• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1998년도 춘계학술발표회논문집(1)
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• pp.52-57
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• 1998

In this paper, we performed a design study of a thorium fueled reactor according to the design concept of the Radkowsky Thorium Reactor (RTR) and evaluated its overall performance. To enhance its performance and alleviate its problems, we introduced a new metallic uranium fuel, uranium-zirconium hydride (U-Zr $H_{1.6}$), as a seed fuel. For comparison, typical ABB/CE-type PWR based on SYSTBM 80+ and standard RTR-type thorium reactor were also studied. From the results of performance analysis, we could ascertain advantages of RTR-type thorium fueled reactor in proliferation resistance, fuel cycle economics, and back-end fuel cycle. Also, we found that enhancement of proliferation resistance and safer operating conditions may be achieved by using the U-Zr $H_{l.6}$ fuel in the seed region without additional penalties in comparison with the standard RTR's U-Zr fuelr fuelel

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.194-213
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• 1980

The paper describes and quantifies the wastes arising in the nuclear fuel cycle for Light Water Reactors, Heavy Water Reactors and Fast Breeder Reactors. The management and disposal technologies are indicated, together with their environmental impacts. Both once-through and uranium-plutonium recycle systems are evaluated, and comparisons are made on the basis of tingle reference technologies for waste management, and for one gigawatt/year of electricity generation. Environmental impacts are assessed, particularly that of health and safety, and a reference costing system is applied purely as a basis for comparing the fuel cycles. From this study it call be concluded generally that the relative differences of the impacts of waste management and disposal between the selected fuel cycles are not decisive factors in choosing a fuel cycle. Employing the technologies assumed, the radioactive wastes from any of the fuel cycles studied can be managed and disposed of with a high degree of safety and without undue risk to man or the environment. The cost of waste management and disposal is only a few percent of the value of the electricity generated and does not vary greatly between fuel cycles.

• 한국자동차공학회논문집
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• 제8권6호
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• pp.60-69
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• 2000

In order to obtain underwater or underground power sources, the closed cycle diesel engine is operated in the non air-breathing circuit system where the major species of the working fluid include oxygen, argon, and recycled exhaust gas. In the present study, the closed cycle diesel engine is designed to operate at the intake pressure between 2 and 3 bar. For operating in the open-cycle and closed-cycle situations, experimental apparatus using this diesel engine is made with ACAP as data acquisition system. In open, semi-open, and closed cycle modes, the predicted p-$\theta$ and P-V are compared with load bank power. Computation have been performed for wide range of major experimental parameters such as the specific fuel and oxygen concentrations, fuel conversion efficiency and polytropic exponent, IMEP and maximum cylinder pressure.

• 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.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제43권5호
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• pp.405-412
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• 2011

Used nuclear fuel will likely be stored dry for extended periods of time in the USA. Until a final disposition pathway is chosen, the storage periods will almost definitely be longer than were originally intended. The ability of the important-tosafety structures, systems, and components (SSCs) to continue to meet storage and transport safety functions over extended times must be determined. It must be assured that there is no significant degradation of the fuel or dry cask storage systems. Also, it is projected that the maximum discharge burnups of the used nuclear fuel will increase. Thus, it is necessary to obtain data on high burnup fuel to demonstrate that the used nuclear fuel remains intact after extended storage. An evaluation was performed to determine the conditions that may lead to failure of dry storage SSCs. This paper documents the initial technical gap analysis performed to identify data and modeling needs to develop the desired technical bases to ensure the safety functions of dry stored fuel.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권7호
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• pp.2660-2669
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• 2022

