• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.711-731
• /
• 2022

In Korea, nuclear power plants are major sources of electricity supply with relatively low costs. Despite the importance and scale of nuclear electricity generation, the Korean tax and levy system is less organized than those in other countries, such as France and Japan, where nuclear power plants also play significant roles for electricity supply. Countries impose tax on nuclear electricity generation roughly in three ways: tax on nuclear reactors; tax on uranium fuel; tax on electricity from nuclear power plants. The Korean government may consider taxing nuclear electricity generation based on uranium fuel or electricity generation. If taxing on uranium fuel at the rate of 90 KRW per milligram of uranium, the Korean government can collect additional tax revenue of 430 billion KRW. If taxing on electricity from nuclear power plants at the rate of 11 KRW per kilowatt-hour, the government can collect additional tax revenue of 1,600 billion KRW.

• Korean System Dynamics Review
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.57-80
• /
• 2006

Nuclear technology made a great contribution to the national economy and society by localization of nuclear power plant design, and by stabilization of electricity price, etc. It is very important to conduct the retrospective analysis for the nuclear technology contribution to the national economy and society, but it is more important to conduct prospective analysis for the nuclear technology contribution. The term "technology value" is often used in the prospective analysis to value the result of technology development. There are various definitions of technology value, but generally it means the increment of future revenue or the reduction of future cost by technology development. These technology valuation methods are widely used in various fields (information technology or energy technology, etc). The main objective of this research is to develop valuation methodology that represents unique characteristics of nuclear power technology. The valuation methodology that incorporates market share changes of generation technologies was developed. The technology valuation model which consists of five modules (electricity demand forecast module, technology development module, market share module, electricity generation module, total cost module) to incorporate market share changes of generation technologies was developed. The nuclear power technology value assessed by this technology valuation model was 3 times more than the value assessed by the conventional method. So it was confirmed that it is very important to incorporates market share changes of generation technologies. The valuation results of nuclear power technology in this study can be used as policy data for ensuring the benefits of nuclear power R&D (Research and Development) investment.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
• /
• 2004.10a
• /
• pp.631-632
• /
• 2004

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.811-816
• /
• 2022

This work presents the methodology used to expand the capabilities of the Monte Carlo code OpenMC for the calculation of reactor kinetic parameters: effective delayed neutron fraction β_eff and neutron generation time L. The modified code, OpenMC(Time-Dependent) or OpenMC(TD), was then used to calculate the effective delayed neutron fraction by using the prompt method, while the neutron generation time was estimated using the pulsed method, fitting Λ to the decay of the neutron population. OpenMC(TD) is intended to serve as an alternative for the estimation of kinetic parameters when licensed codes are not available. The results obtained are compared to experimental data and MCNP calculated values for 18 benchmark configurations.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.299-304
• /
• 2008

A detection system was set up to measure the neutron generation rate of a recently developed D-D neutron generator. The system is composed of a Si detector, He-3 detector, and electronics for pulse height analysis. The neutron generation rate was measured by counting protons using the Si detector, and the data was crosschecked by counting neutrons with the He-3 detector. The efficiencies of the Si and He-3 detectors were calibrated independently by using a standard alpha particle source $^{241}Am$ and a bare isotopic neutron source $^{252}Cf$, respectively. The effect of the cross-sectional difference between the D(d,p)T and $D(d,n)^3He$ reactions was evaluated for the case of a thick target. The neutron generation rate was theoretically corrected for the anisotropic emission of protons and neutrons in the D-D reactions. The attenuations of neutron on the path to the He-3 detector by the target assembly and vacuum flange of the neutron generator were considered by the Monte Carlo method using the MCNP 4C2 code. As a result, the neutron generation rate based on the Si detector measurement was determined with a relative uncertainty of ${\pm}5%$, and the two rates measured by both detectors corroborated within 20%.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.546-555
• /
• 2019

