• 한국세라믹학회지
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• 제37권7호
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• pp.660-664
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• 2000

Effect of various kinds of additive such as AlOOH, Al(OH)3, Al2Si2O5(OH)4, Nb2O5, TiO2 and MgO on the properties and microstructures of UO2 pellet has been examined. All the tested dopants had played a role to reduce sintered density and open porosity. It was revealed that the addition of TiO2 made pellet more stable thermally. UO2 pellet doped with 0.2wt% TiO2 was swelled rather than densified after annealing for 24 hrs at 1$700^{\circ}C$. It was attributed to large pore with spherical shape. Titinia and silicon coexisted with Al element were more effective to increase grain size than other additives. It could be also revealed that the formation of liquid phase was the main cause of grain growth.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.343-353
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• 2017

KAERI의 PRIDE 시설에서 공학규모의 전해환원용 원료물질인 $UO_2$ 다공성펠렛 제조를 위해 공정과 장치를 최적화시킨 내용을 다루었다. $UO_2$ 분말과 별도로 attrition 밀링된 대용산화물 분말을 출발분말로, 정밀 칭량을 통해 사용후핵연료 조성을 모사하였다(Simfuel). Simfuel 분말은 각각 tumbling mixer로 혼합하여 균질화 하고, rotary press로 성형하여 furnace를 이용해 소결하였다. $4%\;H_2-Ar$ 분위기에서 $1450^{\circ}C$ 24시간 고온 열처리하여 제조된 소결펠렛은 $6.89g{\cdot}cm^{-3}$의 벌크밀도를 가지며 이는 후속 전해환원 공정의 요구에 부합한다. 소결된 다공성펠렛의 미세구조 관찰을 통해 다공성 기지상과 함께 산화/금속 석출물이 관찰되어 사용후핵연료의 상이 모사됨을 확인하였다. 본 결과는 향후 공학규모 이상의 파이로 연구를 위한 $UO_2$ 다공성펠렛 제조에 중요한 기초자료로 활용 될 것이다.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1996년도 춘계학술발표회논문집(3)
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• pp.470-475
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• 1996

사용후핵연료 장기 건식저장시 여러가지 저장조건에서 사용후핵연료 피복관 및 사용후핵연료 ($UO_2$)에 대한 장기 건전성을 종합적으로 평가할 수 있는 SIECO 코드를 개발하였다. 건식저장 시스템은 사용후핵연료를 헬륨 및 공기분위기하에서 TN-24P 건식 저장용기에 장기 저장할 경우로 하였으며 피복관의 최대 표면온도는 COBRA-SFS코드를 사용하여 계산하였고, 열유동 해석결과를 바탕으로 SIECO코드를 이용하여 핵연료 연소도 및 냉각기간, 냉각매체에 따른 최대 건식저장 허용온도를 피복관의 열화 및 $UO_2$ 산화의 관점에서 계산하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권6호
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• pp.1099-1109
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• 2020

The performance of gadolinium burnable absorber (GdBA) for reactivity control in UO₂ and (U, Th)O₂ fuels and its impact on spent fuel characteristics was performed. Five fuel assemblies: one without GdBA fuel rod and four each containing 16, 24, 34 and 44 GdBA fuel rods in both fuels were investigated. Reactivity swing in all the FAs with GdBA rods in UO₂ fuel was higher than their counterparts with similar GdBA fuel rods in (U, Th)O₂ fuel. The excess reactivity in all FAs with (U, Th)O₂ fuel was higher than UO₂ fuel. At the end of single discharge burn-up (~ 49.64 GWd/tHM), the excess reactivity of (U, Th) O₂ fuel remained positive (16,000 pcm) while UO₂ fuel shows a negative value (-6,000 pcm), which suggest a longer discharge burn-up in (U, Th)O₂ fuel. The concentration of plutonium isotopes and minor actinides were significantly higher in UO₂ fuel than in (U, Th)O₂ fuel except for ²³⁶Np. However, the concentration of non-actinides (gadolinium and iodine isotopes) except for ¹³⁵Xe were respectively smaller in (U, Th)O₂ fuel than in UO₂ fuel but may be two times higher in (U, Th)O₂ fuel due to its potential longer discharge burn-up.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.458-466
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• 1996

The effects of dopants on the modification of microstructure of UO$_2$ and UO$_2$-4wt%CeO$_2$ sintered pellets have been studied in hydrogen and $CO_2$/CO mixture atmospheres by using $Ta_2O_5$, TiO$_2$ and $Nb_2O_5$ as sintering additives. The dopant were added as oxide powders and homogenized by attrition milling. The mixed powders were pressed, and then sintered in hydrogen at 1$700^{\circ}C$ , or in oxidizing atmosphere using Controlled $CO_2$/CO mixtures at 125$0^{\circ}C$. Both density and microstructure of UO$_2$ are modified by the addition of dopants in reducing atmosphere. The sintered density is increased with $Ta_2O_5$ addition up to 0.33wt% and subsequently decreased with higher content of the additive. The effect on the densification and the gain growth are apparent with the addition of 0.24wt% $Nb_2O_5$. With 0.lwt% titania and 0.6wt% $Ta_2O_5$, the sintered density is decreased, but the grain size is increased. In oxidizing atmosphere, the grain sizes for UO$_2$ doped with the above additives are smaller than that for pure UO$_2$. The grain size of Ta or Nb-doped UO$_2$ is decreased with increasing $CO_2$/CO ratio, but that of pure UO$_2$or T-doped UO$_2$ is increased. A large portion of second phases is observed in UO$_2$ doped with 0.lwt% TiO$_2$ sintered in hydrogen atmosphere, while, in $CO_2$/CO atmospheres, the second phases or dopant agglomerates are not observed. For UO$_2$-4wt%CeO$_2$ mixed oxide, the effect of additives on the gain growth is not so much as that for the pure UO$_2$. This is attributed to the formation of clusters by dopant cations and Ce ions, so that the additives contribute to a lesser exent to the grain growth for the mixed oxide.

