• Title/Summary/Keyword: UO2

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Atomistic simulations of nanocrystalline U0.5Th0.5O2 solid solution under uniaxial tension

  • Xiao, Hongxing;Wang, Xiaomin;Long, Chongsheng;Tian, Xiaofeng;Wang, Hui
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.49 no.8
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    • pp.1733-1739
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    • 2017
  • Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the uniaxial tensile properties of nanocrystalline $U_{0.5}Th_{0.5}O_2$ solid solution with the Born-Mayer-Huggins potential. The results indicated that the elastic modulus increased linearly with the density relative to a single crystal, but decreased with increasing temperature. The simulated nanocrystalline $U_{0.5}Th_{0.5}O_2$ exhibited a breakdown in the Halle-Petch relation with mean grain size varying from 3.0 nm to 18.0 nm. Moreover, the elastic modulus of $U_{1-y}Th_yO_2$ solid solutions with different content of thorium at 300 K was also studied and the results accorded well with the experimental data available in the literature. In addition, the fracture mode of nanocrystalline $U_{0.5}Th_{0.5}O_2$ was inclined to be ductile because the fracture behavior was preceded by some moderate amount of plastic deformation, which is different from what has been seen earlier in simulations of pure $UO_2$.

Thickness and translucency of opaque shade composite resin for masking effect (배경 색조 차단 목적의 불투명 복합 레진의 두께와 반투명도)

  • Baek, Kyung-Won;Kim, Sung-Joon
    • The Journal of the Korean dental association
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    • v.49 no.4
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    • pp.203-210
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    • 2011
  • The aims of this study were to evaluate the adequate thickness of opaque resins for situations such as an oral black cavity and discolored tooth structure, as well as the translucency of each opaque material at various thicknesses. Six opaque-shade composite resins (Z-350 OA3, Amelogen Universal A2O, Esthet-X A2O, Esthet-X A4O, Charmfil UO and Aelite Universal OA3) were prepared in metal molds with a hole of 8 mm in diameter and various thicknesses (0.5mm, 1.0mm, 1.5mm, 2.0mm, 2.5mm, 3.0 mm and 4.0mm). Four backgrounds (white tile, black tile, C4 shade porcelain and opaque resin itself) were used to determine the translucency parameter (between black and white backgrounds). and to mimic a black oral cavity (between black and opaque resin backgrounds) and a discolored tooth structure (between C4 and opaque resin backgrounds). Color measurements were made by a colorimeter to determine the CIELAB values of each specimen with each background and to calculate the translucency parameter and ${\Delta}E^*$ value difference among the specimens on the backgrounds. The translucency parameter and ${\Delta}E^*$ obtained between black and opaque resin backgrounds decreased in similar pattern as thickness increased. A C4 background was masked by resin thicknesses of 0.5-1.0mm, while a black background required thicknesses of 1.0-2.0mm. Adequate knowledge about differences in the optical character like translucency of the materials used is essential, together with the accumulated experience of the individual clinician.

Occurrence Characteristics and Existing Forms of U-Th Containing Minerals in KAERI Underground Research Tunnel(KURT) Granite (한국원자력연구원 지하처분연구시설(KURT) 화강암의 U-Th 함유광물 산출특성 및 존재형태)

