emergency plans (especially, emergency initiating conditions) for operational nuclear power plants in Korea for potential use in the decommissioning phase. This study proposed an emergency initiating condition that can be used for decommissioning reactors in Korea. Considering the anticipated introduction of plasma torch melting facility in Korea, this study examined the conditions of radiation emergency plans can be altered. This study identified effective measures and guidelines for managing radiological emergency initiating conditions, and effective decommissioning of nuclear power plants in Korea.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.313-326
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• 2017

The systematic management of plant risk is crucial for enhancing the safety of nuclear power plants and for designing new nuclear power plants. Accident sequence precursor (ASP) analysis may be able to provide risk significance of operational experience by using probabilistic risk assessment to evaluate an operational event quantitatively in terms of its impact on core damage. In this study, an ASP methodology for two operation mode, full power and low power/shutdown operation, has been developed and applied to significant accident precursors that may occur during the operation of nuclear power plants. Two operational events, loss of feedwater and steam generator tube rupture, are identified as ASPs. Therefore, the ASP methodology developed in this study may contribute to identifying plant risk significance as well as to enhancing the safety of nuclear power plants by applying this methodology systematically.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.61-74
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• 2021

A paradigm shift in the government's energy policy was reflected in its declaration of early closure of old nuclear plants as well as cancellation of plans for the construction of new plants. To this end, unit 1 of Kori Nuclear Power Plant was permanently shut down and is set for decommission. Based on these changes, the off-site transport of spent fuels from nuclear power plants has become a critical issue. The purpose of this study is to develop an optimized method for transportation of spent fuels from Kori Nuclear Power Plant's units 1, 2, 3, and 4 to an assumed interim storage facility by simulating the scenarios using the Flexsim software, which is widely used in logistics and manufacturing applications. The results of the simulation suggest that the optimized transport methods may contribute to the development of delivery schedule of spent fuels in the near future. Furthermore, these methods can be applied to decommissioning plan of nuclear power plants.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.172-195
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• 2015

Multiple nationwide opinion surveys, carried out by the government (cabinet office), major media (national newspapers and NHK), the National Institute for Environmental Studies, and the Atomic Energy Society of Japan, have revealed that the Fukushima nuclear accident has heightened people's perception of disaster risks, fear of nuclear accidents, and increased recognition of pollution issues, and has changed public opinion on nuclear energy policy. The opinion gap on nuclear energy policy between specialists and lay people has widened since the disaster. The results of the Japanese General Social Survey data show that objections to the promotion of nuclear energy are strong among females, and weaker among young males and the supporters of the LDP. These findings are similar to the data collected after the Chernobyl accident. People who live in a 70km radius of nuclear plants tend to evaluate nuclear disaster risks higher. Distance from nuclear plants and the perception of earthquake risk interactively correlate with opinions on nuclear issues. Among people whose evaluation of earthquake risk is low, those who live nearer to the plants are more likely to object to the abolishment of nuclear plants. It was also found that the nuclear disaster has changed people's behavior; they now try to save electricity. The level of commitment to energy saving is found to relate to opinions on nuclear issues.