• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권7호
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• pp.2126-2132
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• 2021

Various research groups and private interprises are pursuing the design of a Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) as one of the Generation-IV concepts. In the current work a fast neutron MSR using chloride fuel is analyzed, specially analyzing the power production and neutron flux level in the Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX). The neutronic analysis in this work is based on a chloride-fuel MSR with 600 MW thermal power. The core power density was set to 100 MW m-3 with a core H/D [[EQUATION]] 1.0 amd four Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX). This leads to a power of 150 MW per IHX; this power is also comparable to the IHX proposed in the SAMOFAR framework. In this work, a preliminary design of a 150 MW helical-coil IHX for a chloride-fueled MSR is prepared and the fission rate, capture rate, and inelastic scatter rate are evaluated.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권5호
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• pp.1665-1670
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• 2023

It is shown that in the IBR-2M reactor by the end of the reactor cycle, changes in dynamics are observed associated with a strong weakening of the fast power feedback (PF), as a result of which the reactor becomes oscillatorily unstable. After each week of zero-power operation the negative changes in reactor dynamics disappear and the stability of the reactor is restored. Thus, the reactor undergoes cyclic changes in the oscillatory instability. The correlation between of a fast PF and a slow PF is experimentally observed, which makes it possible to almost completely eliminate the cyclic component of instability by changing the control mode of rods of the control system.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권3호
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• pp.1049-1061
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• 2022

Neutron and gamma-ray shielding properties of Inconel 718 reinforced B₄C (0-25 wt%) were investigated using PSD software. Mean free path (MFP), linear and mass attenuation coefficients (LAC,MAC), tenth-value and half-value layers (TVL,HVL), effective atomic number (Z_eff), exposure buildup factors (EBF), and fast neutron removal cross-sections (FNRC) values were calculated for 0.015-15 MeV. It was found that MAC and LAC increased with the decrease in the content of B₄C compound by weight in Inconel 718. The EBFs were computed using G-P fitting method for 0.015-15 MeV up to the penetration depth of 40 mfp. HVL, TVL, and FNRC values were found to range between 0.018 cm and 3.6 cm, between 2.46 cm and 12.087 cm, and between 0.159 cm^-1 and 0.194 cm^-1, respectively. While Inconel 718 provides the maximum photon shielding property since it offered the highest values of MAC and Z_eff and the lowest value of HVL, Inconel 718 with B₄C(25 wt%) was observed to provide the best shielding material for neutron since it offered the highest FNRC value. The study is original in terms of several aspects; moreover, the results of the study may be used in nuclear technology, as well as other technologies including nano and space technologies.

• 대한방사선방어학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한방사선방어학회 2011년도 춘계 학술발표회 및 심포지엄
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• pp.134-135
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• 2011

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.330-338
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• 2016

The U-Zr or U-TRU-Zr cylindrical metallic fuel slug used in fast reactors is known to swell significantly and to grow during irradiation. In neutronics simulations of metallic-fueled fast reactors, it is assumed that the slug has swollen and contacted cladding, and the bonding sodium has been removed from the fuel region. In this research, a realistic burnup-dependent fuel-swelling simulation was performed using Monte Carlo code McCARD for a single-batch compact sodium-cooled breed-and-burn reactor by considering the fuel-swelling behavior reported from the irradiation test results in EBR-II. The impacts of the realistic burnup-dependent fuel swelling are identified in terms of the reactor neutronics performance, such as core lifetime, conversion ratio, axial power distribution, and local burnup distributions. It was found that axial fuel growth significantly deteriorated the neutron economy of a breed-and-burn reactor and consequently impaired its neutronics performance. The bonding sodium also impaired neutron economy, because it stayed longer in the blanket region until the fuel slug reached 2% burnup.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권12호
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• pp.4491-4503
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• 2023

This study aimed to verify and validate the transient simulation capability of the hybrid code system RAST-F for fast reactor analysis. For this purpose, control rod (CR) drop experiments involving eight separate CRs and six CR groups in the China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR) start-up tests were utilized to simulate the CR drop transient. The RAST-F numerical solution, including the neutron population, time-dependent reactivity, and CR worth, was compared against the measurement values obtained from two out-of-core detectors. Moreover, the time-dependent reactivity and CR worth from RAST-F were verified against the results obtained by the Monte Carlo code Serpent using continuous energy nuclear data. A code-to-code comparison between Serpent and RAST-F showed good agreement in terms of time-dependent reactivity and CR worth. The discrepancy was less than 160 pcm for reactivity and less than 110 pcm for CR worth. RAST-F solution was almost identical to the measurement data in terms of neutron population and reactivity. All the calculated CR worth results agreed with experimental results within two standard deviations of experimental uncertainty for all CRs and CR groups. This work demonstrates that the RAST-F code system can be a potential tool for analyzing time-dependent phenomena in fast reactors.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제5권3호
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• pp.191-201
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• 1973

