• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제45권7호
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• pp.951-960
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• 2013

Energy group structure has a significant effect on the results of multigroup transport calculations. It is known that $UO_2-PuO_2$ (MOX) is a recently developed fuel which consumes recycled plutonium. For such fuel which contains various resonant nuclides, the selection of energy group structure is more crucial comparing to the $UO_2$ fuels. In this paper, in order to improve the accuracy of the integral results in MOX thermal lattices calculated by WIMSD-5B code, a swarm intelligence method is employed to optimize the energy group structure of WIMS library. In this process, the NJOY code system is used to generate the 69 group cross sections of WIMS code for the specified energy structure. In addition, the multiplication factor and spectral indices are compared against the results of continuous energy MCNP-4C code for evaluating the energy group structure. Calculations performed in four different types of $H_2O$ moderated $UO_2-PuO_2$ (MOX) lattices show that the optimized energy structure obtains more accurate results in comparison with the WIMS original structure.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권5호
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• pp.1013-1021
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• 2020

A combination of simultaneous thermal analysis, evolved gas analysis and non-ambient XRD techniques was used to characterise and investigate the conversion reactions of ammonium uranates into uranium oxides. Two solid phases of the ternary system NH₃ - UO₃ - H₂O were synthesised under specified conditions. Microspheres prepared by the sol-gel method via internal gelation were identified as 3UO₃·2NH₃·4H₂O, whereas the product of a typical ammonium diuranate precipitation reaction was associated to the composition 3UO₃·NH₃·5H₂O. The thermal decomposition profile of both compounds in air feature distinct reaction steps towards the conversion to U₃O₈, owing to the successive release of water and ammonia molecules. Both compounds are converted into α-U₃O₈ above 550 ℃, but the crystallographic transition occurs differently. In compound 3UO₃·NH₃·5H₂O (ADU) the transformation occurs via the crystalline β-UO₃ phase, whereas in compound 3UO₃·2NH₃·4H₂O (microspheres) an amorphous UO₃ intermediate was observed. The new insights obtained on these uranate systems improve the information base for designing and synthesising minor actinide-containing target materials in future applications.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권7호
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• pp.2578-2590
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• 2023

In this work, a 24-month two-batch fuel management strategy for the APR1400 using LEU + has been investigated, where enrichments of 5.9 and 5.2 w/o are utilized in lieu of the conventional 4-5 w/o UO₂ fuel. In addition, an Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) clad based on the swaging technology is applied to APR1400 fuel assemblies. In this special ATF clad design, both outer and inner SS316 layers protect the conventional zircaloy clad. Erbia (Er₂O₃) is introduced as a burnable absorber with two-fold goals to lower the critical boron concentration in the long-cycle LEU + loaded core as well as to handle the LEU + fuel in the existing front-end fuel facilities without renewing the license. Two types of fuel assemblies with different loading of gadolinia (Gd₂O₃) are considered to control both the reactivity and the core radial power distribution. The erbia burnable absorber is uniformly admixed with UO₂ in all fuel pins except for the gadolinia-bearing ones. In this study, two core designs were devised with different erbia loading, and core performance and safety parameters were evaluated for each case in comparison with a core design without any burnable absorbers. The core analysis was done using the two-step method. First, cross-sections are generated by the SERPENT 2 Monte Carlo code, and the 3-D neutronic analysis is performed with an in-house multi-physics nodal code KANT.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.65-73
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• 2013

Temperature-dependent hydrolysis behaviors of aqueous U(VI) species were investigated with time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) in the temperature range from 15 to $75^{\circ}C$. The formation of four different U(VI) hydrolysis species was measured at pHs from 1 to 7. The predominant presence of $UO{_2}^{2+}$, $(UO_2)_2(OH){_2}^{2+}$, $(UO_2)_3(OH){_5}^+$, and $(UO_2)_3(OH){_7}^-$ species were identified based on the spectroscopic properties such as fluorescence wavelengths and fluorescence lifetimes. With an increasing temperature, a remarkable decrement in the fluorescence lifetime for all U(VI) hydrolysis species was observed, representing the dynamic quenching behavior. Furthermore, the increase in the fluorescence intensity of the further hydrolyzed U(VI) species was clearly observed at an elevated temperature, showing stronger hydrolysis reactions with increasing temperatures. The formation constants of the U(VI) hydrolysis species were calculated to be $log\;K{^0}_{2,2}=-4.0{\pm}0.6$ for $(UO_2)_2(OH){_2}^{2+}$, $log\;K{^0}_{3,5}=-15.0{\pm}0.3$ for $(UO_2)_3(OH){_5}^+$, and $log\;K{^0}_{3,7}=-27.7{\pm}0.7$ for $(UO_2)_3(OH){_7}^-$ at $25^{\circ}C$ and I = 0 M. The specific ion interaction theory (SIT) was applied for the extrapolation of the formation constants to infinitely diluted solution. The results of temperature-dependent hydrolysis behavior in terms of the U(VI) fluorescence were compared and validated with those obtained using computational methods (DQUANT and constant enthalpy equation). Both results matched well with each other. The reaction enthalpies and entropies that are vital for the computational methods were determined by a combination of the van't Hoff equation and the Gibbs free energy equation. The temperature-dependent hydrolysis reaction of the U(VI) species indicates the transition of a major U(VI) species by means of geothermal gradient and decay heat from the radioactive isotopes, representing the necessity of deeper consideration in the safety assessment of geologic repository.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.138-147
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• 1982

