• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.102-105
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• 2016

This study explored the feasibility of using a carburization technique to enhance the ion intensity of isotopic analysis of ultra-trace levels of uranium using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). Prior to fixing uranium samples on TIMS filaments, graphite powder suspended in nitric acid was deposited on rhenium filaments. We observed an enhancement of $^{238}U^+$ intensity by a factor of two when carburization was used, and were able to roughly optimize the amount of graphite powder necessary for carburization. The positive shift in heating current when evaporating filaments upon carburization implies that uranium was chemically altered by carburization, when compared to normal fixation processes. The good agreement between our method and known standards down to an ultra-trace level shows that the proposed technique can be applied to isotopic uranium analysis down to abundances of ~10 pg.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.05b
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• pp.350-355
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• 1997

가압중수로(PHWR)형 원자력발전소의 저장수조에 보관중인 사용후핵연료를 대상으로 하는 핵물질 보장조치(safeguards) 이행에 필요한 핵연료다발 수중검증장치를 개발하였다. 본 장치는 CdTe 감마선검출기, 차폐체 및 시준기등으로 구성된 검출부와 이를 지지 및 구동하기 위한 구동부로 구성되어 있다. 검출부에 대하여 감마선 표준선원 및 사용후핵연료 시료를 사용하여 성능시험을 수행한 결과 현장검증시의 요건을 만족하였고, 구동부의 경우 건식조(dry pit)에서 수행한 예비실험 결과 검증목적에 적합하였다. 따라서, PHWR형 원자력발전소인 월성 1 호기의 수중저장조에 있는 사용후CANDU핵연료에 대한 현장성능시험을 현재 준비중에 있으며 그 결과를 바탕으로 하여 국가사찰시에 본 장치를 사용할 예정이며, 향후 IAEA의 공인을 획득하여 IAEA 사찰용 장비로도 활용할 계획이다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Computer Information Conference
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• 2023.07a
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• pp.649-650
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• 2023

본 논문에서는 한-IAEA 전면안전조치협정에 의거해 원자력사업자가 핵물질 정보를 작성하고 있는 계량 관리보고시스템을 개선하기 위하여 GUI 기반 시스템 구축 방안을 제안하였다. 현재 사업자는 전면안전조치 협정 보조약정 Code 10에 기술된 양식에 따라 정해진 Keyword나 Code를 통해 핵물질의 수량, 물리적 및 화학적 형태, 재고변동형태 등을 계량관리보고서에 작성하고 있다. 사업자가 제출한 계량관리보고서를 통해 국제원자력기구는 국내에 존재하는 전체 핵물질 현황을 준 실시간 파악할 수 있고 현장 사찰을 통해 신고내용을 검증한다. 2022년 말 기준 국내에는 31개의 원자력 시설과 292개의 소량핵물질 이용기관이 계량관리 보고대상 사업자로 존재하며 계량관리보고서 작성 규칙을 숙지하기 위해 많은 노력을 기울이고 있다. 본 논문에서 제안하는 GUI 기반 시스템 구축 방안을 활용한다면 원자력사업자의 계량관리보고서 작성 부담을 경감시키고 인적 오류를 사전에 방지할 수 있을 것이다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.1252-1258
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• 2020

This study explores the ability of non-destructive assay techniques to detect a partial material defect in which 100 g of plutonium are diverted from the center of a 1000 g can of PuO₂ powder. Four safeguards measurements techniques: neutron multiplicity counting, calorimetry, gravimetry, and gamma ray spectroscopy are used in an attempt to detect the defect. Several materials are added to the partial defect PuO₂ can to replicate signatures of the diverted material. ²⁵²Cf is used to compensate for the doubles neutron counts, ²⁴¹Am is used to compensate for the decay heat, and aluminum is used to compensate for the weight. Although, the doubles and triples difference before and after diversion are statistically indistinguishable with the AWCC in fast and thermal mode, the difference in the singles counts are statistically detectable in both modes. The relatively short half-life of ²⁵²Cf leads to a decrease (three sigma uncertainty) in the doubles neutron counts after 161 days. Combining this with the precise quantity of ²⁴¹Am needed (10.7 g) to mimic the heat signature and the extreme precision in ²⁵²Cf mass needed to defeat neutron multiplicity measurements gives reassurance in the International Atomic Energy Agency's ability to detect partial material defects.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.275-279
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• 2001

In uranium enrichment plants and nuclear fuel fabrication facilities, exact measurement of fissile isotope enrichment of uranium is required for material accounting in international safeguards inspection as well as process quality control. The purpose of this study was to develop a simple measurement system which can portably be used at nuclear fuel fabrication plants especially dealing with low enriched uranium. For this purpose, a small size CZT (CdZnTe) detector was used, and the detector performance in low uranium gamma/X -rays energy range was investigated by use of various enriched uranium oxide samples. New enrichment measurement technique and analysis method for low enriched uranium oxide, so-called, 'semi-peak ratio technique' was developed. The newly developed method was considered as an alternative technique for the low enrichment and would be useful to account nuclear material in safeguarding activity at nuclear fuel fabrication facility.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.57-60
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• 2011

