• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.297-305
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• 2018

Fuel assembly (FA) bow in pressurized water reactor (PWR) cores is considered to be a complex process with a large number of influencing mechanisms and several unknowns. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses are a common way to assess the predictability of such complex phenomena. To perform such analyses, a structural model of a row of 15 FAs in the reactor core is implemented with the finite-element code ANSYS Mechanical APDL. The distribution of lateral hydraulic forces within the core row is estimated based on a two-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics model with porous media, assuming symmetric or asymmetric core inlet and outlet flow profiles. The influence of the creep rate on the bow amplitude is tested based on different creep models for guide tubes and fuel rods. Different FA initial states are considered: fresh FAs or FAs with higher burnup, which may be initially straight or exhibit an initial bow from previous cycles. The simulation results over one reactor cycle demonstrate that changes in the creep rate and the hydraulic conditions may have a considerable impact on the bow amplitudes and the bow patterns. A good knowledge of the specific creep behavior and the hydraulic conditions is therefore crucial for making reliable predictions.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.91-99
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• 2004

For the Rouse chain composed of infinite number of beads (continuous limit), conformational changes during the creep and creep recovery processes was recently analyzed to reveal the interplay among all Rouse eigenmodes under the constant stress condition (Watanabe and Inoue, Rheol. Acta, 2004). For completeness of the analysis of the Rouse model, this paper analyzes the conformational changes of the discrete Rouse chain having a finite number of beads (N = 3 and 4). The analysis demonstrates that the chain of finite N exhibits the affine deformation on imposition/removal of the stress and this deformation gives the instantaneous component of the recoverable compliance, $J_{R}$(0) = 1/(N-l)v $k_{B}$T with v and $k_{B}$ being the chain number density and Boltzmann constant, respectively. (This component vanishes for N\longrightarrow$\infty$.) For N = 2, it is known that the chain has only one internal eigenmode so that the affinely deformed conformation at the onset of the creep process does not change with time t and $J_{R}$(t) coincides with $J_{R}$(0) at any t (no transient increase of $J_{R}$(t)). However, for N$\geq$3, the chain has N-l eigenmodes (N-l$\geq$2), and this coincidence vanishes. For this case, the chain conformation changes with t to the non-affine conformation under steady flow, and this change is governed by the interplay of the Rouse eigenmodes (under the constant stress condition). This conformational change gives the non-instantaneous increase of $J_{R}$(t) with t, as also noted in the continuous limit (N\longrightarrow$\infty$).X>).TEX>).X>).

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.111 no.1
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• pp.115-124
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• 2022

This study was conducted to obtain basic data that could help prevent damage caused by slow-moving landslides (land-creep). Specifically, the geological, topographic, and physical characteristics of land-creep were analyzed in Jiphyeon-myeon, Jinju-si. The first and second analyzed land-creeps occurred in 1982 and 2019, respectively. The area damaged in the second land-creep was about 11.5-fold larger than that damaged in the first land-creep. The dominant constituent rock in the land-creep area was sedimentary rock, which seems to be weakly resistant to weathering. The areas that collapsed due to land-creep were related to the presence of separated rocks between the bedding plane in the estimated activity surface over the slope direction and the vertically developed joint surface. Thus, surface water and soil debris were introduced through the gaps of separated rocks. Additionally, the areas collapsed due to the combination of the bedding plane and joint surface shale and sandstone showed an onion structure of weathered outcrop from the edge to inner part caused by weathering from ground water. Consequently, core stones were formed. The study area was a typical area of land-creep in a mountain caused by ground water. Land-creep was classified into convex areas of colluvial land-creep. The landslide-risk rating in the study area was classified into three and five classes. The flow of ground water moved to the northeast and coincided with the direction of the collapse. Soil bulk density in the collapsed area was lower than that in ridge area, which was rarely affected by land-creep. Thus, soil bulk density was affected by the soil disturbance in the collapsed area.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2015.11a
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• pp.166-167
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• 2015

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2016.05a
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• pp.48-49
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• 2016

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.479-490
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• 2005

The thermalhydraulic performance of a CANDU-6 reactor loaded with various CANFLEX fuel bundles is evaluated by the NUCIRC code, which is incorporated with recent models of pressure drop and critical heat flux (CHF) predictions based on high-pressure steam-water tests for the CANFLEX bundle as well as a 37-element bundle. The distributions of channel flow rate, channel exit quality, critical channel power (CCP), and critical power ratio (CPR) for the CANFLEX bundles (with natural or recycled uranium fuel) in the CANDU-6 reactor fuel channel are calculated by the code. The effects of axial and radial heat flux on CCP are evaluated by assuming that the recycled uranium fuel (CANFLEX-RU) has the same geometric data as the natural uranium fuel bundle (CANFLEX-NU), but a different power distribution due to different fuel composition and refueling scheme. In addition, the effects of pressure tube creep and bearing-pad height are examined by comparing various results of uncrept, and $3.3\%\;and\;5.1\%$ crept channels loaded with CANFLEX bundles with 1.4 mm or 1.7 mm high bearing-pads with those of the 37-element bundle. The distributions of the channel flow rate and CCP for the CANFLEX-NU or -RU bundle show a typical trend for a CANDU-6 reactor channel, and the CPRs are maintained above at least 1.444 (NU) or 1.455 (RU) in the uncrept channel. The enhanced CHF of the CANFLEX bundle (particularly with 1.7mm height bearing-pads) produces a higher thermal margin and considerably less sensitivity to CCP reduction due to the pressure tube creep than the 37-element bundle. The CCP enhancement due to the raised bearing-pads is estimated to be about $3\%\~5\%$ for the CANFLEX-NU and $2\%\~6\%$ for the CANFLEX-RU bundle, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.565-574
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• 2005

