• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.271-272
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• 2010

Sensitivity analysis by TSUNAMI clarifies the complex effects of key nuclides on the criticality probability quantitatively. As discussed above, the $K_{eff}$ of $UO_2$ fuel reaches the maximum value with 42w% concentration of intrusion water. The concentration of hydrogen affects the complexity of reaching criticality by its competition between the concentrations of $^{235}U$. Approximately if the weight percent of $H_2O$ in the mixture is less than 42%, the moderation effect of hydrogen surpasses its dilution effect on $^{235}U$. However, the importance of $^{235}U$ increases dramatically when the weight percent of water is bigger than 42%. In the sensitivity evaluation of $UO_2$ fuel employing TSUMAMI, there is a similar crosspoint of the sensitivity of $^{235}U$ and the sensitivity of $^1H$ where the criticality reaches summit. And the optimal water weight percent is determined to be 50%.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.249-253
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• 2001

Neutron dose assessment in criticality accidents using Whole Body Counter (WBC) was proved to be an effective method as rapid neutron dose estimation at the JCO criticality accident in Tokai-mura. The 1.36MeV gamma-ray of $^{24}Na$ in a body can be detected easily by a germanium detector. The Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA) of $^{24}Na$ is approximately 50Bq for 10miniute measurement by the germanium-type whole body counter at JNC Tokai Works. Neutron energy spectra at the typical shielding conditions in criticality accidents were calculated and the conversion factor, whole body activity-to-organ mass weighted neutron absorbed dose, corresponding to each condition were determined. The conversion factor for uncollied fission spectrum is 7.7 $[(Bq^{24}Na/g^{23}Na)/mGy]$.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.1095-1099
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• 2017

A fission source can act as a stabilization element in coupled Monte Carlo simulations. We have observed this while studying numerical instabilities in nonlinear steady-state simulations performed by a Monte Carlo criticality solver that is coupled to a xenon feedback solver via fixed-point iteration. While fixed-point iteration is known to be numerically unstable for some problems, resulting in large spatial oscillations of the neutron flux distribution, we show that it is possible to stabilize it by reducing the number of Monte Carlo criticality cycles simulated within each iteration step. While global convergence is ensured, development of any possible numerical instability is prevented by not allowing the fission source to converge fully within a single iteration step, which is achieved by setting a small number of criticality cycles per iteration step. Moreover, under these conditions, the fission source may converge even faster than in criticality calculations with no feedback, as we demonstrate in our numerical test simulations.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.19-29
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• 2021

This paper presents the validation of the MCS code for critical safety analysis with burnup credit for the spent fuel casks. The validation process in this work considers five critical benchmark problem sets, which consist of total 80 critical experiments having MOX fuels from the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP). The similarity analysis with the use of sensitivity and uncertainty tool TSUNAMI in SCALE was used to determine the applicable benchmark experiments corresponding to each spent fuel cask model and then the Upper Safety Limits (USLs) except for the isotopic validation were evaluated following the guidance from NUREG/CR-6698. The validation process in this work was also performed with the MCNP6 for comparison with the results using MCS calculations. The results of this work showed the consistence between MCS and MCNP6 for the MOX fueled criticality benchmarks, thus proving the reliability of the MCS calculations.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.575-581
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• 2011

A novel approach for analysis of criticality with respect to path and to activity in networks with fuzzy activity durations is proposed. After recalling the Yager ranking method, the relative degree of criticality of activities and paths are defined. An efficient algorithm based on path enumeration to compute the relative degree of criticality of activities and paths in networks with fuzzy durations is proposed. Examples of former researches are employed to validate the proposed approach. The proposed algorithm has been tested on real world project networks and experimental results have shown that the algorithm can calculate the relative degree of criticality of activities and paths in a reasonable time.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.315-330
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• 2018

A subcritical facility must ensure nuclear criticality safety under all circumstances. For this purpose, it is essential to have a procedure to validate that calculated values do not exceed upper subcritical limit (USL), determined by quantifying the bias and uncertainty. However, there are several validation methodologies of nuclear criticality safety and these can yield different USL. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the validity of the methodologies to establish one methodology that can provide the most appropriate USL. In this study, two documents, a guide for validation of nuclear criticality safety calculational methodology (NUREG/CR-6698) and a criticality benchmark guide for light water reactor fuel in transport and storage package (NUREG/CR-6361), are compared and analyzed. In particular, the methodology in NUREG/CR-6361 is applied to the USLSTATS code. However, the analysis results show that the methodology in NUREG/CR-6698 is more appropriate, for several reasons. This is applied to decision of USL to design casks using SCALE code version 6.1.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.631-638
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• 2015