As background significantly affects measurement accuracy and a detection limit in determination of the trace amounts of uranium, it is necessary to determine the impurities in the Lexan detector film for single particle measurements by thermal ionization mass spectrometry coupled with fission track technique (FT-TIMS). We have prepared various micro sizes of the blank Lexan detector film using a micromanipulation technique for uranium measurements by TIMS. Few tens of fg of uranium background with no remarkable dependency on the film sizes were observed in the blank Lexan films with the sizes from $50{\times}50\;{\mu}m^2$ to $300{\times}300\;{\mu}m^2$. Based on the determination of the uranium background in the Lexan film, any background correction is necessary in the isotopic analysis of a uranium single particle with micron sizes when the particle bearing Lexan film is dissected with less than $300{\times}300\;{\mu}m^2$ size. The isotopic analysis of a uranium particle in U030 standard material using TIMS was carried out to verify the applicability of the Lexan film to the single particle analysis with high accuracy and precision.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2022

Pyroprocessing is a promising technology for managing spent nuclear fuel. The nuclear material accounting of feed material is a challenging issue in safeguarding pyroprocessing facilities. The input material in pyroprocessing is in a solid-state, unlike the solution state in an input accountability tank used in conventional wet-type reprocessing. To reduce the uncertainty of the input material accounting, a double-stage homogenization process is proposed in considering the process throughput, remote controllability, and remote maintenance of an engineering-scale pyroprocessing facility. This study tests two types of mixing equipment in the proposed double-stage homogenization process using surrogate materials. The expected heterogeneity and accounting uncertainty of Pu are calculated based on the surrogate test results. The heterogeneity of Pu was 0.584% obtained from Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) spent fuel of 59 WGd/tU when the relative standard deviation of the mass ratio, tested from the surrogate powder, is 1%. The uncertainty of the Pu accounting can be lower than 1% when the uncertainty of the spent fuel mass charged into the first mixers is 2%, and the uncertainty of the first sampling mass is 5%.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2024

The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is the basis of global efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. In Republic of Korea, safety measures are integrated with NPT approval through agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Safeguards Agreement. In contrast, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), initially an NPT member, withdrew, refusing IAEA nuclear inspections. This inhibits the precise management of DPRK's nuclear facilities and limits access to related information. The Korean Peninsula, politically divided, sees DPRK in control of nuclear weapons. Although the IAEA periodically evaluates DPRK's nuclear facilities, there's a research gap in contamination and site management with nuclear activities. Recognizing the presence or absence of such activities is crucial for peaceful nuclear endeavors. This proposal suggests the number and locations for environmental sample collection using the Visual Sample Plan (VSP) software for nuclear activity analysis. VSP software is sample collection locations and quantities through statistical tests on collected data, ensuring reliability for decision-making. The proposal identifies sites and facilities for nuclear activity analysis based on IAEA safety reports, utilizing the software's embedded methods. Suggested sampling locations for undisclosed nuclear activities employ VSP's embedded techniques, including 'Show that at least some high % of the sampling area is acceptable' to confirm contamination and 'Estimate the Mean' to evaluate the average contamination level.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.359-374
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• 2006

Since 1991, Korea, Canada and United States have performed the direct use of spent pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel in the Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactors (DUPIC) fuel development project. Unlike the Tandem fuel cycle, which requires a wet reprocessing, the DUPIC fuel technology can directly refabricate CANDU fuels from the PWR spent fuel and, therefore, is recognized as a highly proliferation-resistant fuel cycle technology, which can be adopted even in non-proliferation treaty countries. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has fabricated DUPIC fuel elements in a laboratory-scale remote fuel fabrication facility. KAERI has demonstrated the fuel performance in the research reactor, and has confirmed the operational feasibility and safety of a CANDU reactor loaded with the DUPIC fuel using conventional design and analysis tools, which will be the foundation of the future practical and commercial uses of DUPIC fuel.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 1994

The engineered safeguards of Wolsung nuclear power plant unit 1 contain redundant systems of 2-out-of-3 logic which are not operating under normal conditions but are called upon to act when emergency conditions develop. To ensure their operability, the systems are periodically tested. In this work, we develop the unavailability formulae for 2-out-of-3 logic configurations which take into account the failure probability of the channels tested due to human error in the simultaneous testing scheme. We also develop the model for the probability that the reactor is tripped during the surveillance test due to either system failure or human error. We determined the optimal inspection periods of safety systems, taking into account both the unavailability of the safety system and the probability that the reactor is tripped during the surveillance test. We compared the results with the inspection periods currently used at Wolsung NPP Unit 1. As a result, the inspection periods obtained using a minimum human error (8.24 $\times$ 1$^{-6}$ ) are shorter than those currently used in Wolsung NPP unit 1 whereas the inspection periods obtained using a maximum human error are (4.44 $\times$ 10$^{-4}$ ) longer than those used in Wolsung NPP unit 1.