MeV 영역의 속중성자분광을 위해 재래의 radiator system을 개량하여 ringshaped vertical radiator와 cone-shaped horizontal radiator를 공용한 특수한 recoil proton radiator assembly를 사용함으로서 energy 분해능의 저하없이 검출효율을 높이도록 recoil Proton telescope detector를 설계ㆍ제작하였다. 이 검출기에는 입사중성자속에 대한 Si(ti) 검출기의 직접노출을 피함으로서 background를 줄일수 있도록 입사중성자차폐부도 고안 내장되어 있다. 이 개량된 recoil proton telescope detector의 검출효율 및 energy 분해능을 중성자 energy 1-15 MeV에 대하여 radiator system과 Si(Li) 검출기사이의 거리변화에 따라 이론적인 계산치로 도출ㆍ표시하였으며, 실험적검증의 예로서 이 거리를 29cm로 하고 중성자 energy를 14.1 MeV로 하였을 때의 검출기의 제특성측정결과를 얻어 분석하였다. 측정결과의 분석에 의하면 이론에서 추정된것처럼 혼합형 radiator system을 사용하였을 때의 검출 효율은 단일 radiator system을 사용한 재래식 검출기의 검출효율의 2.2배의 증가를 보인데 반하여 energy 분해능의 저하는 불과 30%, background의 증가는 약40% 말만임을 알수가 있었다. 또한 측정에 의한 14.1 MeV 중성자에 대한 energy 분해능은 3.9% FWHM었는데, 이는 이논적인 3.7% FWHM와 거의 완전한 일치를 보이고 있음도 입증되였다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.53-63
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• 2019

Background: As neutron fields are always accompanied by gamma rays, it is essential to distinguish neutrons from gamma rays in the detection of neutrons. Neutrons and gamma rays can be separated by pulse shape discrimination (PSD) methods. Recently, we performed characterization of a stilbene scintillator detector and an EJ-301 liquid scintillator detector with a high-speed digitizer DT5730 and investigated optimized PSD variables for both detectors. This study is for providing a basis for developing fast neutron/gamma-ray dual-particle imager. Materials and Methods: We conducted PSD experiments using stilbene scintillator and EJ-301 liquid scintillator and evaluated neutron and gamma ray discriminability of each PSD method with a $^{137}Cs$ gamma source and a $^{252}Cf$ neutron source. We implemented digital signal processing techniques to apply two PSD methods - the charge comparison (CC) method and the constant time discrimination (CTD) method - to distinguish neutrons from gamma rays. We tried to find optimized PSD variables giving the best discriminability in a given experimental condition. Results and Discussion: For the stilbene scintillator detector, the charge comparison method and the constant time discrimination method both delivered the PSD FOM values of 1.7. For the EJ-301 liquid scintillator detector, both PSD methods delivered the PSD FOM values of 1.79. With the same PSD variables, PSD performance was excellent in $300{\pm}100keVee$, $500{\pm}100keVee$, and $700{\pm}100keVee$ energy regions. This result shows that we can achieve an effective discrimination of neutrons from gamma rays using these scintillator detector systems. Conclusion: We applied both PSD methods to a stilbene and a liquid scintillator and optimized the PSD performance represented by FOM values. We observed a good separation performance of both scintillators combined with a high-speed digitizer and digital PSD. These results will provide reference values for the dual-particle imager we are developing, which can image both fast neutrons and gamma rays simultaneously.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권1호
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• pp.188-198
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• 2021

A modern approach to nuclear energy involves reprocessing like transmutations of spent nuclear fuel products to reduce their radiotoxicity and time needed for their storage. For this purpose, they are immobilized in inert matrices made of zirconia and can be "burned" in fast neutron reactor or Accelerator Driven System. These matrices in spherical form can be obtained by sol-gel process. The paper presents a method of microspheres fabrication based on the combined Complex Sol-Gel Process and double extraction process consisting in the preparation of zirconium-ascorbate sol and simultaneous extraction of water and nitrates. The procedure allows obtaining gel microspheres with a diameter of 50 ㎛, which after heat treatment are processed into the final product. The synthesis of zirconia microspheres with Yttrium by internal gelation process is well known for over a decade now. However, the explanation and characterization of synthesis of such material by extraction of water process is rarely found. Parameters such as: pH, viscosity, shape, sphericity and crystal structure have been determined for synthesized products and semi-products. In addition, preliminary research consisting in irradiation of the obtained materials in fast and thermal neutron flux was carried out. The obtained results are presented and described in this work.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.178-183
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• 2007

중성자선은 고 LET (linear energy transfer) 방사선으로 X선이나 감마선 등의 저 LET 방사선보다 세포에 더욱 큰 손상을 입힌다. 중성자에 의한 손상은 일반적으로 세포에 있어서 치명적이며, 중성자선은 X선이나 감마선에 비하여 직접작용을 통하여 세포사를 일으키는 경향이 있다. 본 연구에서는 고속중성자선의 성장지연비 및 산소증강비를 동물실험을 통하여 측정하고자 하였다. BALB-c 마우스의 우측 하지에 EMT-6 세포주를 이식한 후 종양의 평균용적이 $200-300mm^3$가 되었을 때 X선 및 고속중성자선을 조사하였다. 정상산소환경 및 저산소환경의 종양에 대하여 X선은 0, 11, 15.4 Gy를 조사하였고 고속중성자선은 0, 5, 7, Gy를 조사하였다. 방사선조사 후에는 종양의 용적을 주 3회 측정하였다. 정상산소환경 실험군의 경우 저산소환경 실험군에 비하여 X선 11 Gy를 조사하였을 때 성장지연비가 1.34였고, 15.4 Gy를 조사하였을 때 1.33였다. 고속중성자선을 조사한 경우정상산소환경 실험군이 저산소환경 실험군에 비하여 고속중성자선 5 Gy를 조사하였을 때 성장지연비는 0.94였고, 고속중성자선 7 Gy를 조사하였을 때 0.98였다. 고속중성자선의 산소증강비는 0.97이었다. 고속중성자선은 X선에 비하여 저산소환경에 있는 종양의 성장억제에 있어서 보다 효과적이었다.