• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.7
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• pp.615-624
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• 2008

In this paper, the contribution of task types and error types involved in the human-related unplanned reactor trip events that have occurred between 1986 and 2006 in Korean nuclear power plants are analysed in order to establish a strategy for reducing the human-related unplanned reactor trips. Classification systems for the task types, error modes, and cognitive functions are developed or adopted from the currently available taxonomies, and the relevant information is extracted from the event reports or judged on the basis of an event description. According to the analyses from this study, the contributions of the task types are as follows: corrective maintenance (25.7%), planned maintenance (22.8%), planned operation (19.8%), periodic preventive maintenance (14.9%), response to a transient (9.9%), and design/manufacturing/installation (6.9%). According to the analysis of the error modes, error modes such as control failure (22.2%), wrong object (18.5%), omission (14.8%), wrong action (11.1 %), and inadequate (8.3%) take up about 75% of the total unplanned trip events. The analysis of the cognitive functions involved in the events indicated that the planning function had the highest contribution (46.7%) to the human actions leading to unplanned reactor trips. This analysis concludes that in order to significantly reduce human-induced or human-related unplanned reactor trips, an aide system (in support of maintenance personnel) for evaluating possible (negative) impacts of planned actions or erroneous actions as well as an appropriate human error prediction technique, should be developed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.10
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• pp.3732-3753
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• 2023

The Real-time Analysis for Particle-transport and In-situ Detection (RAPID) Code System, developed based on the Multi-stage Response-function Transport (MRT) methodology, enables real-time simulation of nuclear systems such as reactor cores, spent nuclear fuel pools and casks, and sub-critical facilities. This paper presents the application of a novel fission matrix-based burnup methodology to the well-characterized JSI TRIGA Mark II research reactor. This methodology allows for calculation of nuclear fuel depletion by combination and interpolation of RAPID's burnup dependent fission matrix (FM) coefficients to take into account core changes due to burnup. The methodology is compared to experimentally validated Serpent-2 Monte Carlo depletion calculations. The results show that the burnup methodology for RAPID (bRAPID) implemented into RAPID is capable of accurately calculating the k_eff burnup changes of the reactor core as the average discrepancies throughout the whole burnup interval are 37 pcm. Furthermore, capability of accurately describing 3D fission source distribution changes with burnup is demonstrated by having less than 1% relative discrepancies compared to Serpent-2. Good agreement is observed for axially and pin-wise dependent fuel burnup and nuclear fuel nuclide composition as a function of burnup. It is demonstrated that bRAPID accurately describes burnup in areas with high gradients of neutron flux (e.g. vicinity of control rods). Observed discrepancies for some isotopes are explained by analyzing the neutron spectrum. This paper presents a powerful depletion calculation tool that is capable of characterization of spent nuclear fuel on the fly while the reactor is in operation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.10
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• pp.3648-3658
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• 2023

The early localization of a fuel subassembly with a failed (wet rupture) fuel pin is very important in reactors to limit the associated radiological and operational consequences. This requires a fast and reliable system for failure detection and their localization in the core. In the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor, the system specially designed for this purpose is Failed Fuel Location Modules (FFLM) housed in the control plug region. It identifies a failed sub-assembly by detecting the presence of delayed neutrons in the sodium from a failed sub-assembly. During the commissioning phase of PFBR, it is mandatory to demonstrate the FFLM effectiveness. The paper highlights the engineering and physics design aspects of FFLM and the integrated simulation towards its function demonstration with a source assembly containing a perforated metallic fuel pin. This test pin mimics a MOX pin of 1 cm² of geometrical defect area. At 10% power and 20% sodium flow rate, the counts rate in the BCCs of FFLM system range from 75 cps to 145 cps depending upon the position of DN source assembly. The model developed for the counts simulation is applicable to both metal and MOX pins with proper values of k-factor and escape coefficient.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.447-456
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• 2018

In this research, the target process was a modified type of a conventional aeration tank with four different influent feeding points and alternated aeration to obtain nitrogen removal. For more accurate switching of influent feeding, the process was operated under a designed control strategy based on monitoring of $NH_4-N$ and $NO_X-N$ concentrations in the tank. However, the strategy did have some limitations. For example, it was not sensitive to detecting the end of each reaction when losing the balance between nitrification and denitrification of each opposite part of biological tank. To overcome the limitations of the existing control strategy, a diagnosis-based control strategy was suggested in this research using the diagnosis results classified as normal (N), ammonia accumulation (AA) and nitrate accumulation (NA). Using the pre-designed rules for control actions, the aeration and volume of the aerated part of the reactor could be increased or decreased at a fixed mode time. In simulations of the suggested diagnosis-based control strategy, the $NH_4-N$ and $NO_X-N$ removal rates in the reactor were maintained at higher levels than those of the existing control strategy.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.7
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• pp.1367-1379
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• 2020

The small modular sodium-cooled fast reactor (SMSFR) is an important component of Generation-IV reactors. The objective of this work is to improve the reactivity control in SMSFR by using innovative systems, including burnable poisons and optimized control rods. SMSFR with MOX fuel usually exhibits high burnup reactivity loss that leads to high excess reactivity and potential fuel melting in control rod withdrawal (CRW) accidents, which becomes an important constraint on the safety and economic efficiency of SMSFR. This work applies two types of burnable poisons in a SMSFR to reduce the excess reactivity. The first one homogenously loads minor actinides in the fuel. The second one combines absorber and moderators in specific assemblies. The influence of burnable poisons on the core characteristics is discussed and integrated into the analysis of CRW accidents. The results show that burnable poisons improve the safety performance of the core in a significant way. Burnable poisons also lessen the demand for the number, absorption ability, and insertion depth of control rods. Two optimized control rod designs with rare earth oxides (Eu₂O₃ and Gd₂O₃) and moderators are compared to the conventional design with natural boron carbide (B₄C). The optimized designs show improved neutronic and safety performance.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.52 no.8
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• pp.452-461
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• 2003

