• 농업과학연구
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.847-857
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• 2018

Recently, customers' demand and attention to dried agricultural products or foods have increased due to their convenience and nutritional values. Conventional drying methods such as solar drying and hot air drying have been most widely used for producing a large amount of dried agricultural products; however, those methods require quite a long time and high energy consumption. To compensate for these issues associated with conventional methods, dielectric heating such as microwave and radio frequency heating has been used as a supplemental method in the drying procedure. This study investigated the microwave drying characteristics of squash slices with different thicknesses under different microwave power intensities and determined the best drying model that could precisely describe the experimental drying curves of the squash slices. The squash was cut into slices with two different thicknesses (5 and 10 mm), and then, they were dried under different microwave power intensity ranges between 90 and 900 W with an increase interval of 90 W. Six drying models were tested to evaluate the fit to the experimental drying data, and the effective moisture diffusivity ($D_{eff}$) values of the squash slices under microwave drying were determined. The results clearly show that as the microwave power was increased, the drying time of both squash slices was significantly decreased, and the slope of the drying rate increased. The effective moisture diffusivity was also significantly related with the microwave power intensities and thicknesses of the slices. In addition, the Page model was most suitable to delineate the drying curves of both squash slices under different microwave power intensities.

• 천문학회보
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.86-86
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• 2019

We present BV photometric observations and high-resolution spectra of AO Ser, which were obtained at the Mt. Lemmon Optical Astronomy Observatory (LOAO) and the Bohyunsan Optical Astronomy Observatory (BOAO), respectively, in 2017. The radial velocities (RVs) for both components were measured, and the effective temperature of the primary star was found to be $T_{eff,1}=8,820{\pm}62K$ by a comparison of the observed spectra and the Kurucz models. A unique set of fundamental parameters of AO Ser were derived for the first time by a simultaneous analysis of the light and RV curves. The results indicate that our program target is a semi-detached eclipsing system with values of $M_1=2.06{\pm}0.11M_{\odot}$ and $M_2=0.41{\pm}0.03M_{\odot}$, $R_1=1.54{\pm}0.03R_{\odot}$ and $R_2=1.30{\pm}0.02R_{\odot}$, and $L_1=12.9{\pm}0.2L_{\odot}$ and $L_2=0.9{\pm}0.3L_{\odot}$. We applied multiple frequency analyses to the eclipse-subtracted light residuals. As a result, two frequencies of $f_1=21.85151days^{-1}$ and $f_2=23.48405days^{-1}$ were detected and their pulsation constants were calculated to $Q_1=0.0344days$ and $Q_2=0.0320days$. The pulsational characteristics and the position in the HR diagram demonstrate that the primary star is a ${\delta}$ Sct pulsator.

• 천문학회지
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• 제55권2호
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• pp.23-36
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• 2022

We present a method to determine nitrogen abundance ratios with respect to iron ([N/Fe]) from molecular CN-band features observed in low-resolution (R ~ 2000) stellar spectra obtained by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST). Various tests are carried out to check the systematic and random errors of our technique, and the impact of signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios of stellar spectra on the determined [N/Fe]. We find that the uncertainty of our derived [N/Fe] is less than 0.3 dex for S/N ratios larger than 10 in the ranges T_eff = [4000, 6000] K, log g = [0.0, 3.5], [Fe/H] = [-3.0, 0.0], [C/Fe] = [-1.0, +4.5], and [N/Fe] = [-1.0, +4.5], the parameter space that we are interested in to identify N-enhanced stars in the Galactic halo. A star-by-star comparison with a sample of stars with [N/Fe] estimates available from the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) also suggests a similar level of uncertainty in our measured [N/Fe], after removing its systematic error. Based on these results, we conclude that our method is able to reproduce [N/Fe] from low-resolution spectroscopic data, with an uncertainty sufficiently small to discover N-rich stars that presumably originated from disrupted Galactic globular clusters.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권6호
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• pp.2253-2261
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• 2022

