• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.267-270
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• 2005

Finite element model of pressurized water reactor internals were obtained using ANSYS software package to analyze dynamic characteristics. The pressure vessel, hold-down ring, alinement key, core support barrel(CSB), upper guide structure(UGS) and fluid gap were fully modeled using structural solid element(SOLID45) and fluid element(FLUID80) which is one of element types. Also modal analysis using the above finite element model has been performed. As a result, it was found that the fundamental beam mode natural frequency of the CSB were 8.2 Hz, the shell mode one 14.5 Hz. To verify the Finite Element Analysis(FEA), we compare the analysis result with experimental data that is obtained from the plant IVMS(internal Vibration Monitoring System). The experimental results are good agreement with the FEA model.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.253-264
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• 1988

Our experience of neutron noise analysis in French-type 900 MWe pressurized water reactor (PWR) is presented. Neutron noise analysis is based on the technique of interpreting the signal fluctuations of ex-core detectors caused by core reactivity changes and neutron attenuation due to lateral core motion. It also provides advantages over deterministic dynamic-testing techniques because existing plant instrumentation can be utilized and normal operation of the plant is not disturbed. The data of this paper were obtained in the ULJIN unit 1 reactor during the start-up test period and the statistical descriptors, useful for our purpose, are power spectral density (PSD), coherence function (CF), and phase difference between detectors. It is found that core support barrel (CSB) motions induced by coolant flow forces and pressure pulsations in a reactor vessel were indentified around 8 Hz of frequency.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.166-171
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• 2004

Since early 1950's fracture mechanics has brought significant impact on structural integrity assessment in a wide range of industries such as power, transportation, civil and petrochemical industries, especially in nuclear power plant industries. For the last two decades, significant efforts have been devoted in developing defect assessment procedures, from which various fitness-for-purpose or fitness-for-service codes have been developed. From another aspect, recent advances in IT (Information Technologies) bring rapid changes in various engineering fields. IT enables people to share information through network and thus provides concurrent working environment without limitations of working places. For this reason, a network system based on internet or intranet bas been appeared in various fields of business. Evaluating the integrity of structures is one of the most critical issues in nuclear industry. In order to evaluate the integrity of structures, a complicated and collaborative procedure is required including regular in-service inspection, fracture mechanics analysis, etc. And thus, experts in different fields have to cooperate to resolve the integrity problem. In this paper, an internet-based cooperative system for integrity evaluation system which adapts IT into a structural integrity evaluation procedure for reactor pressure vessel is introduced. The proposed system uses Virtual Reality (VR) technique, Virtual Network Computing (VNC) and agent programs. This system is able to support 3-dimensional virtual reality environment and to provide experts to cooperate by accessing related data through internet.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.79-87
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• 2000

This paper describes experimental investigations of helium-air exchange flow through openings with vertical partitions. Such exchange flows may occur following rupture accident of stand pipe in high temperature gas cooled reactor. Exchange flow rates are investigated experimentally by using partitioned opening and opening with extended partition to assess fluids interference of the exchange flow at the stand pipe rupture accident. A tests vessel with the two types of opening on top of test cylinder is used in the experiments. An estimation method of mass increment is developed and applied to measure the exchange flow rate. A technique of flow visualization by Mach-Zehnder interferometer is provided to recognize the exchange flows. Amplitude and progress of interference fringes of the flows are observed and used as a support in comparison with the exchange flow rates. Flow passages of upward flow of the helium and downward flow of the air for both two types of the opening are separated by inserted partition within the opening, but in the case of partitioned opening, unseparated flow is formed at the opening entrance and the two flows interface. The exchange flow rate for the partitioned opening is not greater than that of the opening with extended partition because of the fluids interference at the entrance of opening. Finally, the fluids interference at the opening entrance is found to be one of important factors on the helium-air exchange flow rate.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.323-334
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• 2013

During a hypothetical core-disruptive accident (CDA) in a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), degraded core materials can form roughly conically-shaped debris beds over the core-support structure and/or in the lower inlet plenum of the reactor vessel from rapid quenching and fragmentation of the core material pool. However, coolant boiling may ultimately lead to leveling of the debris bed, which is crucial to the relocation of the molten core and heat-removal capability of the debris bed. To clarify the mechanisms underlying this self-leveling behavior, a large number of experiments were performed within a variety of conditions in recent years, under the constructive collaboration between the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Kyushu University (Japan). The present contribution synthesizes and gives detailed comparative analyses of those experiments. Effects of various experimental parameters that may have potential influence on the leveling process, such as boiling mode, particle size, particle density, particle shape, bubbling rate, water depth and column geometry, were investigated, thus giving a large palette of favorable data for the better understanding of CDAs, and improved verifications of computer models developed in advanced fast reactor safety analysis codes.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.105-108
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• 2002

Specially designed grooved journal bearings are installed in the main coolant pump for SMART (System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor) to support radial load on the rotating shaft. The canned motor type main coolant pumps are arranged vertically on the reactor vessel and filled with circulating primary coolant which is pure water. The main coolant pump bearings are lubricated with this coolant without any other external lubricant supply. Because lubricating condition is too severe for this bearing to generate proper hydrodynamic film, investigation of lubrication characteristics of the journal bearing is important to satisfy life constraint of whole pump system, and the results will be applied to the analysis of dynamic characteristics of the shaft system. The bearing is made of silicon graphite which has self$.$lubricating effect. A lubrication analysis method is proposed for this vertically grooved journal bearing in the main coolant pump of SMART, and lubricational characteristics of the bearings are examined in this paper.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.627-638
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• 2018