The reliability and accuracy of the information on control rod position are very important to the reactor safety and the design of the core protection system. A survey on the RSPT(Reed Switch Position Transmitter) type control rod position indicator system and its actual implementation in the existing nuclear power plants in Korea was performed first. The control rod position indicator having the high performance for SMART was developed on the basis of RSPT technology identified through the survey. The arrangement of permanent magnet and reed switches is the most important procedure in the design of control rod position indicator. The hysteresis of reed switches is one of the important factors in a repeat accuracy of control rod position indicator as well. This paper investigates efficiency of the magnetic flux concentrator and the hysteresis using FEM and verified differences in physicals characteristics by comparing the results of FEM and those of the experiment. As a result, it is shown that the characteristics of prototype control rod position indicator have a good agreement with the results of FEM.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.1254-1266
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• 2024

This study investigates the application of supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO₂) direct-cycle micro modular reactors (MMRs) in primary frequency control (PFC), which is a scenario characterized by significant load fluctuations that has received less attention compared to secondary load-following. Using a modified GAMMA + code and a deep neural network-based turbomachinery off-design model, the authors conducted an analysis to assess the behavior of the reactor core and fluid system under different PFC scenarios. The results indicate that the acceptable range for sudden relative electricity output (REO) fluctuations is approximately 20%p which aligns with the performance of combined-cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) and open-cycle gas turbines (OCGTs). In S-CO₂ direct-cycle MMRs, the control of the core operates passively within the operational range by managing coolant density through inventory control. However, when PFC exceeds 35%p, system control failure is observed, suggesting the need for improved control strategies. These findings affirm the potential of S-CO₂ direct-cycle MMRs in PFC operations, representing an advancement in the management of grid fluctuations while ensuring reliable and carbon-free power generation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.14-20
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• 2012

Full load rejection capability of nuclear power plant depends primarily on steam dump capacity (SDCAP) and steam generator level control capability. Recently, Ulchin Units 1&2 have performed stretched power uprate (SPU) and replacement steam generator (RSG) projects, which increase the power by 4.5 percent. They change major design or operating parameters and especially reduces steam dump capacity at full power due to increase of the steam flow. The reduction of SDC after SPU results in degradation of heat removal capability in full load rejection transients. Therefore, we should perform evaluation to determine whether reactor trips occur in large load rejection transients. Uchin Units 1&2 have experienced full load rejection (FLR) three times from 2004 to 2010. Operating data from the plant occurrence of FLR at Ulchin Units 1&2 showed that steam generator (SG) level transients were limiting in point of reactor trip. However the plant had never reached reactor trip in the FLR and successfully continued in house load operation. The parameters and setpoints for the SG will be changed if the SG is replaced. Therefore, we evaluated the appropriateness of steam dump, main feedwater and steam generator water level control system preventing the plant from reactor trip in case of FLR by the parameter sensitivity study whether SG water level operated smoothly after SPU and RSG projects.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.34-42
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• 2019

In this study, we analyzed the effects of the automatic control system on the reactor operation. The Propyrene Reactor process is complex and typically is inefficient and costly due to the lack of productivity. In this study, a research model was presented with the aim of supplementing obstacles to enhance operational efficiency and increase productivity. The configuration of the existing processes was analyzed to complement the hardware and software systems with original models. The composition of the facility is applied to eight reactor units producing 600,000 ton/year propylene per year. As a result of applying the research model, efficiency of operation was increased, and production volume increased from 90 to 95%, along with 91% Reliability. Future studies will present a research model to improve productivity by 100 percent. In addition, we will study the stability and productivity improvement of PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) systems, which are the hydrogen production process of propylene by-products.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.59-66
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• 2024

This study evaluated the performance of a membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) for nitrogen removal from a high-strength ammonia nitrogen-containing wastewater. The experimental setup consisted of four compartments that are sequentially anaerobic and aerobic to achieve complete nitrogen removal. The last compartment of the reactor setup contained a membrane bioreactor (MBR) to reduce sludge production in the system and to obtain a better-quality effluent. Continuous experiment over a period of 47 days showed that MABR exhibited excellent NH₄⁺-N removal efficiency (99.5%) compared to the control setup without MABR (56.5%). The final effluent NH₄⁺-N concentration obtained in the MABR was 2.99±1.56 mg/L. In contrast to NH₄⁺-N removal, comparable TOC removal values in the MABR and the control reactor (99.2% and 99.3%, respectively) showed that air supply through MABR is much more critical for denitrification than for organic removal. Further study to understand the effect of air supply rate and holding pressure on NH₄⁺-N removal in MABR revealed that an increase in both these parameters positively impacted reactor performance. These parameters are related to oxygen supply to the biofilm formed over the membrane surface, which in turn influenced NH₄⁺-N removal in MABR. Among the two different strategies to control biofilm over the membrane surface, results showed that scouring for a duration of 10 min on a weekly basis, along with mixing air supply, could be an effective method.