• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.513-522
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• 2013

The ODSCC detected in the TSP position of Ulchin 3&4 SGs are typical ODSCC of Alloy 600MA tubes. The causative chemical environment is formed by concentration of impurities inside the occluded region formed by the tube surface, egg crate strips, and sludge deposit there. Most cracks are detected at or near the line contacts between the tube surface and the egg crate strips. The region of dense crack population, as defined as between $4^{th}$ and $9^{th}$ TSPs, and near the center of hot leg hemisphere plane, coincided well with the region of preferential sludge deposition as defined by thermal hydraulics calculation using SGAP computer code. The cracks developed homogeneously in a wide range of SGs, so that the number of cracks detected each outage increased very rapidly since the first detection in the $8^{th}$ refueling outage. The root cause assessment focused on investigation of the difference in microstructure and manufacturing residual stress in order to reveal the cause of different susceptibilities to ODSCC among identical six units. The manufacturing residual stress as measured by XRD on OD surface and by split tube method indicated that the high residual stress of Alloy 600MA tube played a critical role in developing ODSCC. The level of residual stress showed substantial variations among the six units depending on details of straightening and OD grinding processes. Youngwang 3&4 tubes are less susceptible to ODSCC than U3 and U4 tubes because semi-continuous coarse chromium carbides are formed along the grain boundary of Y3&4 tubes, while there are finer less continuous chromium carbides in U3 and U4. The different carbide morphology is caused by the difference in cooling rate after mill anneal. There is a possibility that high chromium content in the Y3&4 tubes, still within the allowable range of Alloy 600, has made some contribution to the improved resistance to ODSCC. It is anticipated that ODSCC in Y5&6 SGs will be retarded more considerably than U3 SGs since the manufacturing residual stress in Y5&6 tubes is substantially lower than in U3 tubes, while the microstructure is similar with each other.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.175-182
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• 1986

The KNUI (Korea Nuclear Unit 1) loss of offsite power transient as a design-base accident has been simulated using the RELAP5/MOD1/NSC computer code. The analysis is carried out using the best-estimate methodology, but the sequence and its assumptions are based on the evaluation methodology th at emphasizes conservatism. Important thermal-hydraulic parameters such as average temperature, steam generator level and pressurizer water volume are compared with the results in the KNU1 Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR). The present analysis gives much lower RCS average temperature and pressurizer water volume, and much higher S/G water volume at the turnaround point, which may be considered to be additional improved safety margins. This is expected since the present analysis deals with the best-estimate thermal-hydraulic models as well as the initial conditions on a best-estimate basis. These additional safety margins may contribute to further validate the safety of the KNU1 in this type of accidents(Decrease in Heat Removal by the Secondary System).

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.1555-1562
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• 2017

A loose part monitoring system is used to identify unexpected loose parts in a nuclear reactor vessel or steam generator. It is still necessary for the mass estimation of loose parts, one function of a loose part monitoring system, to develop a new method due to the high estimation error of conventional methods such as Hertz's impact theory and the frequency ratio method. The purpose of this study is to propose a mass estimation method using a Markov decision process and compare its performance with a method using an artificial neural network model proposed in a previous study. First, how to extract feature vectors using discrete cosine transform was explained. Second, Markov chains were designed with codebooks obtained from the feature vector. A 1/8-scaled mockup of the reactor vessel for OPR1000 was employed, and all used signals were obtained by impacting its surface with several solid spherical masses. Next, the performance of mass estimation by the proposed Markov model was compared with that of the artificial neural network model. Finally, it was investigated that the proposed Markov model had matching error below 20% in mass estimation. That was a similar performance to the method using an artificial neural network model and considerably improved in comparison with the conventional methods.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.112-117
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• 2004

This work investigated the material properties of Ni-P-B alloy electrodeposits obtained from a Ni sulfamate bath as a function of the contents of the P and B sources($H_3PO_3$ and dimethyl amine borane complex(DMAB), respectively) with/without additives. Chemical composition, residual stress, microstructure and micro hardness were investigated using ICP(inductively coupled plasma) mass spectrometer, flexible strip, XRD, TEM and micro Vickers hardness tester, respectively. From the results of the compositional analysis, it was observed that P and B are incorporated competitively during the electrodeposition and the sulfur from the additive is codeposited into the electrodeposit. The measured residual stress value increased in the order of Ni, Ni-P, Ni-B and Ni-P-B electrodeposits indicating that boron affects the residual tensile stress greater than phosphorus. As the contents of the alloying element sources of P and B increased, crystallinity and the grain size of the electrodeposit decreased. The effect of boron on crystallinity and grain size was also relatively larger than the phosphorus. It can be explained that the boron with a smaller atomic radius contributes to the increase of residual stress in the tensile direction and the larger restraining force against the grain growth more significantly than the phosphorus with a larger atomic radius. Introduction of an additive into the bath retarded crystallization and grain growth, which may be attributed to the change of the grain growth kinetics induced by the additive adsorbed on the substrate and electrodeposit surfaces during electrodeposition.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.1446-1453
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• 2021

