• Title/Summary/Keyword: Fukushima Nuclear Accident

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Smart City Energy Inclusion, Towards Becoming a Better Place to Live

  • Cha, Sang-Ryong
    • World Technopolis Review
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    • v.8 no.1
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    • pp.59-70
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    • 2019
  • Where is a better place to live? In the coming era, this should be more than simply a livable place. It should be an adaptable place that has a flexible system adaptable to any new situation in terms of diversity. Customization and real-time operation are needed in order to realize this technologically. We expect a smart city to have a flexible system that applies technologies of self-monitoring and self-response, thereby being a promising city model towards being a better place to live. Energy demand and supply is a crucial issue concerning our expectations for the flexible system of a smart city because it is indispensable to comfortable living, especially city living. Although it may seem that energy diversification, such as the energy mix of a country, is a matter of overriding concern, the central point is the scale of place to build grids for realizing sustainable urban energy systems. A traditional hard energy path supported by huge centralized energy systems based on fossil and nuclear fuels on a national scale has already faced difficult problems, particularly in terms of energy flexibility/resilience. On the other hand, an alternative soft energy path consisting of small diversified energy systems based on renewable energy sources on a local scale has limitations regarding stability, variability, and supply potential despite the relatively light economic/technological burden that must be assumed to realize it. As another alternative, we can adopt a holonic path incorporating an alternative soft energy path with a traditional hard energy path complimentarily based on load management. This has a high affinity with the flexible system of a smart city. At a system level, the purpose of all of the paths mentioned above is not energy itself but the service it provides. If the expected energy service is fixed, the conclusive factor in choosing a more appropriate system is accessibility to the energy service. Accessibility refers to reliability and affordability; the former encompasses the level of energy self-sufficiency, and the latter encompasses the extent of energy saving. From this point of view, it seems that the small diversified energy systems of a soft energy path have a clear advantage over the huge centralized energy systems of a hard energy path. However, some insuperable limitations still remain, so it is reasonable to consider both energy systems continuing to coexist in a multiplexing energy system employing a holonic path to create and maintain reliable and affordable access to energy services that cover households'/enterprises' basic energy needs. If this is embodied in a smart city concept, this is nothing else but smart energy inclusion. In Japan, following the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, a trend towards small diversified energy systems of a soft energy path intensified in order to realize a nuclear-free society. As a result, the Government of Japan proclaimed in its Fifth Strategic Energy Plan that renewable energy must be the main source of power in Japan by 2050. Accordingly, Sony vowed that all the energy it uses would come from renewable sources by 2040. In this situation, it is expected that smart energy inclusion will be achieved by the Japanese version of a smart grid based on the concept of a minimum cost scheme and demand response.

Seismic Performance Evaluation of the Li-Polymer Battery Rack System for Nuclear Power Plant (원자력발전소용 리튬폴리머 배터리 랙 시스템의 내진성능평가)

  • Kim, Si-Jun
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.20 no.5
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    • pp.13-19
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    • 2019
  • After the Fukushima nuclear accident, a new power supply using a lithium polymer battery has been proposed the first time in the world as the safety of the emergency battery facility has been required. It is required to have the safety of the rack system in which the battery device is installed in order to apply the proposed technology to the field. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the seismic performance of string and rack frame for lithium-polymer battery devices developed for the first time in the world to satisfy 72 hours capacity. (1) The natural frequency of the unit rack system was 9 Hz, and the natural frequency before and after the earthquake load did not change. This means that the connection between members is secured against the design earthquake load. (2) he vibration reduction effect by string design was about 20%. (3) As a result of the seismic performance test under OBE and SSE conditions, the rack frame system was confirmed to be safe. Therefore, the proposed rack system can be applied to the nuclear power plant because the rack system has been verified structural safety to the required seismic forces.

Study of Soil Erosion for Evaluation of Long-term Behavior of Radionuclides Deposited on Land (육상 침적 방사성 핵종의 장기 거동 평가를 위한 토사 침식 연구)