• 한국세라믹학회지
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• 제41권8호
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• pp.567-572
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• 2004

The variation of the sintered density and grain size of UO$_2$ as a function of the Li$_2$O amount and sintering atmosphere was observed. Li$_2$O enhanced the grain growth of the UO$_2$ pellet in H$_2$, but rather hindered it in $CO_2$ atmosphere. Grain size of the UO$_2$ and UO$_2$-0.1 wt%Li$_2$O pellets was, respectively, 8 $\mu$m and 100 $\mu$m at 168$0^{\circ}C$ in the H$_2$ atmosphere, and that of each pellet was, respectively, 24 $\mu$m and 17 $\mu$m at the same temperature in the $CO_2$ atmosphere. As-received Li$_2$O powder, which had been composed of Li$_2$O and LiOH, was converted to the Li$_2$CO$_3$ phase after heating to 80$0^{\circ}C$ in $CO_2$. On the other hand, the Li$_2$O and LiOH phases remained unchanged in H$_2$ atmosphere. In the H$_2$, the as-received Li$_2$O powder began to evaporate at about 105$0^{\circ}C$ and then about 20 wt% residue was left at 150$0^{\circ}C$. But, most of the Li elements evaporated at 150$0^{\circ}C$ in the $CO_2$ atmosphere.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.14-24
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• 2003

This work investigates the effects of Cr$_2$O$_3$ and oxygen potential on grain growth and densification of UO$_2$ pellets. Powder mixtures of UO$_2$ and 0.03-0.4wt% Cr$_2$O$_3$ were pressed and sintered in 3 different gas atmospheres: the $H_2O$-to-H$_2$ ratios were 5$\times$10$^{-4}$ , 1$\times$10$^{-2}$ and 3$\times$10$^{-2}$ In the first gas atmosphere the Cr$_2$O$_3$ contents below 0.2 wt% have an insignificant effect on grain size, but the Cr$_2$O$_3$ contents more than 0.3 wt% promote grain growth in the inner zone of a pellet but not in the outer zone. In both the second and third atmospheres, the grain size increases with the Cr$_2$O$_3$ content. With the same level of Cr$_2$O$_3$ content the grain size is larger in the second atmosphere than in the third. Sintering behavior and developed microstructure are discussed in terms of the reduction of C$r^2$O$^3$ to Cr, the dissolution of C$r^2$O$^3$ in UO$_2$, and liquid phase sintering.

• 한국에너지공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국에너지공학회 2002년도 추계 학술발표회 논문집
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• pp.71-79
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• 2002

이중구조 가연성독봉(Duplex BP)의 성능을 평가하기 위해 한국표준형발전소 24개월 주기를 기준으로 16개 Gadolinia 독봉이 장전된 핵연료집합체에 대해 핵적 평가를 수행하였다. 16개 Gd 독봉이 장전된 핵연료집합체와 동일한 반응도 억제가를 갖는 Duplex 독봉집합체를 설계하기 위해 내심에 Natural U-12wt%Gd$_2$O$_3$, 외심에는 4.95wt%$UO_2$-2w/oEr$_2$O$_3$을 넣어 이중 성형한 24개의 이중구조 가연성독봉이 장전된 핵연료집합체를 설계하였다. 또한 같은 방법으로 140개의 Erbia 독봉이 장전된 등가핵연료집합체를 설계하였다. 핵설계 특성평가를 위해 연소도에 따른 무한증배계수, 반응도억제가, 첨두봉출력 그리고 냉각재 온도재수에 대한 변화에 대해서 비교하였다. Duplex 독봉은 Gadolinia 독봉에 비해 k-inf의 2차 첨두현상을 완화시켜 반응도 제어면에서 유리한 것으로 나타났다. 그러나, 다량의 Erbia 독봉을 전체적으로 골고루 장전한 핵연료집합체보다는 Duplex BP를 장전한 핵연료집합체가 노심내 반응도 제어면에서 유리하지 못한 것으로 나타났다.

• Advances in environmental research
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.135-142
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• 2015

In this study, we evaluated the adsorption/desorption of uranium (U) in pure soil environment using continuous column reactor. We additionally investigated the adsorption/desorption mechanism of U on vivianite surface in molecular scale using quantum calculation. We observed that below $0.1{\mu}M$ of U was detected after 20 d from U injection ($1{\mu}M$) in adsorption test. However, all of absorbed U was detached from vivianite surface in 24 h by injection of CARB solution ($1.44{\times}10^{-2}M\;NaHCO_3$ and $2.8{\times}10^{-3}M\;Na_2CO_3$). Based on exchange energy calculation, we found that $UO_2(CO_3)_2{^{2-}}$ and $UO_2(CO_3)_3{^{4-}}$ species have higher repulsive energy than $UO_2(OH)_2$ species. The results obtained from this study could be applied to predict the behavior of uranium in contaminated and remediation sites.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권4호
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• pp.674-680
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• 2020

We used MCNP6 computer code to model HTR-10 core reactor. We used two types of fuel; UO₂ and (Th+Pu)O₂ mixture. We determined the critical height at which the reactor approached criticality in both two cases. The neutronic and burnup parameters were investigated. The results indicated that the core fueled with mixed (Th+Pu)O₂, achieved about 24% higher fuel cycle length than the UO₂ case. It also enhanced safeguard security by burning Pu isotopes. The results were compared with previously published papers and good agreements were found.