• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.151-166
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• 2022

Peltier cells have low efficiency, but they are becoming attractive alternatives for affordable and environmentally clean cooling. In this line, the current article develops closed-form and semianalytical solutions to improve the temperature distribution of Bi₂Te₃ thermoelements. From the distribution, the main objective of the current work-the optimal electric intensity to maximize cooling-is inferred. The general one-dimensional differential coupled equation is integrated for linear and quadratic geometry of thermoelements, under temperature constant properties. For a general shape, a piece-wise solution based on heat flux continuity among virtual layers gives accurate analytical solutions. For variable properties, another piece-wise solution is developed but solved iteratively. Taking advantage of the formulae, the optimal intensity is directly derived with a minimal computational cost; its value will be of utility for more advanced designs. Finally, a parametric study including straight, two linear, barrel, hourglass and vase geometries is presented, drawing conclusions on how the shape of the thermoelement affects the coupled phenomena. A specially developed coupled and non-linear finite element research code is run taking into account all the materials of the cell and using symmetries and repetitions. These accurate results are used to validate the analytical ones.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.269-278
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• 2022

The buffer is a critical barrier component in an engineered barrier system, and its purpose is to prevent potential radionuclides from leaking out from a damaged canister by filling the void in the repository. No experimental parameters exist that can describe the buffer expansion phenomenon when Kyeongju bentonite, which is a buffer candidate material available in Korea, is exposed to groundwater. As conventional experiments to determine these parameters are time consuming and complicated, simple swelling pressure tests, numerical modeling, and machine learning are used in this study to obtain the parameters required to establish a numerical model that can simulate swelling. Swelling tests conducted using Kyeongju bentonite are emulated using the COMSOL Multiphysics numerical analysis tool. Relationships between the swelling phenomenon and mechanical parameters are determined via an artificial neural network. Subsequently, by inputting the swelling tests results into the network, the values for the mechanical parameters of Kyeongju bentonite are obtained. Sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the influential parameters. Results of the numerical analysis based on the identified mechanical parameters are consistent with the experimental values.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.283-294
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• 2023

APro, developed in KAERI for the process-based total system performance assessment (TSPA) of deep geological disposal systems, performs finite element method (FEM)-based multiphysics analysis. In the FEM-based analysis, the mesh element quality influences the numerical solution accuracy, memory requirement, and computation time. Therefore, an appropriate mesh structure should be constructed before the mesh stability analysis to achieve an accurate and efficient process-based TSPA. A generic reference case of DECOVALEX-2023 Task F, which has been proposed for simulating stationary groundwater flow and time-dependent conservative transport of two tracers, was used in this study for mesh stability analysis. The relative differences in tracer concentration varying mesh structures were determined by comparing with the results for the finest mesh structure. For calculation efficiency, the memory requirements and computation time were compared. Based on the mesh stability analysis, an approach based on adaptive mesh refinement was developed to resolve the error in the early stage of the simulation time-period. It was observed that the relative difference in the tracer concentration significantly decreased with high calculation efficiency.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.27-43
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• 2023

This article investigates the energy harvesting characteristics of a magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) cantilever beam reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNT) under transverse vibration. To this end, the well-known lumped parameter model is used to represent the coupled multiphysics problem mathematically. The proposed system consists of the MEE-CNT layer on top and an inactive substrate layer at the bottom. The substrate is considered to be made of either an isotropic or composite material. Basic laws such as Gauss's Law, Newton's Law and Faraday's Law are used to arrive at the governing equations. Surface electrodes across the beam are used to harvest the electric potential produced, together with a wound coil, for the generated magnetic potential. The influence of various distributions of the CNT and its volume fraction, substrate material, length-to-thickness ratio, and thickness ratio of substrate to MEE layer on the energy harvesting behaviour is thoroughly discussed. Further, the effect of external resistances and changes in substrate material on the response is analysed and reported. The article aims to explore smart material-based energy harvesting systems, focusing on their behaviour when reinforced with carbon nanotubes. The results of this study may lead to an improved understanding of the design and analysis of CNT-based smart structures.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.2642-2649
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• 2023

A real-time unmeasured dynamic response prediction process for the nuclear power plant pressure pipeline is proposed and its performance is tested in the test-loop system (KAERI). The aim of the process is to predict unmeasurable or unreachable dynamic responses such as acceleration, velocity, and displacement by using a limited amount of directly measured physical responses. It is achieved by combining a well-constructed finite element model and robust inverse force identification algorithm. The pressure pipeline system is described by using the displacement-pressure vibro-acoustic formulation to consider fully filled liquid effect inside the pipeline structure. A robust multiphysics modal projection technique is employed for the real-time sensor synchronized prediction. The inverse force identification method is also derived and employed by using Bathe's time integration method to identify the full-field responses of the target system from the modal domain computation. To validate the performance of the proposed process, an experimental test is extensively performed on the nuclear power plant pressure pipeline test-loop under operation conditions. The results show that the proposed identification process could well estimate the unmeasured acceleration in both frequency and time domain faster than 32,768 samples per sec.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.2591-2603
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• 2023

