• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제30권5호
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• pp.452-461
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• 1998

The pin power distribution is determined by analyzing the rotational gamma scanning data for 36 element fuel bundle of HANARO. A fission monitor of Nb$^{95}$ is chosen by considering the criteria of the half-life, fission yield, emitting ${\gamma}$-ray energy and probability. The ${\gamma}$-ray spectra were measured in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI) by using a HPGe detector and by rotating the fuel bundle at steps of 10$^{\circ}$. The counting rates of Nb$^{95}$ 766 keV ${\gamma}$-rays are determined by analyzing the full absorption peak in the spectra. A 36$\times$36 response matrix is obtained from calculating the contribution of each rod at every scanning angle by assuming 2-dimensional and parallel beam approximations for the measuring geometry. In terms of the measured counting rates and the calculated response matrix, an inverse problem is set up for the unknown distribution of activity concentrations of pins. To select a suitable solving method, the performances of three direct methods and the iterative least-square method are tested by solving simulation examples. The final solution is obtained by using the iterative least-square method that shows a good stability. The influences of detection error, step size of rotation and the collimator width are discussed on the accuracy of the numerical solution. Hence an improvement in the accuracy of the solution is proposed by reducing the collimator width of the scanning arrangement.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.481-496
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• 2020

After nuclear power plants are permanently shut down and decommissioned, the remaining irradiated metal components such as stainless steel, carbon steel, and Inconel can be used as neutron absorber. This study investigates the possibility of reusing these metal components as neutron absorber materials, that is burnable poison. The absorption cross section of the irradiated metals did not lose their chemical properties and performance even if they were irradiated over 40-50 years in the NPPs. To examine the absorption capability of the waste metals, the lattice calculations of WH 17×17 fuel assembly were analyzed. From the results, Inconel-718 significantly hold-down fuel assembly excess reactivity compared to stainless steel 304 and carbon steel because Inconel-718 contains a small amount of boron nuclide. From the results, a 20wt% impurity of boron in irradiated Inconel-718 enhances the excess reactivity suppression. The application of irradiated Inconel-718 as a burnable absorber for SMR core was investigated. The irradiated Inconel-718 impurity with 20wt% of boron content can maintain and suppress the whole core reactivity. We emphasize that the irradiated metal components can be used as burnable absorber materials to control the reactivity of commercial reactor power and small modular reactors.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권3호
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• pp.790-802
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• 2022

Large-scale reactor simulation often requires the use of Monte Carlo calculation techniques to estimate important reactor parameters. One drawback of these Monte Carlo calculation techniques is they inevitably result in some uncertainty in calculated quantities. The present study includes parametric uncertainty quantification (UQ) and sensitivity analysis (SA) on the Advanced Test Reactor Critical (ATRC) facility housed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and addresses some complications due to Monte Carlo uncertainty when performing these analyses. This approach for UQ/SA includes consideration of Monte Carlo code uncertainty in computed sensitivities, consideration of uncertainty from directly measured parameters and a comparison of results obtained from brute-force Monte Carlo UQ versus UQ obtained from a surrogate model. These methodologies are applied to the uncertainty and sensitivity of k_eff for two sets of uncertain parameters involving fuel plate geometry and fuel plate composition. Results indicate that the less computationally-expensive method for uncertainty quantification involving a linear surrogate model provides accurate estimations for k_eff uncertainty and the Monte Carlo uncertainty in calculated k_eff values can have a large effect on computed linear model parameters for parameters with low influence on k_eff.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권3호
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• pp.793-802
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• 2024

In the framework of the European project SAMOSAFER, this numerical study focuses on some thermal aspects of the Emergency Draining Tank (EDT) located underneath the core of a Molten Salt Reactor. In case of an emergency, this tank passively receives the liquid fuel salt and is designed to ensure a subcritical state. An important requirement is that the fuel does not overheat to maintain the EDT Hastelloy container integrity. The present EDT is based upon a group of hexagonal cooling assemblies arranged in a hexagonal grid and cooled down thanks to conduction through the inert salt layer up to an air flow in charge of removing the heat. This numerical thermal study relies on a conjugated heat transfer analysis coupling a Finite Element solid thermal code (SYRTHES) and two instances of a Finite Volume CFD codes (Code_Saturne). Calculations on an initial design suggest that a simple center airpipe flow is likely to not sufficiently cool the device. Alternative solutions have been evaluated. Introduction of fins to enhance the heat transfer do not bring a noticeable improvement regarding maximum temperature reached. However, a solution in which the central pipe air flow is replaced by several cooling channels located closer to the fuel is investigated and suggests a better cooling.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.505-517
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• 2016

The structural integrity of a dual-purpose metal cask currently under development by the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD) was evaluated, through numerical simulations and a model test, under high-speed missile impact reflecting targeted aircraft crash conditions. The impact conditions were carefully chosen through a survey on accident cases and recommendations from literature. In the impact scenario, a missile flying horizontally hits the top side of the cask, which is freestanding on a concrete pad, with a velocity of 150 m/s. A simplified missile simulating a commercial aircraft engine was designed from an impact loade-time function available in literature. In the analyses, the dynamic behavior of the metal cask and the integrity of the containment boundary were assessed. The simulation results were compared with the test results for a 1:3 scale model. Although the dynamic behavior of the cask in the model test did not match exactly with the prediction from the numerical simulation, other structural responses, such as the acceleration and strain history during the impact, showed very good agreement. Moreover, the containment function of the cask survived the missile impact as expected from the numerical simulation. Thus, the procedure and methodology adopted in the structural numerical analyses were successfully validated.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.299-314
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• 2014