Since the first nuclear reactor first critical, nuclear systems has gone through four generations of history, and the fourth generation nuclear system will be truly realized in the near future. The notions of SVBR and lead-bismuth eutectic alloy coolant put forward by Russia were well received by the international nuclear science community. Lead-bismuth eutectic alloy with the ability of the better neutron economy, the low melting point, the high boiling point, the chemical inertness to water and air and other features, which was considered the most promising coolant for the 4th generation nuclear reactors. This study mainly focuses on the structural design optimization of the 4th-generation reactor coolant pump, including analysis of external characteristics, inner flow, and transient characteristic. It was found that: the reactor coolant pump with a central symmetrical dual-outlet volute structure has better radial-direction balance, the pump without guide vane has better hydraulic performance, and the pump with guide vanes has worse torsional vibration and pressure pulsation. This study serves as experience accumulation and technical support for the development of the 4th generation nuclear energy system.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.571-576
• /
• 2023

The initial development plans for the six reactor designs, soon after the release of Generation IV International Forum (GIF) TRM in 2002, were characterized by high ambition [1]. Specifically, the sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) and very-high temperature reactor (VHTR) gained significant attention and were expected to reach the validation stage by the 2020s, with commercial viability projected for the 2030s. However, these projections have been unrealized because of various factors. The development of reactor designs by the GIF was supposed to be influenced by events such as the 2008 global financial crisis, 2011 Fukushima accident [2, 3], discovery of extensive shale oil reserves in the United States, and overly ambitious technological targets. Consequently, the momentum for VHTR development reduced significantly. In this context, the aims of this study were to compare and analyze the development progress of the six Gen IV reactor designs over the past 20 years, based on the GIF roadmaps published in 2002 and 2014. The primary focus was to examine the prospects for the reactor designs in relation to spent nuclear fuel burning in conjunction with small modular reactor (SMR), including molten salt reactor (MSR), which is expected to have spent nuclear fuel management potential.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.355-364
• /
• 2001

In order to evaluate and finally optimize the vitrification condition for combustible dry active waste (DAW), dust and gas generation characteristics were investigated for PE, cellulose, and mixed waste Tests were conducted by varying the operation variables such as melter configuration, excess oxygen amount, and waste feeding rate. Results showed that dust generation characteristics were affected by the operation parameters and the melter＇s configuration is the dominant one. For all tested DAWs, dust generation was reduced by increasing the waste feeding rate and the excessive oxygen amount in the melter. Among waste types, dust amount was decreased by the order of mixed wastes, PE, and cellulose. Other parameters such as temperature variation and operation time have also affected the dust generation. The optimum condition for the DAW vitrification was determined as the melter＇s configuration equipped for minimizing the waste dispersion with 20 kg/h of waste feeding rate and 100% of excessive oxygen supply. CO gas concentration in the off-gas was immediately influenced by the combustion state in the melter, but showed similar trend as the dust generation. For the NOx production during the vitrification process, thermal NOx, which is generated from the Post Combustion Chamber (PCC), rather than fuel NOx was assumed to be dominant. The gas cleaning of efficiencies of the PCC, wet scrubber, and Selective Catalytic Reduction system (SCR) were found to be high enough to keep the concentration of pollutants (CO, NOx, SOx, HCI) in the stack below their relevant emission limits.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.41 no.9
• /
• pp.1157-1170
• /
• 2009

A variety of Generation III/III+ reactor designs featuring enhanced safety and improved economics are being proposed by nuclear power industries around the world to solve the future energy supply shortfall. Nanofluid coolants showing an improved thermal performance are being considered as a new key technology to secure nuclear safety and economics. However, it should be noted that there is a lack of comprehensible design works to apply nanofluids to Generation III+ reactor designs. In this work, the review of accident scenarios that consider expected nanofluid mechanisms is carried out to seek detailed application spots. The Axiomatic Design (AD) theory is then applied to systemize the design of nanofluid-engineered nuclear safety systems such as Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) and External Reactor Vessel Cooling System (ERVCS). The various couplings between Gen-III/III+ nuclear safety features and nanofluids are investigated and they try to be reduced from the perspective of the AD in terms of prevention/mitigation of severe accidents. This study contributes to the establishment of a standard communication protocol in the design of nanofluid-engineered nuclear safety systems.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 2005.07a
• /
• pp.420-422
• /
• 2005

This paper introduces a new paradigm for energy supply system in near future which produces electric and district heat cogeneration with dispersed power grid with small nuclear power units. Recently, in nuclear field, a lot of effort has been done in nuclear major countries to develop small and medium reactor for enhancement of nuclear peaceful use as like in district heating, electric power generation, seawater desalination or hydrogen generation.