• Title/Summary/Keyword: Nuclear applications

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Surrogate based model calibration for pressurized water reactor physics calculations

  • Khuwaileh, Bassam A.;Turinsky, Paul J.
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.49 no.6
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    • pp.1219-1225
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    • 2017
  • In this work, a scalable algorithm for model calibration in nuclear engineering applications is presented and tested. The algorithm relies on the construction of surrogate models to replace the original model within the region of interest. These surrogate models can be constructed efficiently via reduced order modeling and subspace analysis. Once constructed, these surrogate models can be used to perform computationally expensive mathematical analyses. This work proposes a surrogate based model calibration algorithm. The proposed algorithm is used to calibrate various neutronics and thermal-hydraulics parameters. The virtual environment for reactor applications-core simulator (VERA-CS) is used to simulate a three-dimensional core depletion problem. The proposed algorithm is then used to construct a reduced order model (a surrogate) which is then used in a Bayesian approach to calibrate the neutronics and thermal-hydraulics parameters. The algorithm is tested and the benefits of data assimilation and calibration are highlighted in an uncertainty quantification study and requantification after the calibration process. Results showed that the proposed algorithm could help to reduce the uncertainty in key reactor attributes based on experimental and operational data.

Design of safety critical and control systems of Nuclear Power Plants using Petri nets

  • Singh, Pooja;Singh, Lalit Kumar
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.51 no.5
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    • pp.1289-1296
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    • 2019
  • Non-functional requirements plays a critical role in designing variety of applications domain ranges from safety-critical systems to simple gaming applications. Performance is one of the crucial non-functional requirement, especially in control and safety systems, that validates the design. System risk can be quantified as a product of probability of system failure and severity of its impact. In this paper, we devise a technique to do the performance analysis of safety critical and control systems and to estimate performance based risk factor. The technique elaborates Petri nets to estimate performability to ensure system dependability requirements. We illustrate the technique on a case study of Nuclear Power Plant system. The technique has been validated on 17 safety critical and control systems of Nuclear Power Plant.

Localization of hotspots via a lightweight system combining Compton imaging with a 3D lidar camera

  • Mattias Simons;David De Schepper;Eric Demeester;Wouter Schroeyers
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.56 no.8
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    • pp.3188-3198
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    • 2024
  • Efficient and secure decommissioning of nuclear facilities demands advanced technologies. In this context, gamma-ray detection and imaging are crucial in identifying radioactive hotspots and monitoring radiation levels. Our study is dedicated to developing a gamma-ray detection system tailored for integration into robotic platforms for nuclear decommissioning, offering a safe and automated solution for this intricate task and ensuring the safety of human operators by mitigating radiation exposure and streamlining hotspot localization. Our approach integrates a Compton camera based 3D reconstruction algorithm with a single Timepix3 detector. This eliminates the need for a second detector and significantly reduces system weight and cost. Additionally, combining a 3D camera with the setup enhances hotspot visualization and interpretation, rendering it an ideal solution for practical nuclear decommissioning applications. In a proof-of-concept measurement utilizing a 137Cs source, our system accurately localized and visualized the source in 3D with an angular error of 1° and estimated the activity with a 3% relative error. This promising result underscores the system's potential for deployment in real-world decommissioning settings. Future endeavors will expand the technology's applications in authentic decommissioning scenarios and optimize its integration with robotic platforms. The outcomes of our study contribute to heightened safety and accuracy for nuclear decommissioning works through the advancement of cost-effective and efficient gamma-ray detection systems.

Development of Disassembly Tool for Intermediate Examination of Nuclear Fuel Rods (핵연료봉 중간검사를 위한 장탈착 툴 개발)

  • Hong, Jintae;Heo, Sung-Ho;Kim, Ka-Hye;Park, Sung-Jae;Joung, Chang-Young
    • Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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    • v.38 no.4
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    • pp.443-449
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    • 2014
  • To check the characteristics of nuclear fuels during an irradiation test, the nuclear fuel rod needs to be disassembled from the test rig located in the pool of the research reactor. Then, the disassembled fuel rod is delivered to the hot cell for intermediate examination. A fuel rod that passes the intermediate examination is delivered to the reactor pool to be reassembled into the test rig. The irradiation test is resumed with the reassembled test rig. Because nuclear fuel rods irradiated by neutrons are highly radioactive, all the disassembly and reassembly processes should be carried out in the pool of the research reactor to prevent operators being exposed to radiation. In particular, because a test rig is 5.4-m long and the reactor pool of HANARO is 6-m deep, special tools need to be developed for performing the disassembly and reassembly processes. In this study, a new assembly design of nuclear fuel rods for intermediate examination is introduced. Furthermore, tools for treating the irradiated fuel rod assembly are introduced, and their performance is verified by an out pile test.

