• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.12
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• pp.4491-4503
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• 2023

This study aimed to verify and validate the transient simulation capability of the hybrid code system RAST-F for fast reactor analysis. For this purpose, control rod (CR) drop experiments involving eight separate CRs and six CR groups in the China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR) start-up tests were utilized to simulate the CR drop transient. The RAST-F numerical solution, including the neutron population, time-dependent reactivity, and CR worth, was compared against the measurement values obtained from two out-of-core detectors. Moreover, the time-dependent reactivity and CR worth from RAST-F were verified against the results obtained by the Monte Carlo code Serpent using continuous energy nuclear data. A code-to-code comparison between Serpent and RAST-F showed good agreement in terms of time-dependent reactivity and CR worth. The discrepancy was less than 160 pcm for reactivity and less than 110 pcm for CR worth. RAST-F solution was almost identical to the measurement data in terms of neutron population and reactivity. All the calculated CR worth results agreed with experimental results within two standard deviations of experimental uncertainty for all CRs and CR groups. This work demonstrates that the RAST-F code system can be a potential tool for analyzing time-dependent phenomena in fast reactors.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.12
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• pp.4607-4616
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• 2023

We implement machine learning regression models to predict peak pressures of primary and secondary systems, a major safety concern in Loss Of Condenser Vacuum (LOCV) accident. We selected the Multi-dimensional Analysis of Reactor Safety-KINS standard (MARS-KS) code to analyze the LOCV accident, and the reference plant is the Korean Optimized Power Reactor 1000MWe (OPR1000). eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) is selected as a machine learning tool. The MARS-KS code is used to generate LOCV accident data and the data is applied to train the machine learning model. Hyperparameter optimization is performed using a simulated annealing. The randomly generated combination of initial conditions within the operating range is put into the input of the XGBoost model to predict the peak pressure. These initial conditions that cause peak pressure with MARS-KS generate the results. After such a process, the error between the predicted value and the code output is calculated. Uncertainty about the machine learning model is also calculated to verify the model accuracy. The machine learning model presented in this paper successfully identifies a combination of initial conditions that produce a more conservative peak pressure than the values calculated with existing methodologies.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4102-4111
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• 2023

In order to better perform thermal hydraulic calculation and analysis of supercritical water reactor, based on the experimental data of supercritical water, the model training and predictive analysis of the heat transfer coefficient of supercritical water were carried out by using the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm. The changes in the prediction accuracy of the supercritical water heat transfer coefficient are analyzed by the changes of the regularization penalty parameter C, the slack variable epsilon and the Gaussian kernel function parameter gamma. The predicted value of the SVM model obtained after parameter optimization and the actual experimental test data are analyzed for data verification. The research results show that: the normalization of the data has a great influence on the prediction results. The slack variable has a relatively small influence on the accuracy change range of the predicted heat transfer coefficient. The change of gamma has the greatest impact on the accuracy of the heat transfer coefficient. Compared with the calculation results of traditional empirical formula methods, the trained algorithm model using SVM has smaller average error and standard deviations. Using the SVM trained algorithm model, the heat transfer coefficient of supercritical water can be effectively predicted and analyzed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2024

Wastewater management is increasingly emphasizing economic and environmental sustainability. Traditional methods in sewage treatment plants have significant implications for the environment and the economy due to power and chemical consumption, and sludge generation. To address these challenges, a study was conducted to develop the Intermittent Cycle Extended Aeration System (ICEAS). This approach was implemented as the primary technique in a full-scale wastewater treatment facility, utilizing key operational factors within the standard Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) process. The optimal operational approach, identified in this study, was put into practice at the research facility from January 2020 to December 2022. By implementing management strategies within the biological reactor, it was shown that maintaining and reducing chemical quantities, sludge generation, power consumption, and related costs could yield economic benefits. Moreover, adapting operations to influent characteristics and seasonal conditions allowed for efficient blower operation, reducing unnecessary electricity consumption and ensuring proper dissolved oxygen levels. Despite annual increases in influent flow rate and concentration, this study demonstrated the ability to maintain and reduce sludge production, electricity consumption, and chemical usage. Additionally, systematic responses to emergencies and abnormal situations significantly contributed to economic, technical, and environmental benefits.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.368-372
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• 2016

