• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.120-127
• /
• 2008

The constant velocity joint(CVJ) used for transmitting torque to the front wheels is an important part in automotive drive system. There are several types of constant velocity joints. Typically, they are classified by fixed and plunging constant velocity joints. The axial force generated in plunging constant velocity joints influences significantly the noise, vibration and harshness. For heaps of time, many constant velocity joint markers have been studying and developing a valid method to reduce the axial force and extensive tests have been carried out on rigs. This paper presents the analysis method to predict the axial force of a double offset constant velocity joint(DOJ), a kind of plunging constant velocity joint, and the influence of ball-cage dimension tolerance on the axial force.

• Computational Structural Engineering
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.159-171
• /
• 1995

The parameters describing a complete hysteresis loop include pinch force, drift offset, effective stiffness, unloading and reloading trangential stiffness. Analytical equations proposed to quantify the nonlinear, inelastic behavior of reinforced shear walls can be used to predict these parameters as a function of axial load and drift ratio. For example, drift offset, effective stiffness, and first and second unloading and reloading tangential stiffness are calculated using equations obtained from test data for a desired drift ratio or ductility level. Pinch force can also be estimated for a given drift ratio and axial load. The effective virgin stiffness at the first yield and its post yield reduction can be estimated. The load deflection response of flexural reinforced concrete shear walls can now be estimated based on the effective wall stiffness that is a function of axial force and drift ratio.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.5
• /
• pp.1579-1587
• /
• 2022

The effects of hydride amount (20-850 wppm), orientation (circumferential and radial), and temperature (room temperature, 100 ℃, 200 ℃) on the axial mechanical properties of Zircaloy-4 cladding were comprehensively examined. The fraction of radial hydride fraction in the cladding was quantified using PROPHET, an in-house radial hydride fraction analysis code. Uniaxial tensile tests (UTTs) were conducted at various temperatures to obtain the axial mechanical properties. Hydride orientation has a limited effect on the axial mechanical behavior of hydrided Zircaloy-4 cladding. Ultimate tensile stress (UTS) and associated uniform elongation demonstrated limited sensitivity to hydride content under UTT. Statistical uncertainty of UTS was found small, supporting the deterministic approach for the load-failure analysis of hydrided Zircaloy-4 cladding. These properties notably decrease with increasing temperature in the tested range. The dependence of yield strength on hydrogen content differed from temperature to temperature. The ductility-related parameters, such as total elongation, strain energy density (SED), and offset strain decrease with increasing hydride contents. The abrupt loss of ductility in UTT was found at ~700 wppm. Demonstrating a strong correlation between total elongation and offset strain, SED can be used as a comprehensive measure of ductility of hydrided zirconium alloy.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.47 no.7
• /
• pp.838-848
• /
• 2015

One of the most important operations in nuclear power plants is load following, in which an imbalance of axial power distribution induces xenon oscillations. These oscillations must be maintained within acceptable limits otherwise the nuclear power plant could become unstable. Therefore, bounded xenon oscillation is considered to be a constraint for the load following operation. In this paper, the design of a sliding mode control (SMC), which is a robust nonlinear controller, is presented.SMCis ameansto control pressurized water nuclear reactor (PWR) power for the load following operation problem in a way that ensures xenon oscillations are kept bounded within acceptable limits. The proposed controller uses constant axial offset (AO) strategy to ensure xenon oscillations remain bounded. The constant AO is a robust state constraint for the load following problem. The reactor core is simulated based on the two-point nuclear reactor model with a three delayed neutron groups. The stability analysis is given by means of the Lyapunov approach, thus the control system is guaranteed to be stable within a large range. The employed method is easy to implement in practical applications and moreover, the SMC exhibits the desired dynamic properties during the entire output-tracking process independent of perturbations. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller in terms of performance, robustness, and stability. Results show that the proposed controller for the load following operation is so effective that the xenon oscillations are kept bounded in the given region.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.294-301
• /
• 1989

The Axial Power Distribution Monitoring System(APDMS) program was developed to calculate a detailed axial power distribution using two-level excore detector, cold leg temperature and control rod position signals. The unnormalized two-level excore detector signals were corrected for the rod shadowing factor determined by control rod position and for the temperature shadowing factor calculated based on cold leg temperature. A shape annealing matrix was then applied to the corrected excore detector response to yield peripheral power. After the core average power was obtained using linear relationship bet-ween core average and peripheral power, the boundary point power correction coefficient was applied to core average power in order to obtain boundary power for both upper and lower core axial boundaries. Then, the axial power distribution was synthesized by spline approximation. In spite of burnup, power level, control rod postion and axial offset changes, the comparisons of axial power distributions between BOXER simulation program and APDMS results showed good agreements within 5% root mean square error for Kori Unit 3 Cycle 4.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.97-106
• /
• 2018

