• 센서학회지
• /
• 제25권4호
• /
• pp.264-270
• /
• 2016

Self-powered neutron detector (SPND) is a sensor to monitor a neutron flux proportional to a reactor power of the nuclear power plants. Since an SPND is usually installed in the reactor core and does not require additional outside power, it generates electrons itself from interaction between neutrons and a neutron-sensitive material called an emitter, such as rhodium and vanadium. This paper presents the simulations of the depletion sensitivity evaluations based on MCNP models of rhodium and vanadium SPNDs and light water reactor fuel assembly. The evaluations include the detail geometries of the detectors and fuel assembly, and the modeling of rhodium and vanadium emitter depletion using MCNP and ORIGEN-S codes, and the realistic energy spectrum of beta rays using BETA-S code. The results of the simulations show that the lifetime of an SPND can be prolonged by using vanadium SPND than rhodium SPND. Also, the methods presented here can be used to analyze a life-time of those SPNDs using various emitter materials.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제33권2호
• /
• pp.121-131
• /
• 2001

An investigation of the sensitivity depletion laws for rhodium SPNDs was performed to reduce the uncertainty of the sensitivity depletion laws used in Combustion Engineering (CE) reactors and to develop calculational tools that provide the sensitivity depletion laws to interpret the signal of the newly designed rhodium SPND into the local neutron flux. The calculational tools developed in this work are computer programs for a time-dependent neutron flux distribution in the rhodium emitter during depletion and for a time-dependent beta escape probability that a beta particle generated in the emitter escapes into the collector. These programs provide the sensitivity depletion laws and show the reduction of the uncertainty by about 1 % compared to that of the method employed by CE in interpreting the signal into the local neutron flux. A reduction in the uncertainty by 1 % in interpreting the signal into the local neutron flux reduces the uncertainty tv about 1 % in interpreting the signal into the local power and lengthens the lifetime of the rhodium SPND by about 10% or more.

• 센서학회지
• /
• 제25권3호
• /
• pp.229-234
• /
• 2016

Self-powered neutron detector (SPND) is being widely used to monitor the reactor core of the nuclear power plants. The SPND contains a neutron-sensitive metallic emitter surrounded by a ceramic insulator. Currently, the vanadium (V) SPND has been being developed to be used in OPR1000 nuclear power plants. Some Monte Carlo simulations were accomplished to calculate the initial sensitivity of vanadium emitter material and alumina insulator with a cylindrical geometry. An MCNP code was used to simulate some factors (neutron self-shielding factor and beta escape probability from the emitter) and space charge effect of an insulator necessary to calculate the sensitivity of vanadium detector. The simulation results were compared with some theoretical and experimental values. The method presented here can be used to analyze the optimum design of the vanadium SPND and contribute to the development of TMI (Top-mount In-core Instrumentation) which might be used in the SMART and SMR.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국원자력학회 1996년도 춘계학술발표회논문집(4)
• /
• pp.101-106
• /
• 1996

For the application of the neutron flux mapping, an accurate calculation of the sensitivity is required because the sensitivity is proportional to the neutron flux density. Sensitivity is defined as the current per unit length per unit neutron flux and it mainly depends on the depression factor(f), the escape probability from the emitter($\varepsilon$1) and the charge build-up factor of the insulator layer(c). A Monte Carlo simulation was accomplished to calculate the sensitivity of rhodium emitter material and alumina(Al$_2$O$_3$) insulator with a cylindrical geometry, based on the (n,${\beta}$) interaction and on other interaction including the secondary electron generation for the more accurate estimation of the sensitivity. From the simulation results, factors fur the sensitivity were accurately calculated and compared with other theoretical and experimental values. In addition, the sensitivity linearly increases and saturates as the emitter radius increases. The accomplished method is useful in the analysis for the change of SPND sensitivity as a function of burn-up and in the optimum design of SPND.

• 대한전자공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한전자공학회 2006년도 하계종합학술대회
• /
• pp.621-622
• /
• 2006

This paper presents the design of LVDS(Low-Voltage-Differential-Signaling) driver circuit for Gb/s-per-pin operation using BiCMOS process technology. To reduce chip area, LVDS driver's switching devices were replaced with lateral bipolar devices. The designed lateral bipolar transister's common emitter current gain($\beta$) is 20 and device's emitter size is 2*10um. Also the proposed LVDS driver is operated at 2.5V and the maximum data rate is 2.8Gb/s approximately.