Background: Methodologies for a series of radiological consequence assessments show a distinctive difference according to the design principles of the original nuclear suppliers and their technical standards to be imposed. This is due to the uncertainties of the accidental source term, radionuclide behavior in the environment, and subsequent radiological dose. Both types of PWR and PHWR are operated in Korea. However, technical standards for evaluating atmospheric dispersion have been enacted based on the U.S. NRC's positions regardless of the reactor types. For this reason, it might cause a controversy between the licensor and licensee of a nuclear power plant. Materials and Methods: It was modelled under the framework of the NRC Regulatory Guide 1.145 for light-water reactors, reflecting the features of heavy-water reactors as specified in the Canadian National Standard and the modelling features in MACCS2, such as atmospheric diffusion coefficient, ground deposition, surface roughness, radioactive plume depletion, and exposure from ground deposition. Results and Discussion: An integrated accident consequence assessment code, ACCESS (Accident Consequence Assessment Code for Evaluating Site Suitability), was developed by taking into account the unique regulatory positions for reactor types under the framework of the current Korean technical standards. Field tracer experiments and hand calculations have been carried out for validation and verification of the models. Conclusion: The modelling approaches of ACCESS and its features are introduced, and its applicative results for a hypothetical accidental scenario are comprehensively discussed. In an applicative study, the predicted results by the light-water reactor assessment model were higher than those by other models in terms of total doses.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.583-592
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• 2011

The radiological characteristics for waste classification were assessed for neutron-activated decommissioning wastes from a CANDU reactor. The MCNP/ORIGEN2 code system was used for the source term analysis. The neutron flux and activation cross-section library for each structural component generated by MCNP simulation were used in the radionuclide buildup calculation in ORIGEN2. The specific activities of the relevant radionuclides in the activated metal waste were compared with the specified limits of the specific activities listed in the Korean standard and 10 CFR 61. The time-average full-core model of Wolsong Unit 1 was used as the neutron source for activation of in-core and ex-core structural components. The approximated levels of the neutron flux and cross-section, irradiated fuel composition, and a geometry simplification revealing good reliability in a previous study were used in the source term calculation as well. The results revealed the radioactivity, decay heat, hazard index, mass, and solid volume for the activated decommissioning waste to be $1.04{\times}10^{16}$ Bq, $2.09{\times}10^3$ W, $5.31{\times}10^{14}\;m^3$-water, $4.69{\times}10^5$ kg, and $7.38{\times}10^1\;m^3$, respectively. According to both Korean and US standards, the activated waste of the pressure tubes, calandria tubes, reactivity devices, and reactivity device supporters was greater than Class C, which should be disposed of in a deep geological disposal repository, whereas the side structural components were classified as low- and intermediate-level waste, which can be disposed of in a land disposal repository. Finally, this study confirmed that, regardless of the cooling time of the waste, 15% of the decommissioning waste cannot be disposed of in a land disposal repository. It is expected that the source terms and waste classification evaluated through this study can be widely used to establish a decommissioning/disposal strategy and fuel cycle analysis for CANDU reactors.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.423-429
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to investigate the optimal condition for the hydrogen-rich gas production and the CO removal by reforming of gliding arc plasma reforming system using biogas. The parametric screening studies were carried out according to changes of steam feed amount, catalyst bed temperature in water gas reactor and catalyst bed temperature, input air flow rate in preferential oxidation reactor. The standard condition is as follows. The steam/carbon ratio, catalyst bed temperature, total gas flow rate, input electric power and biogas composition rate ($CH_4$ : $CO_2$) were fixed 3, $700^{\circ}C$, 16 L/min, 2.4 kW and 6 : 4, respectively. The results are as follow, HTS optimum operating conditions were S/C ratio of 3 and reactor temperature of $500^{\circ}C$. LTS were S/C ratio of 2.9 and temperature of $300^{\circ}C$. Also, PROX I optimum conditions were input air flow rate of 300 mL/min and reactor temperature of $190^{\circ}C$. PROX II were 200 mL/min and $190^{\circ}C$ respectively. After having passed through each reactor, the results were as follows: 55% of $H_{2}$ yield, 0% of CO selectivity, 99% of $CH_4$ conversion rate, 27% of $CO_2$ conversion rate, respectively.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.391-396
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• 2005

