• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.53 no.11
• /
• pp.3491-3504
• /
• 2021

This paper reports on the state-of-the-art of the main non-destructive assay (NDA) techniques usually used for in-situ radiological characterization of nuclear facilities subject to a decommissioning programme. For the sake of clarity and coherence, they have been classified as environmental radiation monitoring, surface contamination measurements, gamma spectrometry, passive neutron counting and radiation cameras. Particular mention is also made here to the various challenges that each of these techniques must currently overcome, together with the formulation of some proposals for a potential evolution in the future.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
• /
• 2005.05a
• /
• pp.905-906
• /
• 2005

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.118-122
• /
• 2007

We have studied the cytoprotective effect on H$_2$O$_2$ induced oxidative stress from leaves of Carpinus tschonoskii. The methanol extract of Carpinus tschonoskii was found to scavenge intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) using flow cytometry and confocal microscope. This extract prevented lipid peroxidation and thus reduced cell death of Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79-4) induced by H$_2$O$_2$ treatment. The extract increased catalase activity and phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK). Taken together, the results suggest that Carpinus tschonoskii protects V79-4 cells against oxidative damage by H$_2$O$_2$ through scavenging ROS.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.85-91
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study is evaluated scatter radiation in digital radiological condition by using photo-stimulated luminescence (BaFBr:$Eu^{2+}$). Experiment condition changed kVp (from 50 kVp to 120 kVp), filed size (from $4{\times}4cm^2$ to $26{\times}26cm^2$) and phantom thickness (from 1 cm to 15 cm). This method was analysed ImageJ and characteristic curve of CR. This results was scatter radiation to primary radiation ratio increased from 50 kVp to 70 kVp, and it was fixed at over 80 kVp. The scatter radiation to primary radiation ratio are increased according to increasing the ratio of field size. Scatter radiation is also increased by increasing the phantom thickness.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.48 no.6
• /
• pp.1368-1375
• /
• 2016

A radiological safety assessment study was performed for the transportation of low level radioactive wastes which are temporarily stored in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Daejeon, Korea. We considered two kinds of wastes: (1) operation wastes generated from the routine operation of facilities; and (2) decommissioning wastes generated from the decommissioning of a research reactor in KAERI. The important part of the radiological safety assessment is related to the exposure dose assessment for the incidentfree (normal) transportation of wastes, i.e., the radiation exposure of transport personnel, radiation workers for loading and unloading of radioactive waste drums, and the general public. The effective doses were estimated based on the detailed information on the transportation plan and on the radiological characteristics of waste packages. We also estimated radiological risks and the effective doses for the general public resulting from accidents such as an impact and a fire caused by the impact during the transportation. According to the results, the effective doses for transport personnel, radiation workers, and the general public are far below the regulatory limits. Therefore, we can secure safety from the viewpoint of radiological safety for all situations during the transportation of radioactive wastes which have been stored temporarily in KAERI.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.53 no.2
• /
• pp.626-636
• /
• 2021

Boron-neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a cancer treatment method that exploits the high neutron reactivity of boron. Monitoring the prompt gamma rays (PGs) produced during neutron irradiation is essential for ensuring the accuracy and safety of BNCT. We investigate the imaging of PGs produced by the boron-neutron capture reaction through Monte Carlo simulations of a gamma camera with a SrI₂ scintillator and parallel-hole collimator. GAGG scintillator is also used for a comparison. The simulations allow the shapes of the energy spectra, which exhibit a peak at 478 keV, to be determined along with the PG images from a boron-water phantom. It is found that increasing the size of the water phantom results in a greater number of image counts and lower contrast. Additionally, a higher septal penetration ratio results in poorer image quality, and a SrI₂ scintillator results in higher image contrast. Thus, we can simulate the BNCT process and obtain an energy spectrum with a reasonable shape, as well as suitable PG images. Both GAGG and SrI₂ crystals are suitable for PG imaging during BNCT. However, for higher imaging quality, SrI₂ and a collimator with a lower septal penetration ratio should be utilized.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.5
• /
• pp.1754-1759
• /
• 2022