In this study, nano-scaled shielding materials were assembled and fabricated by doping different weight percentages of Nano-mercuric oxide (N-HgO) into Nano-Bentonite (N-Bent) based on using (100-x% N-Bent + x% N-HgO, x = 10, 20, 30, and 40 wt %). The fabricated N-HgO/N-Bent nanocomposites were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, and SEM and evaluated to evaluate their shielding properties toward gamma radiation by using four different γ-ray energies form three point sources; 356 keV from ¹³³Ba, 662 keV from ¹³⁷Cs as well as 1173, and 1332 keV from ⁶⁰Co. The γ-rays mass attenuation coefficients were plotted as a function of the doped N-HgO concentrations into N-HgO/N-Bent nanocomposites. The computed values of mass attenuation coefficients (µ_m), effective atomic number (Z_eff) and electron density (N_el) by the as-prepared samples were found to increase, while the half value layer (HVL) and mean free path (MFP) were identified to decrease upon increasing the N-HgO contents. It was concluded also that the increase in N-HgO concentration led to a direct increase in the mass attenuation coefficient from 0.10 to 0.17 cm²/g at 356 keV and from 0.08 to 0.09 cm²/g at 662 keV. However, a slight increase was observed in the identified mass attenuation coefficients at (1172 and 1332 keV).

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권2호
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• pp.523-531
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• 2022

In order to study the sensitivity and the uncertainty of the Moroccan research reactor TRIGA Mark II, a model of this reactor has been developed in our ERSN laboratory for use with the N-Particle MCNP Monte Carlo transport codes (version 6). In this article, the sensitivities of the effective multiplication factor of this reactor are evaluated using the ENDF/B-VII.0, ENDF/B-VII.1 and JENDL-4.0 libraries and in 44 energy groups, for the cross sections of the fuel (U-235 and U-238) and the moderator (H-1 and O-16). However, the quantification of the uncertainty of the nuclear data is performed using the nuclear code NJOY99 for the generation and processing of covariance matrices. On the one hand, the highest uncertainty deviations, calculated using the ENDFB-VII.1 and JENDL4.0 evaluations, are 2275, 386 and 330 pcm respectively for the reactions U₂₃₅(n, f), $ U_{235}(n\bar{\nu})$ and H₁(n, γ). On the other hand, these differences are very small for the neutron reactions of O-16 and U-238. Regarding the neutron spectra, in CT-mid plane, they are very close for the three evaluations (ENDF/B-VII.0, ENDF/B-VII.1 and JENDL-4.0). These spectra present two peaks (thermal and fission) around the energies 0.05 eV and 1 MeV.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권1호
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• pp.1-10
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• 2022

This study discusses the effect of using ²³²Th instead of ²³⁸U on the neutronic characteristics and the main operating parameters of the pressurized water reactor (PWR). MCNPX version 2.7 was used to compare the neutronic characteristics of UO₂ with (Th, ²³⁵U)O₂ and (Th, ²³³U) O₂. Firstly, the infinity multiplication factor (K_inf), thermal neutron flux, and power distribution have been studied for the investigated fuel types. Secondly, the effect of Gd₂O₃ and Er₂O₃ on the K_inf and on the radial thermal neutron flux and thermal power has been investigated to distinguish which of them is more suitable than the other in reactivity management. Thirdly, to illustrate the effectiveness of ²³²Th in decreasing the inventory of both the actinides and non-actinides, the concentration of plutonium (Pu) isotopes and minor actinides (MAs) has been simulated with the fuel burnup. Besides, due to their large thermal neutron absorption cross-section, the concentrations of ¹³⁵Xe, ¹⁴⁹Sm, and ¹⁵¹Sm with the fuel burnup have been investigated. Finally, the main safety parameters such as the reactivity worth of the control rods (ρ_CR), the effective delayed neutron fraction β_eff, and the Doppler reactivity coefficient (DRC) were calculated to determine to which extent these fuel types achieve the acceptable limits.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권6호
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• pp.2000-2010
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• 2021

