• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.297-306
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• 2011

In this paper, we performed thermodynamic energy balance analysis of the underground lined rock cavern for compressed air energy storage (CAES) using the results of multi-phase heat flow analysis to simulate complex groundwater-compressed air flow around the cavern as well as heat transfer to concrete linings and surrounding rock mass. Our energy balance analysis demonstrated that the energy loss for a daily compression and decompression cycle predominantly depends on the energy loss by heat conduction to the concrete linings and surrounding rock mass for a sufficiently air-tight system with low permeability of the concrete linings. Overall energy efficiency of the underground lined rock caverns for CAES was sensitive to air injection temperature, and the energy loss by heat conduction can be minimized by keeping the air injection temperature closer to the ambient temperature of the surroundings. In such a case, almost all the heat loss during compression phase was gained back in a subsequent decompression phase. Meanwhile, the influence of heat conductivity of the concrete linings to energy efficiency was negligible.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.287-296
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• 2011

We performed a numerical modeling study of thermodynamic and multiphase fluid flow processes associated with underground compressed air energy storage (CAES) in a lined rock cavern (LRC). We investigated air tightness performance by calculating air leakage rate of the underground storage cavern with concrete linings at a comparatively shallow depth of 100 m. Our air-mass balance analysis showed that the key parameter to assure the long-term air tightness of such a system was the permeability of both concrete linings and surrounding rock mass. It was noted that concrete linings with a permeability of less than $1.0{\times}10^{-18}\;m^2$ would result in an acceptable air leakage rate of less than 1% with the operational pressure range between 5 and 8 MPa. We also found that air leakage could be effectively prevented and the air tightness performance of underground lined rock cavern is enhanced if the concrete lining is kept at a higher moisture content.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.394-405
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• 2011

In this paper, we applied coupled non-isothermal, multiphase fluid flow and geomechanical numerical modeling using TOUGH-FLAC coupled analysis to study the complex thermodynamic and geomechanical performance of underground lined rock caverns (LRC) for compressed air energy storage (CAES). Mechanical stress in concrete linings as well as pressure and temperature within a storage cavern were examined during initial and long-term operation of the storage cavern for CAES. Our geomechanical analysis showed that effective stresses could decrease due to air penetration pressure, and tangential tensile stress could develop in the linings as a result of the air pressure exerted on the inner surface of the lining, which would result in tensile fracturing. According to the simulation in which the tensile tangential stresses resulted in radial cracks, increment of linings' permeability and air leakage though the linings, tensile fracturing occurred at the top and at the side wall of the cavern, and the permeability could increase to $5.0{\times}10^{-13}m^2$ from initially prescribed $10{\times}10^{-20}m^2$. However, this air leakage was minor (about 0.02% of the daily air injection rate) and did not significantly impact the overall storage pressure that was kept constant thanks to sufficiently air tight surrounding rocks, which supports the validity of the concrete-lined underground caverns for CAES.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.293-300
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• 2021

In this study, the microstructure and thermal conductivity correlation was investigated for concrete materials used in concrete thermal energy storage (CTES) among real-time energy storage devices. Graphite was used as admixture to increase the thermal conductivity performance of the CTES. Concrete specimens of 10% and 15% substitution of cement by mass with graphite, as well as ordinary portland cement (OPC) specimens were prepared, and the microstructural changes and effects on thermal conductivity were analyzed. Porosities of OPC and concrete with graphite were compared using micro-CT, and the microstructural characteristics were quantified using probability functions. Three-dimensional virtual specimens were constructed for thermal analysis, to confirm the effect of microstructural characteristics on thermal conductivity, and the results were compared with the measured conductivity obtained using the hot-disc method. To identify thermal conductivity of graphite for thermal analysis, solid phase conductivity was inversely determined based on simulation and experimental results, and the effect of graphite on thermal conductivity was analyzed.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.164-173
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• 2011