  • Cho, Wan Hyoung;Baik, Min Hoon;Park, Tae-Jin
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.50 no.2
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    • pp.117-128
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    • 2017
  • Occurrence characteristics and existing forms of U-Th containing minerals in KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel) granite are investigated to understand long-term behavior of radionuclides in granite considered as a candidate rock for the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. KURT granite primarily consists of quartz, feldspar and mica. zircon, REE(Rare Earth Element)-containing monazite and bastnaesite are also identified. Besides, secondary minerals such as sericite, microcline and chlorite including quartz vein and calcite vein are observed. These minerals are presumed to be accompanied by a post-hydrothermal process. U-Th containing minerals are mainly observed at the boundaries of quartz, feldspar and mica, mostly less than $30{\mu}m$ in size. Quantitative analysis results using EPMA (Electron Probe Micro-Analyzer) show that 74.2 ~ 96.5% of the U-Th containing minerals consist of $UO_2$ (3.39 ~ 33.19 wt.%), $ThO_2$ (41.61 ~ 50.24 wt.%) and $SiO_2$ (15.43 ~ 18.60 wt.%). Chemical structure of the minerals calculated using EPMA quantitative analysis shows that the U-Th minerals are silicate minerals determined as thorite and uranothorite. The U-Th containing silicate minerals are formed by a magmatic and hydrothermal process. Therefore, KURT granite formed by a magmatic differentiation is accompanied by an alteration and replacement owing to a hydrothermal process. U-Th containing silicate minerals in KURT granite are estimated to be recrystallized by geochemical factors and parameters such as temperature, pressure and pH owing to the hydrothermal process. By repeated dissolution/precipitation during the recrystallization process, U-Th containing silicate minerals such as thorite and uranothorite are formed according to the variation in the concentrated amount of U and Th.

LOCAL BURNUP CHARACTERISTICS OF PWR SPENT NUCLEAR FUELS DISCHARGED FROM YEONGGWANG-2 NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

  • Ha, Yeong-Keong;Kim, Jung-Suck;Jeon, Young-Shin;Han, Sun-Ho;Seo, Hang-Seok;Song, Kyu-Seok
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.42 no.1
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    • pp.79-88
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    • 2010
  • Spent $UO_2$ nuclear fuel discharged from a nuclear power plant (NPP) contains fission products, U, Pu, and other actinides. Due to neutron capture by $^{238}U$ in the rim region and a temperature gradient between the center and the rim of a fuel pellet, a considerable increase in the concentration of fission products, Pu, and other actinides are expected in the pellet periphery of high burnup fuel. The characterization of the radial profiles of the various isotopic concentrations is our main concern. For an analysis, spent nuclear fuels originating from the Yeonggwang-2 pressurized water reactor (PWR) were chosen as the test specimens. In this work, the distributions of some actinide isotopes were measured from center to rim of the spent fuel specimens by a radiation shielded laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) system. Sampling was performed along the diameter of the specimen by reducing the sampling intervals from 500 ${\mu}m$ in the center to 100 ${\mu}m$ in the pellet periphery region. It was observed that the isotopic concentration ratios for minor actinides in the center of the specimen remain almost constant and increase near the pellet periphery due to the rim effect apart from the $^{236}U$ to $^{235}U$ ratio, which remains approximately constant. In addition, the distributions of local burnup were derived from the measured isotope ratios by applying the relationship between burnup and isotopic ratio for plutonium and minor actinides calculated by the ORIGEN2 code.

Electrochemical Decontamination of Metallic Wastes Contaminated with Uranium Compounds (우라늄화합물로 오염된 금속폐기물의 전해제염)

  • 양영미;최왕규;오원진;유승곤
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.11-23
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    • 2003
  • A study on the electrolytic dissolution of SUS-304 and Inconel-600 specimen was carried out in neutral salt electrolyte to evaluate the applicability of electrochemical decontamination process for recycle or self disposal with authorization of large amount of metallic wastes contaminated with uranium compounds generated by dismantling a retired uranium conversion plant in Korea. Although the best electrolytic dissolution performance for the specimens was observed in a Na2s04 electrolyte, a NaNO$_3$ neutral salt electrolyte, in which about 30% for SUS-304 and the same for Inconel-600 in the weight loss was shown in comparison with that in a Na$_2$SO$_4$ solution, was selected as an electrolyte for the electrochemical decontamination of metallic wastes with the consideration on the surface of system components contacted with nitric acid and the compatibility with lagoon wastes generated during the facility operation. The effects of current density, electrolytic dissolution time, and concentration of NaNO$_3$ on the electrolytic dissolution of the specimens were investigated. On the basis of the results obtained through the basic inactive experiments, electrochemical decontamination tests using the specimens contaminated with uranium compounds such as UO$_2$, AUC (ammonium uranyl carbonate) and ADU (ammonium diuranate) taken from an uranium conversion facility were performed in 1M NaNO$_3$ solution with the current density or In mA/$\textrm{cm}^2$. it was verified that the electrochemical decontamination of the metallic wastes contaminated uranium compounds was quite successful in a NaNO$_3$ neutral salt electrolyte by reducing $\alpha$ and $\beta$ radioactivities below the level of self disposal within 10 minutes regardless of the type of contaminants and the degree of contamination.