Mechanical moduli, such as Young's modulus (E), Bulks modulus (B), Shear modulus (S), longitudinal modulus (L), Poisson's ratio (σ) and micro Hardness (H) were theoretically calculated for (100-x)TeO₂+x MgO glasses, where x = 10, 20, 30, 40 and 45 mol%, based on the Makishima-Mackenzie model. The estimated results showed that the mechanical moduli and the microhardness of the glasses were improved with the increase of the MgO contents in the TM glasses, while Poisson's ratio decreased with the increase in MgO content. Moreover, the radiation shielding capacity was evaluated for the studied TM glasses. Thus, the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC), mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), transmission factor (TF) and half-value thickness (𝚫_0.5) were simulated for gamma photon energies between 0.344 and 1.406 MeV. The simulated results showed that glass TM10 with 10 mol % MgO possess the highest LAC and varied in the range between 0.259 and 0.711 cm^-1, while TM45 glass with 45 mol % MgO possess the lowest LAC and vary in the range between 0.223 and 0.587 cm^-1 at gamma photon energies between 0.344 and 1.406 MeV. Furthermore, the BXCOM program was applied to calculate the effective atomic number (Z_eff), equivalent atomic number (Z_eq) and buildup factors (EBF and EABF) of the glasses. The effective removal cross-section for the fast neutrons (ERCSFN, ∑_R) was also calculated theoretically. The received data depicts that the lowest ∑_R was achieved for TM10 glasses, where ∑_R = 0.0193 cm² g^-1, while TM45 possesses the highest ERCSFN where ∑_R = 0.0215 cm² g^-1.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권12호
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• pp.4708-4714
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• 2022

The novelty in the present search, the Soda-Lime-Silica (SLS) glass waste to prepare free lead glass shielding was used in order to limit the accumulation of glass waste, which requires extensive time to decompose. This also saves on the consumption of pure SiO₂, which is a finite resource. Furthermore, the combining of BaO with Bi₂O₃ into a glass network leads to increased optical properties and improved attenuation. The UV-Visible Spectrophotometer was used to investigate the optical properties and the radiation shielding properties were reported for current glass samples utilizing the PhysX/PDS online software. The optical property results indicate that when BaO content increases in glass structure, the Urbach energy ΔE, and refractive index n increases while the energy optical band gap E_opt decreases. The result of the metallisation criteria (M) revealed that the present glass samples are nonmetallic (insulators). Furthermore, the radiation shielding parameter findings suggest that when BaO was increased in the glass structure, the linear attenuation coefficient and effective atomic number (Z_eff) rose. But the half-value layer HVL declined as the BaO concentration grew. According to the research, the glass samples are non-toxic, transparent to visible light, and efficient radiation shielding materials. The Ba5 sample is considered the best among all the samples due to its higher attenuation value and lower HVL and MFP values, which make it a suitable candidate as transparent glass shield shielding.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.1218-1224
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• 2023

We investigated the radiation shielding competence for TeO₂-V₂O₅-MoO₃ glasses. The Phy-X software was used to report the radiation shielding parameters for the present glasses. With an increase in TeO₂ and MoO₃ content, the samples' linear attenuation coefficient improves. However, at low energies, this change is more apparent. At low energy, the present samples have an effective atomic number (Z_eff) that is relatively high (in order of 16.17-24.48 at 0.347 MeV). In addition, the findings demonstrated that the density of the samples is a very critical factor in determining the half value layer (HVL). The minimal HVL for each sample can be found at 0.347 MeV and corresponds to 1.776, 1.519, 1.391, 1.210 and 1.167 cm for Te1 to Te5 respectively. However, the highest HVL of these glasses is recorded at 1.33 MeV, which corresponds to 3.773, 3.365, 3.218, 2.925 and 2.908 cm respectively. The tenth value layer results indicate that the thickness of the specimens needs to be increased in order to shield the photons that have a greater energy. Also, the TVL results demonstrated that the sample with the greatest TeO₂ and MoO₃ concentration has a higher capacity to attenuate photons.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.1439-1447
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• 2023

The fuel cycle characteristics of the IVG.1M reactor were studied within the framework of the research reactor conversion program to modernize the IVG.1M reactor. Optimum use of the nuclear fuel and reactor was achieved through routine methods which included partial fuel reloading combined with scheduled maintenance operations. Since, the additional problem in planning the fuel cycle of the IVG.1M reactor was the poisoning of the beryllium parts of the core, reflector, and control system. An assessment of the residual power and composition of spent fuel is necessary for the selection and justification of the technology for its subsequent management. Computational studies were performed using the MCNP6.1 program and the neutronics model of the IVG.1M reactor. The proposed scheme of annual partial fuel reloading allows for maintaining a high reactor reactivity margin, stabilizing it within 2-4 β_eff for 20 years, and achieving a burnup of 9.9-10.8 MW × day/kg U in the steady state mode of fuel reloading. Spent fuel immediately after unloading from the reactor can be placed in a transport packaging cask for shipping or safely stored in dry storage at the research reactor site.