In the present study, the stability of a compressed air energy storage cavern was numerically assessed by concrete plug shapes in order to investigate the optimal shape of concrete plug. The concrete plugs were cylindrical, embedded cylindrical, tapered, and wedged in shape. The stability assessment was carried out based on factor of safety through a strength reduction method and a volume ratio which refers to the ratio of the volume of yield regions in concrete induced by internal pressure to all concrete volume. The results from the present study indicated that the embedded cylindrical and taper shaped plugs were mechanically more stable than the cylindrical and wedge shaped plugs. However, from a comparison of stress distributions in rock mass between the embedded cylindrical and taper shaped plugs, the taper shaped plug was found to be more optimal than the embedded cylindrical plug, since the embedded cylindrical plug caused more stress concentration in the interface between the plug and rock mass than the taper shaped plug.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.414-420
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• 2017

The thermal characteristics of concrete fabricated with blast furnace slag were investigated in this paper. Test parameters included water-binder ratio and the content of furnace slag. Experimental program were performed to measure mechanical properties including compressive strength and split tensile strength under high-temperature thermal cycling, and to measure thermal properties including thermal conductivity and specific heat. Test results showed that the residual compressive strength of mixtures with blast furnace slag was greater than that of mixture without blast furnace slag. In addition, thermal conductivity of mixtures with blast furnace slag was greater than that of mixtures without blast furnace slag. It indicates that blast furnace slag was favorable for charging and discharging in thermal energy storage system. Test results of this study would be used to design concrete module system of thermal energy storage.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.434-445
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• 2010

Underground compressed air energy storage (CAES) system in a lined rock cavern is considered one of the promising large-scale energy storage technologies. In this study, permeabilities of concrete lining block and its construction joint, which are the major components of an air tightness system of the undeground CAES, were measured from a model experiment. From the experiment, it was found that intrinsic permeability of construction joint was larger than that of concrete block by the order scale of $10^1{\sim}10^4$, so that it would be very important to control the quality of construction joints in-situ in order to secure air tightness of storage system. And the permeability of construction joint could be decreased as low as that of the concrete block by pasting an acryl-type adhesive on bonding surfaces. Higher degrees of water saturation of the concrete block resulted in the lower permeability, which is more preferable in the viewpoint of air tightness of storage cavern.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.243-260
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• 2018

A literature review on the effects of high temperature and radiation on radiation shielding concrete in Spent Fuel Dry Storage is presented in this study with a focus on concrete degradation. The general threshold is $95^{\circ}C$ for preventing long-term degradation from high temperature, and it is suggested that the temperature gradient should be less than $60^{\circ}C$ to avoid crack generation in concrete structures. The amount of damage depends on the characteristics of the concrete mixture, and increases with the temperature and exposure time. The tensile strength of concrete is more susceptible than the compressive strength to degradation due to high temperature. Nuclear heating from radiation can be neglected under an incident energy flux density of $10^{10}MeV{\cdot}cm^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$. Neutron radiation of >$10^{19}n{\cdot}cm^{-2}$ or an integrated dose of gamma radiation exceeding $10^{10}$ rads can cause a reduction in the compressive and tensile strengths and the elastic moduli. When concrete is highly irradiated, changes in the mechanical properties are primarily caused by variation in water content resulting from high temperature, volume expansion, and crack generation. It is necessary to fully utilize previous research for effective technology development and licensing of a Korean dry storage system. This study can serve as important baseline data for developing domestic technology with regard to concrete casks of an SF (Spent Fuel) dry storage system.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.363-375
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• 2015

This research investigated the effects of diameter and material of energy frame on the impact velocity or strain rate of Strain Energy Frame Impact Machine (SEFIM). The impact speed of SEFIM have been clearly affected by changing the diameter and material of the energy frame. The reduced diameter of the energy frame clearly increased the impact velocity owing to the higher strain at the moment of coupler breakage. And, titanium alloy energy frame produced the fastest speed of impact among three materials including steel, aluminum and titanium alloys because titanium alloy has faster wave velocity than steel. But, aluminium energy frame was broken during impact tests. In addition, the tensile stress versus strain response of high performance fiber reinforced cementitious composites at higher and wider strain rates between 10 and 72 /sec was successfully obtained by using four different energy frames.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Rock Mechanics Conference
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• 2011.09a
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• pp.269-273
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• 2011