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Sintering and Characterization of SiC-matrix Composite Including TRISO Particles (TRISO 입자를 포함하는 SiC 복합소결체의 소결 및 특성 평가)

  • Lee, Hyeon-Geun;Kim, Daejong;Park, Ji Yeon;Kim, Weon-Ju
    • Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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    • v.51 no.5
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    • pp.418-423
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    • 2014
  • Fully ceramic micro encapsulated (FCM) nuclear fuel is a concept recently proposed for enhancing the stability of nuclear fuel. FCM nuclear fuel consists of tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles within a SiC matrix. Each TRISO fuel particle is composed of a $UO_2$ kernel and a PyC/SiC/PyC tri-layer which protects the kernel. The SiC ceramic matrix is created by sintering. In this FCM fuel concept, fission products are protected twice, by the TRISO coating layer and by the SiC ceramic. The SiC ceramic has proven attractive for fuel applications owing to its low neutron-absorption cross-section, excellent irradiation resistivity, and high thermal conductivity. In this study, a SiC-matrix composite containing TRISO particles was sintered by hot pressing with $Al_2O_3-Y_2O_3$ additive system. Various sintering conditions were investigated to obtain a relative density greater than 95%. The internal distribution of TRISO particles within the SiC-matrix composite was observed using an x-ray radiograph. The fracture of the TRISO particles was investigated by means of analysis of the cross-section of the SiC-matrix composite.

HEAT TRANSFER ANALYSIS OF CONCRETE STORAGE CASK DEPENDING ON POROUS MEDIA REGION OF SPENT FUEL ASSEMBLY (사용후핵연료 집합체의 다공성 매질 적용영역에 따른 콘크리트 저장용기 열전달 해석)

  • Kim, H.J.;Kang, G.U.
    • Journal of computational fluids engineering
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.33-39
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    • 2016
  • Generally, thermal analysis of spent fuel storage cask has been conducted using the porous media and effective thermal conductivity model to simplify the structural complexity of spent fuel assemblies. As the fuel assembly is composed of two regions; active fuel region corresponding to UO2 pellets and unactive fuel region corresponding to the top and bottom nozzle, the heat transfer performance can be influenced depending on porous media application at these regions. In this study, numerical analysis on concrete storage cask of spent fuel was performed to investigate heat transfer effects for two cases; one was porous media application only to active fuel region(case 1) and the other one was porous media to whole length of fuel assembly(case 2). Using computational fluid dynamics code, the three dimensional, 1/4 symmetry model was constructed. For two cases, maximum temperatures for each component were evaluated below the allowable limits. For the case 1, maximum temperatures for fuel cladding, neutron absorber and baskets inside the canister were slightly higher than those for the case 2. In particular, even though the helium flows with low velocity due to buoyant forces occurred at the top and bottom of unactive fuel region, treating only active fuel region as the porous media was ineffective in respect of the heat removal performance of concrete storage cask, implying a conservative result.