The activity of gamma-ray emitting nuclides is calculated assuming that each gamma-ray is detected individually; thus, the magnitude of the coincidence summing signal must be considered during activity calculations. Here, the correction factor for the coincidence summing effect was calculated, and the detection efficiencies of two HPGe detectors were compared. The CANBERRA Inc. GC4018 high-purity Ge detector provided an estimate for the peak-to-total ratio using a point source to determine the coincidence summing correction factor. The ORTEC Inc. GEM60 high-purity Ge detector uses EFFTRAN in LVis to obtain the parameters of the detector and source model and the gamma-gamma and gamma-X match estimates, in order to determine the coincidence summing correction factor. Nuclide analyses, radioactivity comparisons, and analyses of reference material samples were performed utilizing certified reference materials to accurately determine the detection efficiencies. For both Co-60 and Y-88, the detection efficiency for a point source increased by an average of at least 12-13%, whereas the detection efficiency determined using LVis increased by an average of at least 13-15%. The calculated radioactivity values of the certified reference material and reference material samples were accurate to within 3% and 6% of the measured values, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.12
• /
• pp.4576-4582
• /
• 2023

The Korea retrospective dosimetry (KREDOS)-electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) group undertook an intercomparison investigation utilizing hydroxyapatite. This analysis involved four institutions: the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Korean Association for Radiation Application, and Radiation Health Institute of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power. Following the irradiation of the hydroxyapatite sample, the recorded build-up was analyzed. To validate the reliability of the EPR dosimetry findings and enhance its operational performance, a hydroxyapatite dose-response curve was plotted and dosimetry was performed for a blind sample. The proficiency of each laboratory was assessed by employing an interlaboratory comparison methodology. This involved a comparative analysis of the measurement results by calculating the relative bias, z-score, and En value. The results submitted by the participating laboratories demonstrated satisfactory ratings for doses of 1.006, 3.999, and 6.993 Gy. Following the second intercomparison, efforts to optimize their hydroxyapatite-EPR dosimetry systems are underway in the participating laboratories. The current assessment of hydroxyapatite dose yielded the foundational data required to establish the parameters of dental dosimetry. In future, the third intercomparison experiment will be conducted for exploring other materials.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.6
• /
• pp.1148-1155
• /
• 2020

This work presents two different methods for quantifying and propagating the uncertainty associated with fuel composition at end of life for cask criticality calculations. The first approach, the computational approach uses parametric uncertainty including those associated with nuclear data, fuel geometry, material composition, and plant operation to perform forward depletion on Monte-Carlo sampled inputs. These uncertainties are based on experimental and prior experience in criticality safety. The second approach, the data-driven approach relies on using radiochemcial assay data to derive code bias information. The code bias data is used to perturb the isotopic inventory in the data-driven approach. For both approaches, the uncertainty in k_eff for the cask is propagated by performing forward criticality calculations on sampled inputs using the distributions obtained from each approach. It is found that the data driven approach yielded a higher uncertainty than the computational approach by about 500 pcm. An exploration is also done to see if considering correlation between isotopes at end of life affects k_eff uncertainty, and the results demonstrate an effect of about 100 pcm.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.45 no.6
• /
• pp.745-752
• /
• 2013

For thermo-fluid and safety analyses of a High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR), intensive efforts are in progress in the developments of the GAMMA+ code of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and the AGREE code of the University of Michigan (U of M). One of the important requirements for GAMMA+ and AGREE is an accurate modeling capability of a bypass flow in a prismatic core. Recently, a series of air experiments were performed at Seoul National University (SNU) in order to understand bypass flow behavior and generate an experimental database for the validation of computer codes. The main objective of the present work is to validate the GAMMA+ and AGREE codes using the experimental data published by SNU. The numerical results of the two codes were compared with the measured data. A good agreement was found between the calculations and the measurement. It was concluded that GAMMA+ and AGREE can reliably simulate the bypass flow behavior in a prismatic core.