• 전자공학회논문지D
• /
• 제35D권8호
• /
• pp.8-14
• /
• 1998

A new process is developed to improve the electrical characteristics of high .beta. and low saturation voltage power transistor for lamp solenoid driver application. To prevent punch-through breakdown, appropriate combination of base doping and base width is necessary in the range of operating voltage of the circuit. The optimum values of base doping and sheet resistance are $Q_{D}$= $1.5{\times}10^{14}$atoms/$\textrm{cm}^2$ and $R_{s}$= 350 $\Omega/\square$ base wodtj $W_{B}$= $2.5{\mu}m$respectively. Under this condition it is possible to control $\beta$ of the transistor to 1500, maintaining $VB_{CBO}$ =200V. To reduce scattered distribution of .beta. of the devices on the wafer, it is necessary to improve emittter predeposition process. As a result, scattered distribution of .beta. of the devices on the wafer was reduced to 1/6 by using the new process. To improve collector to emitter forward voltage drop, $V_{ECF}$ of damper diode, an additional silicon etching process is used, which resulted in improving the value of $V_{eCF}$ from 2.8 V to 1.8V. With the suggested process superior device performance and higher yield are achieved.

• 대한핵의학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한핵의학회 1999년도 제38차 춘계학술대회
• /
• pp.200-204
• /
• 1999

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is o chronic inflammatory disease of joints with proliferation of synovial epithelial tissue. Therapeutic approach of the RA consists of pharmacological and surgical interventions. Synovectomy is indicated in patients with progressive inflammatory signs and symptoms intractable to medical treatment including local intracavitary steroid injection. Recently, local injection of radionuclides which emit high energy beta rays are labeled with chemical compounds such as $^{90}Y,\;^{165}Dy-ferric$ hydroxide macroaggregate and have been introduced as an alternative therapeutic modality to surgical synovectomy. Holmium-166 is one of beta emitter and Ho-166-chitosan complex was developed for radiation synovectomy. Preclinical trial is on-going at our hospital using Ho-166-chitosan. The procedure and methods of preclinical trial are discussed.

• 전자통신동향분석
• /
• 제32권6호
• /
• pp.40-47
• /
• 2017

One of the main technical constraints of a conventional battery is the limited lifetime of electric energy supplied. With self-power generation using an internal radioisotope as an emitter of beta particles, and a PN-junction semiconductor as an absorber of the beta particles, a betavoltaic battery can provide electric energy to electric devices in a semi-permanent manner. Hence, a betavoltaic battery can be adopted as the solution to the power source issue of IoT devices placed in locations that people cannot easily access, such as in the deep sea, a desert, and space, and requiring a long operation time without an electrical charging. This paper covers the current trends in betavoltaic batteries including issues regarding their technology, application, and patents.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• 제41권2호
• /
• pp.155-159
• /
• 2016

Background: Nuclear reactors produce a great number of antielectron neutrinos mainly from beta-decay chains of fission products. Such neutrinos have energies mostly in MeV range. We are interested in neutrinos in a region of keV, since they may take part in special weak interactions. We calculate reactor antineutrino spectra especially in the low energy region. In this work we present neutrino spectrum from a typical pressurized water reactor (PWR) reactor core. Materials and Methods: To calculate neutrino spectra, we need information about all generated nuclides that emit neutrinos. They are mainly fission fragments, reaction products and trans-uranium nuclides that undergo negative beta decay. Information in relation to trans-uranium nuclide compositions and its evolution in time (burn-up process) were provided by a reactor code MVP-BURN. We used typical PWR parameter input for MVP-BURN code and assumed the reactor to be operated continuously for 1 year (12 months) in a steady thermal power (3.4 GWth). The PWR has three fuel compositions of 2.0, 3.5 and 4.1 wt% $^{235}U$ contents. For preliminary calculation we adopted a standard burn-up chain model provided by MVP-BURN. The chain model treated 21 heavy nuclides and 50 fission products. The MVB-BURN code utilized JENDL 3.3 as nuclear data library. Results and Discussion: We confirm that the antielectron neutrino flux in the low energy region increases with burn-up of nuclear fuel. The antielectron-neutrino spectrum in low energy region is influenced by beta emitter nuclides with low Q value in beta decay (e.g. $^{241}Pu$) which is influenced by burp-up level: Low energy antielectron-neutrino spectra or emission rates increase when beta emitters with low Q value in beta decay accumulate Conclusion: Our result shows the flux of low energy reactor neutrinos increases with burn-up of nuclear fuel.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국원자력학회 1997년도 춘계학술발표회논문집(2)
• /
• pp.445-450
• /
• 1997

Self-Powered Neutron Detectors(SPNDs) are currently used to estimate the power generation distribution and fuel burn-up in several nuclear power reactors in Korea. In this paper, Monte Carlo simulation is accomplished to calculate the escape probability of beta particle as a function of their birth position fur the typical geometry of rhodium-based SPNDs. Also, a simple numerical method calculates the initial generation rate of beta particles and the change of generation rate due to rhodium burn-up. Using the simulation and the numerical method, the burn-up profile of rhodium density and the neutron sensitivity are calculated as a function of burn-up time in the reactor. The sensitivity of the SPNDs decreases non-linearly due to the high absorption cross-section and the non-uniform burn-up of rhodium in the emitter rod. In addition, for improvement of some properties of rhodium-based SPNDs which are currently used, this paper presents a new material. The method used here can be applied to the analysis of other types of SPNDs and will be useful in the optimum design of new SPNDs for long term usage.