Improved load-following capability is one of the most important technical tasks of a pressurized water reactor. Controlling the nuclear reactor core during load-following operation leads to some difficulties. These difficulties mainly arise from nuclear reactor core limitations in local power peaking: the core is subjected to sharp and large variation of local power density during transients. Axial offset (AO) is the parameter usually used to represent the core power peaking. One of the important local power peaking components in nuclear reactors is axial power peaking, which continuously changes. The main challenge of nuclear reactor control during load-following operation is to maintain the AO within acceptable limits, at a certain reference target value. This article proposes a new robust approach to AO control of pressurized water reactors during load-following operation. This method uses robust feedback-linearization control based on the multipoint kinetics reactor model (neutronic and thermal-hydraulic). In this model, the reactor core is divided into four nodes along the reactor axis. Simulation results show that this method improves the reactor load-following capability in the presence of parameter uncertainty and disturbances and can use optimum control rod groups to maneuver with variable overlapping.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.141-147
• /
• 2017

Mechanical shim is an advanced technology for reactor power and axial offset control with control rod assemblies. To address the adverse accuracy impact on the ex-core power range neutron flux measurements-based axial offset control resulting from the variable positions of control rod assemblies, the lead-lag-compensated in-core self-powered vanadium detector signals are utilized. The prompt ${\gamma}$ current of self-powered detector is ignored normally due to its weakness compared with the delayed ${\beta}$ current, although it promptly reflects the flux change of the core. Based on the features of the prompt ${\gamma}$ current, a method for configuration of the lead-lag dynamic compensator is proposed. The simulations indicate that the method can improve dynamic response significantly with negligible adverse effects on the steady response. The robustness of the design implies that the method is of great value for engineering applications.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.53 no.6
• /
• pp.331-336
• /
• 2013

Objective : The offset connector can allow medial and lateral variability and facilitate intralaminar screw incorporation into the construct. The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical characteristics of C7 intralaminar screw constructs with and without offset connector using a three dimensional finite element model of a C6-7 cervical spine segment. Methods : Finite element models representing C7 intralaminar screw constructs with and without the offset connector were developed. Range of motion (ROM) and maximum von Mises stresses in the vertebra for the two techniques were compared under pure moments in flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial rotation. Results : ROM for intralaminar screw construct with offset connector was less than the construct without the offset connector in the three principal directions. The maximum von Misses stress was observed in the C7 vertebra around the pedicle in both constructs. Maximum von Mises stress in the construct without offset connector was found to be 12-30% higher than the corresponding stresses in the construct with offset connector in the three principal directions. Conclusion : This study demonstrated that the intralaminar screw fixation with offset connector is better than the construct without offset connector in terms of biomechanical stability. Construct with the offset connector reduces the ROM of C6-7 segment more significantly compared to the construct without the offset connector and causes lower stresses around the C7 pedicle-vertebral body complex.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.111-122
• /
• 2020

In most cases in urban areas, construction of divergence tunnel should take into account proximity to existing tunnel in operation. This inevitably leads to deformation of adjacent structures and surrounding ground. Preceding researches mainly dealt with reinforcing of the diverging section for the stability including the pillar. This has limitations in investigating the interactive effects between existing structures and surrounding ground due to the excavation of the divergence tunnel. In this study, the complex interactive behavior of pile, the operating tunnel, and the surrounding ground according to horizontal offsets between the two adjacent tunnels was quantitatively analyzed based on conditions diverged from operating tunnel in urban areas. The effects on ground structures confirmed by analyzing the ground surface settlements, pile settlements, and the axial forces of the pile. The axial forces of lining in operating tunnel investigated to estimate their impact on existing tunnel. In addition, in order to identify the deformation of the surrounding ground, the close range photogrammetry applied to the laboratory model test for confirming the underground displacements. Two-dimensional finite element numerical analysis was also performed and compared with the results. It identified that the impact of excavating a divergence tunnel decreased as the horizontal offset increased. In particular, when the horizontal offset was larger than 1.0D (D is the diameter of operating tunnel), the impact on existing structures further reduced and the deformation of surrounding ground was concentrated at the top of the divergence tunnel.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.7
• /
• pp.2756-2766
• /
• 2024

Small rod-controlled pressurized water reactors (PWR) are the ideal energy source for vessel propulsion, benefiting from their high reactivity control efficiency. Since the control rods (CRs) increase the complexity of reactivity control, this paper seeks to study the performance of CRs in small rod-controlled PWRs to extend the lifetime and reduce power offset due to CRs. This study investigates CR grouping, move-in/out strategies, and axially non-uniform design effects on core neutron physics metrics. These metrics include axial offset (AO), core lifetime (CL), fuel utilization (FU), and radial power peaking factor (R-PPF). To simulate the movement of the CRs, a "Critical-CR-burnup" function was developed in OpenMC. In CR designs, the CRs are grouped into three banks to study the simultaneous and prioritized move-in/out strategies. The results show CL extension from 590 effective full power days (EFPDs) to 638-698 EFPDs. A lower-worth prioritized strategy minimizes AO and the extremum values decrease from -0.69 and + 0.81 to -0.28 and + 0.51. Although an axially non-uniform CR design can improve AO at the beginning of cycle (BOC), considering the overall CR worth change is crucial, as a significant decrease can adversely impact axial power distribution during the middle of cycle (MOC).