A PHE (Process Heat Exchanger) in a nuclear hydrogen system is a key component required to transfer heat energy of $950^{\circ}C$ generated in a VHTR (Very High Temperature gas cooled Reactor) to the chemical reaction that yields a large quantity of hydrogen. A small-scale PHE prototype made of Hastelloy-X is being tested in a small-scale gas loop at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. Previous research on the high-temperature structural analysis of the small-scale PHE prototype had been performed only using parent material properties. In this study, high-temperature structural analysis using weld properties in weld zone was performed and the analysis results compared with the previous research.

A spacer grid which is one of the most important structural components in a pressurized water reactor fuel is an interconnected array of slotted grid straps, welded at the intersections to form an egg-crate structure. The spacer grid is required to not only protect fuel rods stably but also have sufficient lateral crush strength for the sake of enabling shut-down of the nuclear reactor during abnormal operating environments. Then, the lateral crush strength of the spacer grid is closely related with welding quality of the spacer grid. Previous research on the crush strength analysis of the spacer grid had been performed using only parent material properties. In this study, to investigate the effect on the crush strength of the spacer grid when used mechanical properties in weld zone instead of parent material properties, crush strength analysis considering mechanical properties in weld zone obtained from the instrumented indentation technique was performed and compared the results with the previous research.

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.

Functional Equipment Group(FEG) of Nuclear Power Plant(NPP) is the bundling of multiple equipment subcomponents around a major equipment with a common system isolation characteristic or out-of-service consideration. The main purpose of FEG is to reduce out-of-service time to enhance maintenance effectiveness. KHNP(Korea hydro & Nuclear Power Co.) needs to develop these FEGs to successfully perform On-line Maintenance(OLM) which will be expected to institute in the future. Recently, there has been growing interest in OLM in KHNP. The aim of this paper is to suggest the way of FEG development and to build the FEG of MCR(Main Control Room) HVAC(Heat, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system. The results of this study might be make good use of OLM and be helpful for equipment maintenance for MCR HVAC system.

The systems of the nuclear power plant are designed based on the User Requirement Document, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP) implements preventive maintenance activities to keep the specific design function of the system consistently. To monitor the preventive maintenance effectiveness, KHNP has also developed maintenance effectiveness monitoring (MR) program based on NUMARC 93-01 since 2003, and has implemented the program in all operating plants. Recently, KHNP has upgraded MR programs by reflecting implementing experiences ; reestablishing the performance monitoring level, improving analysis for standby function and performance criteria for passive components, reestablishing the availability performance criteria and the performance criteria for the same type of components. These upgraded MR programs will contribute to enhance safety and improve equipment reliability through monitoring maintenance effectiveness.

The component cooling water heat exchangers are critical components in a nuclear power plant. As the operation years of the heat exchanger go by, the maintenance costs required for continuous operation also increase. Most heat exchangers have carbon steel shells, tube support plates and flow baffles. The titanium tube is susceptible to flow induced vibration. The damage on carbon steel tube support rod and titanium tube around cooling water entrance area is inevitable. Therefore, analysis of internal flow around the component cooling water entrance and tube channel is a good opportunity to seek for failure prevention practice and maintenance method. The numerical study was carried out by FLUENT code to find out the causes of tube failure and its location.

The containment local leakage rate testing in nuclear power plants is performed in accordance with ANSI/ANS 56.8-1994 in Korea. Two methods, the make-up flow rate and the pressure decay, are used for local leakage rate testing. Though ANSI/ANS 56.8-1994 does not define clearly the minimum test duration for the make-up flow rate method, it requires obtaining the data after reaching the stable condition. Thus the prerequisite stable condition for data acquisition and the testing time is differently applied to each NPPs. Therefore, this study presents a standardized test procedure for data stabilization and testing time through experiments to improve the test reliability.