인양장비는 원자력발전소에서 발생하는 사용후핵연료를 운반하는 운반용기를 인양하기 위해 사용된다. 본 연구는 원자력 안전위원회고시 제2013-27호와 미국 10CFR Part 71 ${\S}71.45$에서 규정하는 기술수준에 따라 이론적인 방법과 유한요소방법으로 인양장비의 구조적안전성을 평가하였다. 이론적으로 평가한 결과 모든 구성 요소에서의 응력이 응력제한치 내에 있어 운영상 발생하는 구조적 안전성을 확보하고 있는 것으로 판단하였다. 또한 유한요소해석을 통한 평가결과, 항복과 극한조건 모두에서 설계기준을 만족하는 것으로 평가되었다. 모든 구성요소에서 충분한 안전여유도(항복조건에서 3 이상의 안전율, 극한조건에서 5 이상의 안전율)를 갖는 것으로 나타나 구조적으로 안전하다고 판단하였다.

• 한국지구과학회지
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• 제33권5호
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• pp.401-407
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• 2012

The OGS model is configured and used for simulation of the LASGIT project. The modeling conditions and the simulation results from the previous work by Walsh and Calder (2009) are analyzed to see if the simulation configuration is done correctly and to apply for the LASGIT project. Except for the unrealistic modeling conditions used previously, the simulation results successfully demonstrated helium propagation that is typical for the two-phase flow. The results indicated that the relations of capillary pressure and the relative permeability against water saturation used previously should be updated. An elaborated simulation with more realistic parameters should be used to improve the weak points of preliminary work.

• 경영과학
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.139-148
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• 2013

A nuclear energy has been one of the most important sources to securely supply electricity in South Korea. Its weight in the national electricity supply has kept increasing since the first nuclear reactor was built in 1978. The country relies on the nuclear approximately 31.4% in 2012 and it is expected to increase to 48.5% in 2024 based on the long-term electricity supply plan announced by the Korean government. However, Fukushima disaster due to 9.0 magnitude earthquake followed by the tsunami has raised deep concerns on the security of the nuclear power plants. The policy makers of the country are much interested in analyzing the cost structure of the power supply in the case that the nuclear is diminished from the current supply portion. This research uses a stochastic model that aims to evaluate the long-term power supply plan and provides an extensive cost analysis on the changes of the nuclear power supply. To evaluate a power supply plan, the research develops a few plausible energy mix scenarios by changing the installed capacities of energy sources from the long-term electricity supply plan. The analyses show that the nuclear is still the most attractive energy source since its fuel cost is very much stable compared to the other sources. Also the results demonstrate that a large amount of financial expenditure is additionally required every year if Koreans agree on the reduction of nuclear to increase national security against a nuclear disaster.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.421-433
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• 2021

The present multidisciplinary study, which is a nexus of engineering and political science, investigates how the modernization of Non-Strategic Nuclear Weapons (NSNWs) affects the IAEA safeguards system based on the likelihood of the use of nuclear weapons. To this end, this study examines the characteristics of modernized NSNWs using Monte Carlo techniques. The results thus obtained show that 10 kt NSNWs with a Circular Error Probability (CEP) of 10 m can destroy the target as effectively as a 500 kt weapon with a CEP of 100 m. The IAEA safeguards system shows that the Significant Quantity (SQ) of 1 of plutonium is 8 kg, a parameter that was established when strategic nuclear weapons were dominant. However, the results of this study indicate that in recent years, low-yield nuclear weapons such as NSNWs have been more strategically interesting than strategic nuclear weapons as NSNWs require less plutonium than strategic nuclear weapons. Therefore, we would like to conclude that reducing the SQ of plutonium can result in more robust safeguards and non-proliferation strategies.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제49권5호
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• pp.953-967
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• 2017

In this paper, a complete station blackout (SBO) or complete loss of electrical power supplies is simulated and analyzed in a downward cooling 5-MW pool-type Material Testing Reactor (MTR). The scenario is traced in the absence of active cooling systems and operators. The code nodalization is successfully benchmarked against experimental data of the reactor's operating parameters. The passive heat removal system includes downward water cooling after pump breakdown by the force of gravity (where the coolant streams down to the unfilled portion of the holdup tank), safety flapper opening, flow reversal from a downward to an upward cooling direction, and then the upward free convection heat removal throughout the flapper safety valve, lower plenum, and fuel assemblies. Both short-term and long-term natural core cooling conditions are simulated and investigated using the RELAP5 code. Short-term analyses focus on the safety flapper valve operation and flow reversal mode. Long-term analyses include simulation of both complete SBO and long-term operation of the free convection mode. Results are promising for pool-type MTRs because this allows operators to investigate RELAP code abilities for MTR thermal-hydraulic simulations without any oscillation; moreover, the Tehran Research Reactor is conservatively safe against the complete SBO and long-term free convection operation.