Resistance, electron- and laser-beam welding of zirconium alloys for nuclear applications: A review

  • Slobodyan, Mikhail
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.53 no.4
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    • pp.1049-1078
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    • 2021
  • The review summarizes the published data on the widely applied electron-beam, laser-beam, as well as resistance upset, projection, and spot welding of zirconium alloys for nuclear applications. It provides the results of their analysis to identify common patterns in this area. Great attention has been paid to the quality requirements, the edge preparation, up-to-date equipment, process parameters, as well as post-weld treatment and processing. Also, quality control and weld repair methods have been mentioned. Finally, conclusions have been drawn about a significant gap between the capabilities of advanced welding equipment to control the microstructure and, accordingly, the properties of welded joints of the zirconium alloys and existing algorithms that enable to realize them in the nuclear industry. Considering the ever-increasing demands on the high-burnup accident tolerant nuclear fuel assemblies, great efforts should be focused on the improving the welding procedures by implementing predefined heat input cycles. However, a lot of research is required, since the number of possible combinations of the zirconium alloys, designs and dimensions of the joints dramatically exceeds the quantity of published results on the effect of the welding parameters on the properties of the welds.

Computer Modeling, Characterization, and Applications of Gallium Arsenide Gunn Diodes in Radiation Environments

  • El-Basit, Wafaa Abd;El-Ghanam, Safaa Mohamed;Abdel-Maksood, Ashraf Mosleh;Kamh, Sanaa Abd El-Tawab;Soliman, Fouad Abd El-Moniem Saad
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.48 no.5
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    • pp.1219-1229
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    • 2016
  • The present paper reports on a trial to shed further light on the characterization, applications, and operation of radar speed guns or Gunn diodes on different radiation environments of neutron or g fields. To this end, theoretical and experimental investigations of microwave oscillating system for outer-space applications were carried out. Radiation effects on the transient parameters and electrical properties of the proposed devices have been studied in detail with the application of computer programming. Also, the oscillation parameters, power characteristics, and bias current were plotted under the influence of different ${\gamma}$ and neutron irradiation levels. Finally, shelf or oven annealing processes were shown to be satisfactory techniques to recover the initial characteristics of the irradiated devices.

Nanoscale-NMR with Nitrogen Vacancy center spins in diamond

  • Lee, Junghyun
    • Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.59-65
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    • 2020
  • Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) center in diamond has been an emerging versatile tool for quantum sensing applications. Amongst various applications, nano-scale nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) using a single or ensemble NV centers has demonstrated promising results, opening possibility of a single molecule NMR for its chemical structural studies or multi-nuclear spin spectroscopy for quantum information science. However, there is a key challenge, which limited the spectral resolution of NMR detection using NV centers; the interrogation duration for NV-NMR detection technique has been limited by the NV sensor spin lifetime (T1 ~ 3ms), which is orders of magnitude shorter than the coherence times of nuclear spins in bulk liquid samples (T2 ~ 1s) or intrinsic 13C nuclear spins in diamond. Recent studies have shown that quantum memory technique or synchronized readout detection technique can further narrow down the spectral linewidth of NMR signal. In this short review paper, we overview basic concepts of nanoscale NMR using NV centers, and introduce further developments in high spectral resolution NV NMR studies.

Energy,Environment and Education for Nuclear Energy Applications (에너지와 환경 및 원자력교육)

  • 이병휘
    • Hwankyungkyoyuk
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    • v.10 no.2
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    • pp.325-338
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    • 1997
  • Review of the global change in various energy usages and resulting environmental impacts were made in terms of population increase, economic development and energy consumption. Greater use of fossil fuels in past couple of centuries give rise to acid rain and gradual climate changes mainly due to Green House inducing gases emissions from fossil fuel combustion. In view of the forthcoming Kyoto conference in December, various alternative options were assessed. To cope with rapidly developing robust Korean economy, the alternative energy options for the sustainable development in 21st Century would be the wider use of Nuclear Energy in parallel with constrained use of fossil fuel and renewable energy development. However there are many hurdles to overcome. One of the most important element is to improve public acceptability of those alternatives. Since public acceptance depend heavily upon individual perception on specific energy technology applications, the basic energy technologies education from primary up to high school education and the related curriculum organization is important. The suggested improvement in education for Nuclear Energy Application was made on the basis of advanced industrial countries with substantial Nuclear Energy Application programs.

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Myocardial Perfusion PET (심근관류 PET)

  • Cho, Ihn-Ho;Kong, Eun-Jung
    • Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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    • v.43 no.3
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    • pp.207-214
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    • 2009
  • Positron emission tomogrpahy (PET) represents the most advanced scintigraphic imaging technology. With the increase in availability of PET, the clinical use of PET has grown in medical fields. This can be employed for cardiovascular research as well as for clinical applications in patients with various cardiovascular disease. PET allows non-invasive functional assessment of myocardial perfusion, substrate metabolism and cardiac innervation and receptors as well as gene expression in vivo. PET is regarded as the gold standard for the detection of myocardial viability, and it is the only method available for the quantitative assessment of myocardial blood flow. This review focuses on the clinical applications of myocardial perfusion PET in coronary artery disease.