In this study, semiquantitative failure mode, effects, and criticality analysis (FMECA) for the reliability analysis of a solid rocket propulsion system is performed. The semiquantitative FMECA is composed of failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and criticality analysis (CA). To perform FMECA, the structure of the solid rocket propulsion system is divided into 43 parts down to the component level, and FMEA is conducted at the design stage considering 137 potential failure modes. CA is then conducted for each failure mode, during which the criticality number is estimated using the failure rate databases. The results demonstrate the relationship between potential failure modes, causes, and effects, and their risk priorities are evaluated qualitatively. Additionally, several failure modes with higher criticality and severity values are selected for high-priority improvement.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.1708-1714
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• 2019

The purpose of the critical evaluation of the spent fuel pool (SFP) is to verify that the maximum effective multiplication factor ($K_{eff}$) is less than the critical safety limit at 100% stored condition of the spent fuel with the maximum reactivity. At nuclear power plants, the storage standard of spent fuel, ie, the loading curve, is established to prevent criticality from being generated in SFP. Here, the loading curve refers to a graph showing the minimum discharged burnup versus the initial enrichment of spent fuel. Recently, US NRC proposed the new critical safety assessment guideline (DSS-ISG-2010-01, Revision 0) of PWR SFPs and most of utilities in US is following it. Of course, the licensed criterion of the maximum effective multiplication factor of SFP remains unchanged and it should be less than 0.95 from the 95% probability and the 95% confidence level. However, the new guideline is including the new evaluation methodologies like the application of the axial burnup profile, the validation of depletion and criticality code, and trend analysis. Among the new evaluation methodologies, the most important factor that affects $K_{eff}$ is the axial burnup profile of spent fuel. US NRC recommends to consider the axial burnup profiles presented in NUREG-6801 in criticality analysis. In this paper, criticality effect was evaluated considering three profiles, respectively: i) Axial burnup profiles presented in NUREG-6801. ii) Representative PWR axial burnup profile. iii) Uniform axial burnup profile. As the result, the case applying the axial burnup profiles presented in NUREG-6801 showed the highest $K_{eff}$ among three cases. Therefore, we need to introduce a new methodology because it can be issued if the axial burnup profiles presented in NUREG/CR-6801 are applied to the domestic nuclear power plants without any other consideration.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.141-154
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• 2015

In general, conventional criticality analysis for spent fuel transport/storage systems have been performed based on the assumption of fresh fuel concerning the potential uncertainties from number density calculations of actinide nuclides and fission products in spent fuel. However, these evaluation methods cause financial losses due to an excessive criticality margin. In order to overcome this disadvantage, many studies have recently been conducted to design and commercialize a transportation and storage cask applied to the Burnup Credit (BUC). This study conducted an assessment to ensure criticality safety for reactor operating parameters, axial burn-up profiles and misload accident conditions, which are the factors that are likely to affect criticality safety when the BUC is applied to the dual-purpose cask under development at the KOrea RADioactive waste agency (KORAD). As a result, it was found that criticality resulting from specific power, changed substantially and relied on conditions of low enrichment and high burn-up. Considering the end effect in the case of high burn-up produced a positive-definite result. In particular, the increment of maximum effective multiplication factors due to misloading was 0.18467, confirming that misload is a factor that must be taken into account when applying the BUC. The results of this study may therefore be utilized as references in developing technologies to apply the BUC to domestic models and operational procedures or preventing any misload accidents during the process of spent fuel loading.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.3370-3377
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• 2015

FMECA(Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis) techniques to make quantitative evaluation of failure effects severity and criticality have been applied to systematic failure analysis for reliability improvement of train which should provide regular service and secure high level of safety as a mass transportation system. These FMECA techniques do not fully reflect the inherent train operation and maintenance circumstances because they are based on the FMECA standards devised for other industries such as automobile industry and FMECA standard dedicated to train industry has not been established yet. This paper analyzes FMECA standards for various industries, and suggests a FMECA technique dedicated to train industry which makes failure effect analysis and criticality analysis step by step and makes criticality analysis placing emphasis on the severity of the failure effect. The proposed technique is applied to FMECA of high-speed current breaker which is a core safety device of train using field failure data for 15 years of train maintenance. The FMECA results show that breakage of arc chute has the highest risk with 3rd severity class and 5th criticality class among all the components of high-speed circuit breaker. Damage and poor contact of electronic valve, and cylinder breakage with 3rd severity class and 4th criticality class are followed by. These results can be applied to improvement of design and maintenance process for high-speed circuit breaker of train.