In the past, several experimental investigations aiming at characterizing the natural circulation (NC) behavior in test facilities were carried out. They showed a variety of flow patterns characterized by an inverted U-shape of the NC flow curve versus primary mass inventory. On the other hand, attempts to reproduce such curves using thermal-hydraulic system codes, showed 10-30% differences between the measured and calculated NC mass flow rate. Actually, the used computer codes are generally based upon nodalization using single U-tube representation. Such model may not allow getting accurate simulation of most of the NC phenomena occurring during such tests (like flow redistribution and flow reversal in some SG U-tubes). Simulations based on multi-U-tubes model, showed better agreement with the overall behavior, but remain unable to predict NC phenomena taking place in the steam generator (SG) during the experiment. In the current study, the CATHARE code is considered in order to assess a NC characterization test performed in the four loops PKL facility. For this purpose, four different SG nodalizations including, single and multi-U-tubes, 1D and 3D SG inlet/outlet zones are considered. In general, it is shown that the 1D and 3D models exhibit similar prediction results up to a certain point of the rising part of the inverted U-shape of the NC flow curve. After that, the results bifurcate with, on the one hand, a tendency of the 1D models to over-predict the measured NC mass flow rate and on the other hand, a tendency of the 3D models to under-predict the NC flow rate.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.37-42
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• 2022

An influence analysis on multiple steam generator tube rupture (mSGTR) followed by an unmitigated station blackout is performed to compare the plant responses according to the number of ruptured u-tubes under the assumption of a total of 10 ruptured u-tubes. In all calculation cases, the transient behaviour of major thermal-hydraulic parameters, such as the discharge flow rate through the ruptured u-tubes, reactor header pressure, and void fraction in the fuel channels is found to be overall similar to that of the base case having a single SG with 10 u-tubes ruptured. Additionally, as the conditions of low-flow coolant with high void fraction in the broken loop continued, causing the degradation of decay heat removal, the peak cladding temperature (PCT) would be expected to exceed the limit criteria for ensuring nuclear fuel integrity. However, despite the same total number of ruptured u-tubes, because of the different connection configuration between the SG and pressurizer, a difference is foud in time between the pressurizer low-level signal and reactor header low-pressure signal, affecting the time to trip the reactor and to reach the PCT limit. The present study is expected to provide the technical basis for the accident management strategy for mSGTR transient conditions of CANDU-6 plants.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.296-303
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• 2001

In nuclear power steam generators, high flow rates can induce vibration of the tubes resulting in fretting wear damage due to contacts between the tubes and their supports. In this paper the fretting wear tests and the sliding wear tests were performed using the steam generator tube materials of Inconel 690 against STS 304. Sliding tests with the pin-on-disk type tribometer were done under various applied loads and sliding speeds at air and water environment. Fretting tests were done under various vibrating amplitudes, applied normal loads and various temperatures. From the results of sliding and fretting wear tests, the wear of Inconel 690 can be predictable using the work rate model. Depending on normal loads and vibrating amplitudes, distinctively different wear mechanisms and often drastically different wear rates can occur. At room temperature, the wear coefficient K of Inconel 690 is 7.57${\times}$10$\^$13/Pa$\^$1/ in air and it is 1.93${\times}$10$\^$13/Pa$\^$1/ in water. At room temperature, it is found that the wear volume in air is more than in water. In water, the wear coefficient K at 50$^{\circ}C$ and 80$^{\circ}C$ is 4.35${\times}$10$\^$-13/Pa$^1$ and 5.81${\times}$10$\^$-13/Pa$^1$ respectively, Therefore, it is found that the wear volume extremely increases by increasing on temperature in water. This study shows that the dissolved oxygen with temperature increment increases and the wear due to fluidity is severe.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.20 no.2 s.70
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• pp.38-43
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• 2005

Several nuclear power plants reported that they often found the combination cracks, which consist of longitudinal and circumferential cracks in the tubes. For the burst pressure of a tube with a single longitudinal or circumferential crack several experimental equations have been proposed in published literatures. But for the combination crack appropriate fracture criterion has not been proposed yet. In this study the burst pressures of a tube with a longitudinal crack or a T-type combination crack consisting of longitudinal and circumferential cracks were obtained experimentally and analytically. Fracture parameters such as crack opening angle (COA) were investigated by using elastic plastic analysis. Also the burst pressure far a T-type combination crack located near a tubesheet was considered to develop a length-based criterion. Because most of the axial, circumferential or combination cracks initiate in roll transition zone near the tubesheet.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.83-88
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• 2000

Laser cladding processing allows rapid transfer of heat to the material being processed with minimum conduction into base metal, resulting in low total heat input. The effects of Nd:YAG laser cladding with wire feeding on the mechanical properties of Inconel alloy were investigated. inconel alloy is used as the material of nuclear steam generator tubing because of its mechanical properties and corrosion resistance properties. The device for Nd:YAG laser cladding with wire feeding was designed. It consists of the wire feeding system, the wire cladding system and the shielding gas system which prevents the clad layer from being oxidized. Experimental as results indicated that the wire feeding direction and position were important for laser cladding with wire feeding. The wire feeding speed should be adapted according to cladding speed for good shaping of clad layer. The effect of heat on the HAZ size can be limited and the growth of grain size of HAZ size was not serious. The hardness of clad layer and heat affected zone increased with increasing of cladding speed.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.322-326
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• 2008

In this paper, we have studied the images which have been reconstructed by using combination of images acquired by the variation of operating frequency. When inner images have been reconstructed, they have been superposed by the surface state effect. In this case, the images of the phase object can be enhanced by the contrast of inner images. There is a kind of specimen, one is a reference block having 1/4T, 1/2T, 3/4T side drilled holes as main run piping material of the steam generator in nuclear power plants. It has been shown that the two results of defect shapes have better than before in this processing and phase contrast grow about twice. And we have constructed the acoustic microscope by using a quadrature detector that enables to acquire the amplitude and phase of the reflected signal simultaneously. Further more we have studied the reconstruction method of the amplitude and phase images, the enhancement method of the defect images' contrast.