The attractiveness for weapons usage of the proposed fuel cycle for the PT-SCWR was evaluated in this study using the Figure-of-Merit methodology. It was compared to the attractiveness of other fuel cycles namely, Low Enriched Uranium (LEU), U/Th, Re-enriched Reprocessed Uranium (RepU), and Pu/Th/U. The optimal content of natural uranium, which can be added to Pu/Th to render the produced U-233 unattractive, was found to be 9%. A ranking system to compare the attractiveness of the various fuel cycles is proposed. RepU was found to be the most proliferation resistant fuel cycle for the first 100 years,while, the least proliferation resistant fuel cycle was the originally proposed Pu/Th one. The reactivity feedback coefficients were calculated for all proposed fuel cycles. All studied reactivity coefficients have the same sign implying that all the fuel cycles will behave neutronically in a similar way. The Pu/Th/U fuel was found to have the most negative value of the Coolant Void Reactivity which will help to restore the core to a safe status faster in case of a loss-of-coolant accident. The fuel and moderator temperature coefficients did not show significant differences between the fuels studied.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제45권5호
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• pp.675-682
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• 2013

The sequential separation process, composed of an oxygen sparging process for separating lanthanides and a zone freezing process for separating Group I and II fission products, was evaluated and tested with a surrogate eutectic waste salt generated from pyroprocessing of used metal nuclear fuel. During the oxygen sparging process, the used lanthanide chlorides (Y, Ce, Pr and Nd) were converted into their sat-insoluble precipitates, over 99.5% at $800^{\circ}C$; however, Group I (Cs) and II (Sr) chlorides were not converted but remained within the eutectic salt bed. In the next process, zone freezing, both precipitation of lanthanide precipitates and concentration of Group I/II elements were preformed. The separation efficiency of Cs and Sr increased with a decrease in the crucible moving speed, and there was little effect of crucible moving speed on the separation efficiency of Cs and Sr in the range of a 3.7 - 4.8 mm/hr. When assuming a 60% eutectic salt reuse rate, over 90% separation efficiency of Cs and Sr is possible, but when increasing the eutectic salt reuse rate to 80%, a separation efficiency of about 82 - 86 % for Cs and Sr was estimated.

• 신재생에너지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.110-115
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• 2024

Global sustainable energy needs and carbon neutrality goals make hydrogen a key future energy source. South Korea and Japan lead with proactive hydrogen policies, including South Korea's Hydrogen Law and Japan's strategy updates aiming for a hydrogen-centric society by 2050. A notable advance is the solar thermal chemical water-splitting cycle for green hydrogen production, spotlighted by Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) and Niigata University's joint initiative. This method uses solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, offering a carbon-neutral hydrogen production route. The study focuses on international collaboration in solar energy for thermochemical water-splitting and E-fuel production, highlighting breakthroughs in catalyst and reactor design to enhance solar thermal technology's commercial viability for sustainable fuel production. Collaborations, like ARENA in Australia, target global carbon emission reduction and energy system sustainability, contributing to a cleaner, sustainable energy future.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.339-346
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• 2010

최근 전 세계적인 원자력 수요 급증으로 민감 기술의 확산에 대한 우려가 커지고 있다. 원자력 수요 증가에 대처하면서 핵비확산체제를 강화하기 위해, 다수의 '핵연료주기 다자화' 방안이 제안되었다.' 핵연료주기 다자화' 방안이 실현될 경우, 우리나라에 영향을 미칠 것으로 예상된다. 따라서 본 논문에서는'핵연료주기 다자화' 움직임에 대해 우리나라의 적절한 대응책 마련에 도움을 주기 위해, 12가지 기존의 '핵연료주기 다자화 방안'을 검토하고, 우리나라에 미칠 잠재적 영향을 평가하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.139-149
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• 1977

고리원자력발전소 1호 및 2호기에 대한 최적 핵연료주기를 확립하고자 했다. 고리 발전소가 채택할 수 있는 몇가지 핵연료주기의 경제성을 비교하기 위한 기준으로서 개개핵연료주기의 운용에 소요되는 총 요구 비용을 잡았고, 그 요구비용은 핵연료 가격자료의 시세변동을 고려하여 표본추출에 의한 확율적 방법으로 계산하였다. 결과는 핵연료주기 요구비용에 대한 확율분포 히스토그램으로 제시했으며 이 히스토그램에서 얻은 요구비용의 기대치를 근거로 우라늄이나 우라늄과 풀루토니움이 모두 재사용되는 재처리주기가 고리발전소의 경우 가장 경제적인 핵주기라는 결론을 얻었다.