The CANFLEX Mk-V bundle is designed to improve upon the critical heat flux (CHF) characteristics of the CANFLEX Mk-IV bundle. The main difference between these two bundles is an increase in bearing pad height of about 0.3 mm in the CANFLEX Mk-IV bundle. This change in bearing pad height leads to an increase in gap flow at the bottom of the bundle, primarily eliminating the localized narrow-gap effect that limits the CHF of the CANFLEX Mk-IV bundle. The objective of this paper is to examine the effects of bearing pad height and pressure tube creep on the sheath-temperature distribution, dryout power, and dryout location, as observed ken full-scale bundle tests, between CANFLEX Mk-IV and Mk-V bundles In uncrept and crept channels. A comparison of surface-temperature differences between the top and bottom elements of the bundles showed that increasing the bearing pad height has led to a more homogeneous enthalpy distribution in subchannels of the bundle. Initial dryout locations of the CANFLEX Mk-V bundle were mainly observed at the mid-spacer plane of either the $10^{th}$ (about $80\%$) or $11^{th}$ ($20\%$) bundle in the 12-bundle string, as compared to the mid-spacer and downstream-button planes for the CANFLEX Mk-IV bundle. Dryout power and boiling-length-average (BLA) CHF values exhibit consistent trends and little scatter with varying flow conditions for both types of CANFLEX bundles in uncrept and crept channels. An increase in pressure tube creep has led to a reduction in dryout power (about $20\%$ far the $3.3\%$ crept channel and $27\%$ for the $5.1\%$ crept channel as compared to dryout powers for the uncrept channel). Increasing the bearing pad height of the CANFLEX bundle has led to an increase in the dryout power. Overall, the dryout power of the CANFLEX Mk-V bundle is 7 to $10\%$ higher than that of the CANFLEX Mk-IV bundle at the inlet temperature range of interest (i.e., between 243 and $290^{\circ}C$).

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 2001

This study focuses on the energy partition and heat flux distribution in creep-feed grinding. From the measurements of transient grinding temperature in the workpiece which the thermocouple was embedded, the overall energy partition to the workpiece was estimated with moving heat source theory using the developed scalene triangle heat model. The energy partition was calculated as 3.75% in down grinding smaller than 5.3% in up grinding. Also, the scalene triangle heat model was confirmed as the most optional heat model in correspond to the experimental data. Then, the heat flux distribution was calculated from temperature responses. The heat flux is negative behind the grinding zone where fluid was applied. In this experimental result, the total heat flow to the workpiece per unit width obtained by integrating the positive heat flux was 0,7W/mm for down grinding.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.11
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• pp.3723-3740
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• 2021

The harsh conditions in the reactor affect the thermal and mechanical performance of the fuel plate heavily. Some in-pile behaviors, like fission-induced swelling, can cause a large deformation of fuel plate at very high burnup, which may even disturb the flow of coolant. In this research, the emphasis is put on the thermal expansion, fission-induced swelling, interaction layer (IL) growth, creep of the fuel meat, and plasticity of the cladding for the U₃Si₂/Al dispersion fuel plate. A detailed model of the fuel meat swelling is developed. Taking these in-pile behaviors into consideration, the three-dimensional large deformation incremental constitutive relations and stress update algorithms have been developed to study its thermal-mechanical performance under normal conditions using Abaqus. Results have shown that IL can effectively decrease the thermal conductivity of fuel meat. The high Mises stress region mainly locates at the interface between fuel meat and cladding, especially around the side edge of the interface. With irradiation time increasing, the stress in the fuel plate gets larger resulting from the growth of fuel meat swelling but then decreases under the effect of creep deformation. For the cladding, plasticity deformation does not occur within the irradiation time.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.27-33
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• 2007

Rarefied gas flows through two-dimensional micro channels are studied numerically for the performance optimization of a nanomembrane-based Knudsen compressor. The effects of the wall temperature distributions on the thermal transpiration flow patterns are examined. The flow has a pumping effect, and the mass flow rates through the channel are calculated. The results show that a steady one-way flow is induced for a wide range of the Knudsen number. The DSMC(direct simulation Monte Carlo) method with VHS(variable hard sphere) model and NTC(no time counter) techniques has been applied in this work to obtain numerical solutions. A critical element that drives Knudsen compressor Is the thermal transpiration membrane. The membranes are based on aerosol or machined aerogel. The aerogel is modeled as a single micro flow channel.