• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05b
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• pp.3464-3466
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• 2007

Power uprate is the process of increasing the maximum power level at which a commercial nuclear power plant may operate. Power uprate applications(113 units) for NPPs(Nuclear Power Plants) were recently approved in the United States. Utilities have been using power uprates since the 1970s as a way of increasing the power output of their nuclear plants. To increase the power output of a reactor, typically more highly enriched uranium fuel and/or more fresh fuel is used. This enables the reactor to produce more thermal energy and therefore more steam, driving a turbine generator to produce electricity. In this paper, the propriety of power uprate is explained through the review on the power uprate method and the changes of the physical parameters due to power uprate. The analysis results showed that the CDF(Core Damage Frequency) and LERF(Large Early Release Frequency) are affected in the current probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) model.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Energy Engineering kosee Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.329-334
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• 2004

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.14-20
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• 2012

Full load rejection capability of nuclear power plant depends primarily on steam dump capacity (SDCAP) and steam generator level control capability. Recently, Ulchin Units 1&2 have performed stretched power uprate (SPU) and replacement steam generator (RSG) projects, which increase the power by 4.5 percent. They change major design or operating parameters and especially reduces steam dump capacity at full power due to increase of the steam flow. The reduction of SDC after SPU results in degradation of heat removal capability in full load rejection transients. Therefore, we should perform evaluation to determine whether reactor trips occur in large load rejection transients. Uchin Units 1&2 have experienced full load rejection (FLR) three times from 2004 to 2010. Operating data from the plant occurrence of FLR at Ulchin Units 1&2 showed that steam generator (SG) level transients were limiting in point of reactor trip. However the plant had never reached reactor trip in the FLR and successfully continued in house load operation. The parameters and setpoints for the SG will be changed if the SG is replaced. Therefore, we evaluated the appropriateness of steam dump, main feedwater and steam generator water level control system preventing the plant from reactor trip in case of FLR by the parameter sensitivity study whether SG water level operated smoothly after SPU and RSG projects.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.1130-1131
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• 2005

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.494-495
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• 2005

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.251-254
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• 2008

Issues and themes concerned with nuclear power plant uprating are examined. Attention is brought to the fact that many candidate nuclear power plants for uprating have anyway been operated below their rated power for a significant part of their operating life. The key issues remain safety and reliability in operation at all times, irrespective of the nuclear power plant's chronological or design age or power rating. The effects of power uprates are discussed in terms of material aspects and expected demands on the systems, structures and components. The impact on operation and maintenance methods is indicated in terms of changes to the ageing surveillance programmes. Attention is brought to the necessity checking or revising operator actions after power up-rating has been implemented.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.135-140
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• 2016

Piping and equipment are degraded by flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC) in nuclear power plants. FAC causes numerous problems and nuclear utilities maintain programs to control FAC. The key parameters influencing FAC are hydrodynamic conditions, water chemistry, and effect of materials. Recently, a nuclear utility has planned slight power uprates in Korea. Operating conditions need to be changed in the secondary system according to power uprates. This study analyzed the effect of wall-thinning caused by power uprates. The change of operation data in the secondary cycle is reviewed, and wall-thinning rates are analyzed in the main lines. As a result, two phase (mixture of water and steam) lines have a greater impact than a water line under power uprate conditions. Also, the quality of steam is the most important factor for FAC in two phase lines.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.963-970
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• 2018

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Regulatory Guide 1.20 needs to perform a comprehensive vibration assessment program for reactor internals during preoperational and startup testing for nuclear power plants and extended power uprate. Although the measurement program is one of the core programs, it is rarely carried out except for a first-of-a-kind or a unique design. This article describes measurement results of vibration and stress for the comprehensive vibration assessment program for an APR-1400 reactor internals. The measurement was performed at an upper guide structure during the pre-core hot functional test of Shin Kori unit 4 reactor internals because the Shin Kori unit 3 and 4 are the first construction project for the APR-1400, and the upper guide structure assembly was to design change compared with the valid prototype. We confirmed that all measured results are within the test acceptance criteria. It means that the structural integrity of the APR-1400 reactor internals was secured for the flow-induced vibration.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.255-268
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• 2008

The greater demand for electricity and the available capacity within safety margins in some operating NPPs are prompting nuclear utilities to request license modification to enable operation at a higher power level, beyond their original license provisions. Such plant modifications require an in-depth safety analysis to evaluate the possible safety impact. The analysis must consider the thermo hydraulic, radiological and structural aspects, and the plant behavior, while taking into account the capability of the structures, systems and components, and the reactor protection and safeguard systems set points. The purpose of this paper is to introduce international experiences and approaches for implementation of power uprates related to the reactor thermal power of nuclear power plants. The paper is intended to give the reader a general overview of the major processes, work products, issues, challenges, events, and experiences in the power uprates program. The process of increasing the licensed power level of a nuclear power plants is called a power uprate. One way of increasing the thermal output from a reactor is to increase the amount of fissile material in use. It is also possible to increase the core power by increasing the performance of the high power bundles. Safety margins can be maintained by either using fuels with a higher performance, or through the use of improved methods of analysis to demonstrate that the required margins are retained even at the higher power levels. The paper will review all types of power uprates, from small to large, and across various reactor types, including light and heavy water, pressurized, and boiling water reactors. Generally, however, the content of the report focuses on power uprates of the stretch and extended type. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is developing a technical guideline on power uprates and side effects of power uprates in nuclear power plants.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.2111-2116
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• 2004

This paper shows how to improve the efficiency and output and to reduce NOx emission of Seoinchon GE 7F gas turbine, Korea Western Power Co. by replacing the existing 7F gas turbine with new 7FA+e gas turbine because the performance of 7F gas turbine was degraded due to long term operation. In this paper, we will study gas turbine development trend and O&M technology. Finally, we will review for uprate of Seoinchon 7F gas turbine to help someone to improve their units in the future.