This study was conducted to neutralize acid mine drainage (AMD) of Soo and Hambaek mines, located in Kangwon-Do Korea, using $Ca(OH)_2$. When 0.295 g $Ca(OH)_2/L$(AMD) was added to the drainage in a neutralization reactor, pH of liquid in the reactor and the effluent were maintained at 9.5 and 8.4, respectively. The pH met the required effluent standard. With 10~50% of feedback of effulent sludge to the reactor, the pH of neutralized fluid in the reactor remained nearly constant, but $SO{_4}^{-2}$ concentration in the effluent increased adversely compared to the non-return sludge case. With 30% of sludge feedback, it was possible to decrease suspended solids (SS) concentration in the effluent without a problem in Fe concentration. When 100 mL of 0.1 M $BaCl_2$ was added to 1 L of AMD treated with $Ca(OH)_2$, removal efficiency of $SO{_4}^{-2}$ increased to over 90%. Aanalyses of pH, Fe, and $SO{_4}^{-2}$ showed that the optimal results were obtained when pH of neutralizatio reactor and sludge return ratio were maintained at 9.5 and 30%. This can result in possible cost reduction of 31.4% for maintenance and 29.8% for facility construction by alternating $Ca(OH)_2$ to NaOH.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.56-67
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• 1995

This study was carried out to observe how composting reaction proceed in the optimum composting condition and to understand the characteristics of final compost, when swine feces was amended with different bulking material. Sawdust, rice straw, and rice hull were selected as bulking materials and each of these was mixed with swine feces to obtain the optimum range of moisture contents and C:N ratio. To grasp the influence of newspaper on cornposting reaction when it flew into the composting site intentionally or accidentally, another composting reaction using newspaper as a bulking material was studied. In this experiment, raw material mixes containing the same amount of organic materials were put into 4 composting reactors and composted in the same environmental condition for 3 weeks from Aug. 1, 1994 to Aug. 22, 1994. The followings are the main results of this study. 1. The maximum temperatures reached at during cornposting reaction were 53.8$\circ$C, 51.9$\circ$C, 52.7$\circ$C, and 52.1$\circ$C in the reactor using sawdust, rice straw, rice hull, and newspaper as a bulking material respectively: Thermophilic temperatures were maintained for 72, 108, 108, and 111 hours in each reactor. Mean temperatures of reactors using sawdust, rice straw, rice hull, or newspaper as a bulking materials were 39.7$\circ$C, 39.5$\circ$C, 41.3$\circ$C, and 40.3$\circ$C, but no significant difference between these mean temperatures was observed(p>0.05). Each composter showed significant difference from room temperature(p<0.01), and the mean difference between them was 9.4$\circ$C. 2. Ash contents of each reactor increased rapidly in order of rice straw, rice hull, newspaper, and sawdust according to the pattern of second order function. This rate of increase seemed to result from structural characteristics of a bulking material. The absolute values of second order coefficient of these regression functions were 0.0199, 0.0159, 0.0157, and 0.0144 in each reactor using rice straw, rice hull, newspaper, or sawdust as a bulking material. 3. C:N ratio decreased as the reaction proceeded. Degree of decrease was in order of rice straw, rice hull, newspaper, and sawdust. This sequence was consistent with the increase rate of ash content. The ratios of initial C:N ratio to final C:N ratio were 0.45, 0.53, 0.64, and 0.75 in each reactor using rice straw, rice hull, newspaper, and sawdust as a bulking material respectively. From this ratios, it was possible to infer that all the composting reactions were completed. 4. Fertilizer content containing in the final compost was 1.61~2.20% of N, and 0.35~0.54% of P in dry weight base. According to the classification standard for compost constituent by Higgins, all composts had the intermediate grade of N, but below the low grade of P excepting the newspaper amended compost(fall into the range of the low grade). 5. Heavy metal contents contained in the composts were analyzed. In case of Cd, the range of 0.58~1.11 $\mu$g/g was observed, and in case of Pb, the range of 24.76~39.53 $\mu$g/g was observed(in wet weight base). These values are below the permissible heavy metal level for compost of foreign countries.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.381-387
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• 2004

To characterize chemically a spent pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel, an analytical method for trace amounts of tritium ($^3H$) in it has been established. Considering the effective management of radioactive wastes generated through the whole experimental process and the radiological safety for analysts, a separation condition under which $^{14}C$ and $^3H$ can be sequentially recovered from a single fuel sample was optimized using simulated spent PWR fuel dissolved solutions. $^{14}CO_2$ evolved during dissolution of the spent PWR fuels with nitric acid was trapped in an aliquot of 1.5 M NaOH. $^{129}I_2$ which was volatilized along with $^{14}CO_2$ was removed using a silver nitrate-impregnated silica gel absorbent. $^3H$ remaining in the fuel dissolved solution as $^3H_2O$ was selectively recovered by distillation. Its recovery yield was 97.9% with a relative standard deviation of 0.9% (n=3). $^3H$ in a spent PWR fuel with burnup value of 37,000 MWd/MtU was analyzed, reliability of this analytical method being evaluated by standard addition method.