Lithologic and Structural Controls and Geochemistry of Uranium Deposition in the Ogcheon Black-Slate Formation (옥천대(沃川帶) 우라늄광층(鑛層)의 구조규제(構造規制) 및 지구화학적(地球化學的) 특성연구(特性硏究))

  • Lee, Dai Sung;Yun, Suckew;Lee, Jong Hyeog;Kim, Jeong Taeg
    • Economic and Environmental Geology
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    • v.19 no.spc
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    • pp.19-41
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    • 1986
  • Structural, radioactive, petrological, petrochemical, mineralogical and stable isotopic study as well as the review of previous studies of the uranium-bearing slates in the Ogcheon sequence were carried out to examine the lithological and structural controls, and geochemical environment in the uranium deposition in the sequence. And the study was extended to the coal-bearing formation (Jangseong Series-Permian) to compare the geochemical and sedimentologic aspects of uranium chemistry between Ogcheon and Hambaegsan areas. The results obtained are as follows: 1. The uranium mineralization occurs in the carbonaceous black slates of the middle to lower Guryongsan formation and its equivalents in the Ogcheon sequence. In general, two or three uranium-bearing carbonaceous beds are found with about 1 to 1.5km stratigraphic interval and they extend from Chungju to Jinsan for 90km in distance, with intermittent igneous intrusions and structural Jisturbances. Average thickness of the beds ranges from 20 to 1,500m. 2. These carbonaceous slate beds were folded by a strong $F_1$-fold and were refolded by subsequent $F_1$-fold, nearly co-axial with the $F_1$, resulting in a repeated occurrence of similar slate. The carbonaceous beds were swelled in hing zones and were shrinked or thined out in limb by the these foldings. Minor faulting and brecciation of the carbonaceous beds were followed causing metamorphism of these beds and secondary migration and alteration of uranium minerals and their close associations. 3. Uranium-rich zones with high radioactive anomalies are found in Chungju, Deogpyong-Yongyuri, MiwonBoun, Daejeon-Geumsan areas in the range of 500~3,700 cps (corresponds to 0.017~0.087%U). These zones continue along strike of the beds for several tens to a few hundred meters but also discontinue with swelling and pinches at places that should be analogously developed toward underground in their vertical extentions. The drilling surveyings in those area, more than 120 holes, indicate that the depth-frequency to uranium rich bed ranging 40~160 meter is greater. 4. The features that higher radioactive anomalies occur particularly from the carbonaceous beds among the argillaceous lithologic units, are well demonstrated on the cross sections of the lithology and radioactive values of the major uranium deposits in the Ogcheon zone. However, one anomalous radioactive zone is found in a l:ornfels bed in Samgoe, near Daejeon city. This is interpreted as a thermal metamorphic effect by which original uranium contents in the underlying black slate were migrated into the hornfels bed. 5. Principal minerals of the uranium-bearing black slates are quartz, sericite, biotite and chlorite, and as to chemical composition of the black slates, $Al_2O_3$ contents appear to be much lower than the average values by its clarke suggesting that the Changri basin has rather proximal to its source area. 6. The uranium-bearing carbonaceous beds contain minor amounts of phosphorite minerals, pyrite, pyrrhotite and other sulfides but not contain iron oxides. Vanadium. Molybdenum, Barium, Nickel, Zirconium, Lead, Cromium and fixed Carbon, and some other heavy metals appear to be positive by correlative with uranium in their concentrations, suggesting a possibility of their genetic relationships. The estimated pH and Eh of the slate suggests an euxenic marine to organic-rich saline water environment during uranium was deposited in the middle part of Ogcheon zone. 7. The Carboniferous shale of Jangseong Series(Sadong Series) of Permian in Hambaegsan area having low radioactivity and in fluvial to beach deposits is entirely different in geochemical property and depositional environment from the middle part of Ogcheon zone, so-called "Pibanryong-Type Ogcheon Zone". 8. Synthesizing various data obtained by several aspects of research on uranium mineralization in the studied sequence, it is concluded that the processes of uranium deposition were incorporated with rich organic precipitation by which soluble uranyl ions, $U{_2}^{+{+}}$ were organochemically complexed and carried down to the pre-Ogcheon sea bottoms formed in transitional environment, from Red Sea type basin to Black Sea type basin. Decomposition of the organic matter under reducing conditions to hydrogen sulfide, which reduced the $UO{_2}^{+2}$ ions to the insoluble uranium dioxide($UO_2$), on the other side the heavy metals are precipitated as sulfides. 9. The EPMA study on the identification of uraninite and others and the genetic interpretation of uranium bearing slates by isotopic values of this work are given separately by Yun, S. in 1984.