This article describes an integrated Level 1-Level 2 probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methodology to evaluate the radiological risk during postulated accident scenarios initiated during the decommissioning phase of a typical Mark I containment boiling water reactor. The fuel damage scenarios include those initiated while the reactor is permanently shut down, defueled, and the spent fuel is located into the spent fuel storage pool. This article focuses on the integrated Level 1-Level 2 PRA aspects of the analysis, from the beginning of the accident to the radiological release into the environment. The integrated Level 1-Level 2 decommissioning PRA uses event trees and fault trees that assess the accident progression until and after fuel damage. Detailed deterministic severe accident analyses are performed to support the fault tree/event tree development and to provide source term information for the various pieces of the Level 1-Level 2 model. Source terms information is collected from accidents occurring in both the reactor pressure vessel and the spent fuel pool, including simultaneous accidents. The Level 1-Level 2 PRA model evaluates the temporal and physical changes in plant conditions including consideration of major uncertainties. The goal of this article is to provide a methodology framework to perform a decommissioning Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA), and an application to a real case study is provided to show the use of the methodology. Results will be derived from the integrated Level 1-Level 2 decommissioning PSA event tree in terms of fuel damage frequency, large release frequency, and large early release frequency, including uncertainties.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.7
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• pp.1738-1748
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• 2019

Previous research has shown that the inclined condition has an impact on the natural circulation (natural circulation) mode operation of Floating Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) mounted on the movable marine platform. Due to its compact structure, small volume, strong maneuverability, the Integral Pressurized Water Reactor (IPWR) is adopted as marine reactor in general. The OTSGs of IPWR are symmetrically arranged in the annular region between the reactor vessel and core support barrel in this paper. Therefore, many parallel natural circulation loops are built between the core and the OTSGs primary side when the main pump is stopped. and the inclined condition would lead to discrepancies of the natural circulation drive head among the OTSGs in different locations. In addition, the flow rate and temperature nonuniform distribution of the core caused by inclined condition are coupled with the thermal hydraulics parameters maldistribution caused by OTSG group operating mode on low power operation. By means of the RELAP5 codes were modified by adding module calculating the effect of inclined, heaving and rolling condition, the simulation model of IPWR in inclined condition was built. Using the models developed, the influences on natural circulation operation by inclined angle and OTSG position, the transitions between forced circulation (forced circulation) and natural circulation and the effect on natural circulation operation by different OTSG grouping situations in inclined condition were analyzed. It was observed that a larger inclined angle results the temperature of the core outlet is too high and the OTSG superheat steam is insufficient in natural circulation mode operation. In general, the inclined angle is smaller unless the hull is destroyed seriously or the platform overturn in the ocean. In consequence, the results indicated that the IPWR in the movable marine platform in natural circulation mode operation is safety. Selecting an appropriate average temperature setting value or operating the uplifted OTSG group individually is able to reduce the influence on natural circulation flow of IPWR by inclined condition.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.107-113
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• 2015

The goal of this paper is to investigate structural integrity factors of RMI(reflective metal insulation) to confirm the design requirements in nuclear power plant. Currently, a glass wool insulation is using now, but it will gradually be replaced with the reflective metal insulation maded by stainless steel plates. The main function of an insulation is to minimize a heat loss of vessel and pipes in RCS(reactor coolant system). It has to maintain structural a integrity in nuclear power plant life duration. In this study, the structural integrity analysis was carried out both multi-plate and outer shell plate by using a static analysis and experimental test. First, inner multi-plate has a self support structure for being air space. Because the effect of total static weight in multi-layer plate is low, a plate collapse possibility is not high. Considering optimum thin plate pressing process, it has to pre-check the basic physical properties. Second, the outer segment thickness and stiffener shape are verified by the numerical static analysis, and sample test for both type of panel and cylindrical pipe model.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.484-497
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• 2021

This paper proposes an extended time uncertainty analysis approach in Level 2 human reliability analysis (HRA) considering severe accident management (SAM) strategies. The method is a time-based model that classifies two time distribution functions-time required and time available-to calculate human failure probabilities from delayed action when implementing SAM strategies. The time required function can be obtained by the combination of four time factors: 1) time for diagnosis and decision by the technical support center (TSC) for a given strategy, 2) time for strategy implementation mainly by the local emergency response organization (ERO), 3) time to verify the effectiveness of the strategy and 4) time for portable equipment transport and installation. This function can vary depending on the given scenario and includes a summation of lognormal distributions and a choice regarding shifting the distribution. The time available function can be obtained via thermal-hydraulic code simulation (MAAP 5.03). The proposed approach was applied to assess SAM strategies that use portable equipment and safety depressurization system valves in a total loss of component cooling water event that could cause reactor vessel failure. The results from the proposed method are more realistic (i.e., not conservative) than other existing methods in evaluating SAM strategies involving the use of portable equipment.