  • Min, Byung-Il;Yang, Byung-Mo;Kim, Jiyoon;Park, Kihyun;Kim, Sora;Lee, Jung Lyul;Suh, Kyung-Suk
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.17 no.1
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    • pp.1-13
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    • 2019
  • The accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) resulted in the deposition of large quantities of radionuclides over parts of eastern Japan. Radioactive contaminants have been observed over a large area including forests, cities, rivers and lakes. Due to the strong adsorption of radioactive cesium by soil particles, radioactive cesium migrates with the eroded soil, follows the surface flow paths, and is delivered downstream of population-rich regions and eventually to coastal areas. In this study, we developed a model to simulate the transport of contaminated sediment in a watershed hydrological system and this model was compared with observation data from eroded soil observation instruments located at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. Two methods were applied to analyze the soil particle size distribution of the collected soil samples, including standardized sieve analysis and image analysis methods. Numerical models were developed to simulate the movement of soil along with actual rainfall considering initial saturation, rainfall infiltration, multilayer and rain splash. In the 2019 study, a numerical model will be used to add rainfall shield effect by trees, evaporation effect and shield effects of surface water. An eroded soil observation instrument has been installed near the Wolsong nuclear power plant since 2018 and observation data are being continuously collected. Based on these observations data, we will develop the numerical model to analyze long-term behavior of radionuclides on land as they move from land to rivers, lakes and coastal areas.

Report for Spreading Culture of Medical Radiation Safety in Korea : Mainly the Activities of the Korean Alliance for Radiation Safety and Culture in Medicine(KARSM) (국내 의료 방사선 안전문화 활동 현황 : 의료방사선안전문화연합회 중심으로)

  • Yoon, Yong-Su;Kim, Jung-Min;Kim, Hyun-Ji;Choi, In-Seok;Sung, Dong-Wook;Do, Kyung-Hyun;Jung, Seung-Eun;Kim, Hyung-Soo
    • Journal of radiological science and technology
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    • v.36 no.3
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    • pp.193-200
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    • 2013
  • There are many concerns about radiation exposure in Korea after Fukushima Nuclear Plant Accident on 2011 in Japan. As some isotope materials are detected in Korea, people get worried about the radioactive material. In addition, the mass media create an air of anxiety that jump on the people's fear instead of scientific approach. Therefore, for curbing this flow, health, medical institute from the world provide a variety of information about medical radiation safety and hold the campaign which can give people the image that medical radiation is safe. At this, the Korean Food and Drug Administration(KFDA) suggested that make the alliance of medical radiation safety and culture on August, 2011. Seven societies and institutions related medical radiation started to research and advertise the culture of medical radiation safety in Korea. In this report, mainly introduce the activities of the Korean Alliance for Radiation Safety and Culture in Medicine(KARSM) for spreading culture of medical radiation safety from 2011 to 2012.

A Study on Artificial Radionuclides(134Cs, 137Cs and 239+240Pu) Distribution in the Sediment from Lake Euiam (의암호 퇴적물 내 인공방사성동위원소 (134Cs, 137Cs, 239+240Pu) 분포특성 연구)

  • Kim, Seung Hwan;Lee, Sang-Han;Oh, Jung Suk;Choi, Jong Ki;Kang, Tae Gu
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.40 no.4
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    • pp.223-230
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    • 2015
  • The objective of this study is to identify the radionuclide distribution in public water by carrying out the analysis of artificial radionuclides($^{134}Cs$, $^{137}Cs$, $^{239+240}Pu$), natural radionuclide($^{210}Pb$) and TOC in the lake Euiam sediment in Chuncheon, South Korea. The $^{134}Cs$ concentration in all lake sediments showed below MDA values, and the $^{137}Cs$ concentration in lake sediment were ranged from MDA to $8.79Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}-dry$. The $^{137}Cs$ concentrations in surface sediment were reported to be 2.4 to $4.2Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}-dry$. The lowest concentration of $^{137}Cs$ was reported at St. 4 and the highest concentration was reported at St. 3, respectively. The $^{239+240}Pu$ concentration in lake sediment were ranged from 0.049 to $0.47Bq{\cdot}kg^{-1}-dry$. The lowest concentration was reported at St. 2 and the highest concentration was reported at St. 3. The correlation(r) between the $^{239+240}Pu$ concentration and $^{137}Cs$ concentration in lake sediment presented higher values (0.54 to 0.97) and this suggests the behavior and origin of $^{137}Cs$ is identical to the $^{239+240}Pu$ in the sediment. The $^{134}Cs$ concentration below MDA value and the $^{239+240}Pu/^{137}Cs$ ratio(mean value of 0.041) indicated that the artificial radionuclides in the sediment were originated from global fallout by the atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons conducted by former USSR and U.S.A, but not from the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. The sedimentation rate derived from $^{210}Pb$ age-dating method at St. 2 is calculated to be $0.31{\pm}0.06cm{\cdot}y^{-1}$. This value is similar to the value ($0.41{\pm}0.05cm{\cdot}y^{-1}$) estimated from the $^{137}Cs$ maximum peak produced from early 1960's. The content of TOC in lake Euiam sediments varied from 0.20 to 13.01%. While the highest correlation between TOC and $^{137}Cs$ concentration in the sediment were found at St. 1, the others presented the low correlation.