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Prismatic-core advanced high temperature reactor and thermal energy storage coupled system - A preliminary design

  • Alameri, Saeed A.;King, Jeffrey C.;Alkaabi, Ahmed K.;Addad, Yacine
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.52 no.2
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    • pp.248-257
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    • 2020
  • This study presents an initial design for a novel system consisting in a coupled nuclear reactor and a phase change material-based thermal energy storage (TES) component, which acts as a buffer and regulator of heat transfer between the primary and secondary loops. The goal of this concept is to enhance the capacity factor of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the case of high integration of renewable energy sources into the electric grid. Hence, this system could support in elevating the economics of NPPs in current competitive markets, especially with subsidized solar and wind energy sources, and relatively low oil and gas prices. Furthermore, utilizing a prismatic-core advanced high temperature reactor (PAHTR) cooled by a molten salt with a high melting point, have the potential in increasing the system efficiency due to its high operating temperature, and providing the baseline requirements for coupling other process heat applications. The present research studies the neutronics and thermal hydraulics (TH) of the PAHTR as well as TH calculations for the TES which consists of 300 blocks with a total heat storage capacity of 150 MWd. SERPENT Monte Carlo and MCNP5 codes carried out the neutronics analysis of the PAHTR which is sized to have a 5-year refueling cycle and rated power of 300 MWth. The PAHTR has 10 metric tons of heavy metal with 19.75 wt% enriched UO2 TRISO fuel, a hot clean excess reactivity and shutdown margin of $33.70 and -$115.68; respectively, negative temperature feedback coefficients, and an axial flux peaking factor of 1.68. Star-CCM + code predicted the correct convective heat transfer coefficient variations for both the reactor and the storage. TH analysis results show that the flow in the primary loop (in the reactor and TES) remains in the developing mixed convection regime while it reaches a fully developed flow in the secondary loop.

Biological Activities of Sesquiterpene Lactones isolated from Several Compositae Plants Part 1 - Cytotoxicity against Cancer Cell Lines - (수종의 국화과 식물에서 분리한 Sesquiterpene Lactone들의 생리활성(제1보) - 암세포주에 대한 세포독성 -)

  • Jang, Dae-Sik;Park, Ki-Hun;Kim, Hwan-Mook;Hong, Dong-Ho;Chun, Hyo-Kon;Kho, Yung-Hee;Yang, Min-Suk
    • Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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    • v.29 no.3
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    • pp.243-247
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    • 1998
  • A diverse panel of human tumor cell lines and a mouse melanoma cell line (B16-F1) were used for the cytotoxicity test of the nine sesquiterpene lactones with ${\beta}-methylene-{\gamma}-lactone$ group isolated from Hemisteptia lyrata, Chrysanthemum zawadskii and Chrysanthemum boreale. In the cell adhesion inhibitory activity test against B16-F1 mouse melanoma cell, hemistepcin B, cumambrin B, costunolide and tulipinolide were shown significant activities with $IC_{50}$ range of 2.2, 4.1, 0.9 and $0.3\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. In the cytotoxicity test against human tumor cells, the most active compound was costunolide having $IC_{50}$ values of below $0.3\;{\mu}g/ml$ against all the tested cell lines except for UACC62. Cumambrin A, hendelin and costunolide exhibited more strong activity against HCT15 and UO-31 cell lines than a positive control, adriamycin. All tested compounds showed an $IC_{50}$ values of below $5.0\;{\mu}g/ml$ against all the tested cell lines.

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