Simulating the Corrosion-Related Unidentified Deposit (CRUD) on the surface of fuel assemblies is necessary to predict the axial offset anomaly and the localized corrosion induced by the CRUD during the operation of nuclear power plants. A new CRUD model was developed to predict the formation of the CRUD deposits, considering the deposition and erosion mechanisms. The heat transfer and capillary flow within the CRUD were also considered to evaluate the boiling amount within the CRUD layer. This model predicted a CRUD deposit thickness of 44 ㎛ during a one-cycle operation of the Seabrook nuclear power plant. The CRUD deposition tended to accelerate and decelerate during the simulation, by being related to boiling mechanism on the deposits surface. Additionally, during a three-cycle operation corresponding to the refueling period, the CRUD deposition was saturated at a thickness of 80 ㎛, which was in good agreement with the suggested thickness for CRUD buildupin pressurized water reactors. Surface boiling on the thin CRUD deposits enhanced the acceleration of the deposition, even when the wick boiling properties were not favorable for CRUD deposition. To ensure the certainty of the simulation results, sensitivity analyses were conducted for the porosity, chimney density, and the constants employed in the proposed model of the CRUD.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2022.05a
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• pp.180-180
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• 2022

최근 하천 횡단구조물로 형성된 호소 및 저수지에는 오랜 시간동안 다양한 유기 퇴적물이 유입되고 오염되어 호소환경 및 호소 생태계에 악영향을 미칠 수 있으며, 환경 여건에 따라 메탄과 온실가스를 유발할 수도 있다. 이러한 온실가스를 검출하고 그 원인을 파악하여 감축하는 일련의 기술이 국가적인 온실가스 감축 정책과 맞물려 새로운 이슈로 등장하였다. 일반적으로 메탄가스를 측정하는 실험은 BMP(Biochemical Methane Potential)-Test이며, 수치모의에 비해 BMP-Test는 수심이 깊은 지역이나 유속이 빠른 구역에는 적용이 어려운 한계가 존재한다. 이러한 BMP-Test의 한계점을 보완하는 차원에서 사전검증된 수치모형 COMSOL Multiphysics 소프트웨어를 이용하여 메탄가스 발생기작을 재현 및 도출하고 실내 실험결과와 비교 분석하였다. 첫째, COMSOL Multiphysics가 호소에서 발생하는 메탄가스 발생기작의 재현 타당성을 입증하기 위해 동일한 조건의 인공합성된 유기물을 이용한 실내 실험에서 수행된 BMP-Test와 비교·분석을 수행하였다. 둘째, COMSOL Multiphysics에 TOC(총유기탄소), TP(총 인)에 따른 유기물 조건과 메탄 발생 화학식을 설정하여 온도에 따른 메탄 생성량과 반응상수를 산출하였고, 이를 BMP-Test 결과와 비교하였다. BMP-Test의 비교·분석 결과를 바탕으로 하천 및 호소에서 발생하는 메탄가스 발생에 대한 COMSOL Multiphysics의 활용가능성을 검증하였다. 향후 하천 및 호소로부터의 발생가능한 온실가스 감축 목표를 달성하기 위한 하천 유기물 환경의 평가 또는 최적화 조성에 유사한 검증과정을 거친 COMSOL Multiphysics를 활용할 수 있을 거라 기대된다.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.338-345
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• 2024

Magnetic anomaly signals from the ferromagnetic targets such as ships in the sea are measured by drone-based magnetic anomaly detection. A quantum magnetometer is suspended from the drone by 4 strings. Flight altitude and speed of drone are 100 m and 5 m/s, respectively. We obtain magnetic anomaly signals of few nT from the ships clearly. We analyze the signal characteristics by the ferromagnetic target through simulation using COMSOL multiphysics.

• Journal of computational fluids engineering
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.112-119
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• 2016

NEXTSat-1 is the next-generation small-size artificial satellite system planed by the Satellite Technology Research Center(SatTReC) in Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology(KAIST). For the control of attitude and transition of the orbit, the system has adopted a RHM(Resisto-jet Head Module), which has a very simple geometry with a reasonable efficiency. An axisymmetric model is devised with two coil-resistance heaters using xenon(Xe) gas, and the minimum required specific impulse is 60 seconds under the thrust more than 30 milli-Newton. To design the module, seven basic parameters should be decided: the nozzle shape, the power distribution of heater, the pressure drop of filter, the diameter of nozzle throat, the slant length and the angle of nozzle, and the size of reservoir, etc. After quasi one-dimensional analysis, a theoretical value of specific impulse is calculated, and the optima of parameters are found out from the baseline with a series of multi-physical numerical simulations based on the compressible Navier-Stokes equations for gas and the heat conduction energy equation for solid. A commercial code, COMSOL Multiphysics is used for the computation with a FEM (finite element method) based numerical scheme. The final values of design parameters indicate 5.8% better performance than those of baseline design after the verification with all the tuned parameters. The present method should be effective to reduce the time cost of trial and error in the development of RHM, the thruster of NEXTSat-1.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2020

Air stages are usually applied to precision engineering in sectors such as the semiconductor industry owing to their excellent performance and extremely low friction. Since the productivity of a semiconductor depends on the acceleration and deceleration performance of the air stage, many attempts have been made to improve the speed of the stage. Even during sudden start or stop sequences, the stage should maintain an air film to avoid direct contact between pad and the rail. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively predict the dynamic behavior of the air stage when acceleration and deceleration occur. The air stage is composed of two parts; the stage and the guide-way. The stage transports objects to the guideway, which is supported by an externally pressurized gas bearing. In this study, we use COMSOL Multiphysics to calculate the pressure of the air film between the stage and the guide-way and solve the two-degree-of-freedom equations of motion of the stage. Based on the specified velocity conditions such as the acceleration time and the maximum velocity of stage, we calculate the eccentricity and tilting angle of the stage. The result shows that the stiffness and damping of the gas bearing have non-linear characteristics. Hence, we should consider the operating conditions in the design process of an air stage system because the dynamic behavior of the stage becomes unstable depending on the maximum velocity and the acceleration time.