열중성자로에 플루토늄의 재순환이 실현될 것에 대비하여 이의 해석을 위한 이론적인 기초를 수립하였다. 특히 상업적인 목적으로 플루토늄 재순환이 이루어질 때를 위하여 $UO_2$-PuO$_2$를 핵연료로 하는 균일격자 임계실험로에 대한 분석을 수행하였다. 이 목적을 위하여 GAM과 THERMOS에 이론적인 기초를 두고 $UO_2$-PuO$_2$계통의 해석에 적합한 이론을 가미하여 KARATE라는 이름의 단일세포격자코드를 개발하였다. KARATE에서 산출한 소수군 중성자 단면적과 확산이론 계산코드인 KIDD를 이용하여 임계실험로에 대한 유효증배계수를 계산하였다. 우리가 선정한 41개의 임계실험로에 대하여 유효증배계수의 평균치는 0.9997, 그 표준편차는 0.43%이었다. 이러한 결과는 KARATE/KIDD 전산체제가 $UO_2$-PuO$_2$를 핵연료로 하는 계통의 핵적 특성분석에 아주 유효하게 사용될 수 있다는 사실을 밝혀 준다.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.229-233
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• 2015

파이로프로세싱 전해환원 공정에서 현재 사용 중인 Pt 양극을 대체하기 위한 소재 개발은 매우 중요하다. 이 연구에서는 전기화학 반응시 산소를 발생시키는 전도성 세라믹 양극으로서 TiN의 전기화학적 거동을 알아보았다. UO₂의 전해환원이 일어나는 동안 TiN 양극의 적합성과 안정성에 대한 평가를 진행하였다. LiCl-Li₂O 용융염에서 TiN 양극을 이용하여 UO₂를 전기화학적으로 금속 U로 변환시킬 수 있었다. 반응 도중 TiN의 산화 반응은 관찰되지 않았다. 하지만 TiN 내부에서 공공이 생기는 것을 확인하였으며, 이에 따라 소재 수명에 제한이 있을 것으로 판단된다.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제4권4호
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• pp.335-344
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• 2006

본 연구에서는 Li 환원법에 의한 PWR 사용후핵연료의 금속전환과정을 모사하는 프로그램을 개발하였고 이를 이용하여 Li의 양에 따른 사용후핵연료 산화물의 금속 및 염화물 전환량을 계산하였다. 이 프로그램에서는 Li 환원과정의 화학반응에 관련된 특성치와 열역학데이터를 데이터 베이스화하고 이를 입력 데이터로 사용하여 특정 Li 양에 의한 산화물의 반응결과를 전환률로 계산한다. 개발 프로그램의 성능을 평가한 결과, $Eu_2O_3$와 $Sm_2O_3$를 제외한 나머지 산화물은 기존 코드 결과값과 6 % 이내의 상대오차로 잘 일치하고 각 산화물의 개별반응에서 산화물의 완전 전환에 필요한 Li 양의 계산값도 이론적 계산값과 정확히 일치함을 확인하였다. 또한 검증된 개발 프로그램을 이용하여 산화물별 Li과 금속전환률의 관계를 분석한 결과, 그 중에서 Li이 250 몰로 주어졌을 때 $UO_2$의 83.73%는 U로 전환된 반면 나머지는 산화물로 잔존하였고, 100% U로 전환시키는데 필요한 Li의 양은 297 몰로 나타났다.

• 한국자원리싸이클링학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국자원리싸이클링학회 2003년도 추계정기총회 및 국제심포지엄
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• pp.206-210
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• 2003

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.273-282
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• 2012

A new effective methodology for optimizing the enrichment of low-enriched zones as well as gadolinia fuel ($UO_2/Gd_2O_3$) rod designs in PLUS7 fuel assemblies was developed to minimize the maximum peak power in the core and to maximize the cycle lifetime. An automated link code was developed to integrate the genetic algorithm (GA) and the core design code package of ALPHA/PHOENIX-P/ANC and to generate and evaluate the candidates to be optimized efficiently through the integrated code package. This study introduces an optimization technique for the optimization of gadolinia fuel rod designs in order to effectively reduce the peak powers for a few hot assemblies simultaneously during the cycle. Coupled with the gadolinia optimization, the optimum enrichments were determined using the same automated code package. Applying this technique to the reference core of Ulchin Unit 4 Cycle 11, the gadolinia fuel rods in each hot assembly were optimized to different numbers and positions from their original designs, and the maximum peak power was decreased by 2.5%, while the independent optimization technique showed a decrease of 1.6% for the same fuel assembly. The lower enrichments at the fuel rods adjacent to the corner gap (CG), guide tube (GT), and instrumentation tube (IT) were optimized from the current 4.1, 4.1, 4.1 w/o to 4.65, 4.2, 4.2 w/o. The increase in the cycle lifetime achieved through this methodology was 5 effective full-power days (EFPD) on an ideal equilibrium cycle basis while keeping the peak power as low as 2.3% compared with the original design.

• 한국재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국재료학회 2006년도 추계학술발표대회 및 제11회 신소재 심포지엄
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• pp.35.1-35.1
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• 2006