• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.1087-1100
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• 2009

A finite element method utilizing the Galerkin form of the weighted residuals procedure was developed to estimate the mechanical behavior for a coated fuel particle (CFP) of a high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). Through a weak formulation, finite element equations for multiple layers were set up to calculate the displacements and stresses in a CFP. The finite element method was applied to the stress analyses for three coating layers of a tri-isotropic coated fuel particle (TRISO) of a HTGR. The stresses calculated by the finite element method were in good agreement with those from a previously developed computer code and depicted the typical stress behavior of the coating layers very well. The newly developed finite element method performs a stress analysis for multiple bonded layers in a CFP by changing the material properties at any position in the layers during irradiation.

• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.462-479
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• 2003

The policy trends of use and the development of nuclear power in the United States, France, United Kingdom. Germany, Russia, China, Japan and Korea are briefly investigated. Nuclear power technology has been developed as the national policy in the nuclear-advanced countries. 50 years has passed since the declaration of "Atoms for Peace" by USA President Eisenhour in December 1953. Recently, it appears to revitalize the nuclear power program in world major countries in order to recover the shortage of electric power and to curb the excess emission of carbon dioxide as well as to secure competitiveness in electricity markets. Advanced countries are making new initiatives for the development of the fourth generation nuclear power system. Furthermore, wide-ranged use and development of nuclear power technologies are expected in district heating in commercial sectors, power in the space exploration, and propulsion power of large tankers and spaceships. High temperature gas cooled nuclear power reactor will be applied for mass production of hydrogen energy in the future.

• International Journal of Safety
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.29-32
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• 2006

There has been an increasing need for substitute energy development due to the dry up of the fossil fuel and environmental problems. Among the substitute energy under consideration, producing hydrogen from water without the accompanying release of carbon has become a promising technology. Also, Iodine-Sulfur (IS) thermochemical water decomposition is one of the promising processes that can produce hydrogen efficiently using the high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) as an energy source capable of supplying heat at over 1000. In this study, to effect an initiating events identification of the IS process, Master Logic Diagram (MLD) was used and 9 initiating events that cause a leakage of the chemical material were identified.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.413-426
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• 2009

Nuclear energy plays an important role in world energy production by supplying 6% of the world's current total electricity production. However, 86% of the energy consumed worldwide to produce industrial process heat, to generate electricity and to power the transportation sector still originates in fossil fuels. To cope with dwindling fossil fuels and climate change, it is clear that a clean alternative energy that can replace fossil fuels in these sectors is urgently required. Clean hydrogen energy is one such alternative. Clean hydrogen can play an important role not only in synthetic fuel production but also through powering fuel cells in the anticipated hydrogen economy. With the introduction of the high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) that can produce nuclear heat up to $950^{\circ}C$ without greenhouse gas emissions, nuclear power is poised to broaden its mission beyond electricity generation to the provision of nuclear process heat and the massive production of hydrogen. In this paper, the features and potential of the HTGR as the energy source of the future are addressed. Perspectives on nuclear heat and hydrogen applications using the HTGR are discussed.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.1-11
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• 2006

The aim in this study is to develop the combined EGR system with a non-thermal plasma reactor for reducing exhaust emissions and improving fuel economy in turbo intercooler ECU common-rail diesel engines. In this study, the characteristics of soot, CO and $CO_2$ emissions under four kinds of engine loads are experimentally investigated by using a four-cycle, four-cylinder, direct injection type, water-cooled turbo intercooler ECU common-rail diesel engine with a combined plasma exhaust gas recirculation(EGR) system operating at three kinds of engine speeds. The EGR and non-thermal plasma reactor system are used to reduce $NO_x$ emissions, and the non-thermal plasma reactor and turbo intercooler system are used to reduce soot and THC emissions. The plasma system is a flat-to-flat type reactor operated by a plasma power supply. The fuel is sprayed by pilot and main injections at the variable injection timing between BTDC $15^{\circ}$ and ATDC $1^{\circ}$ according to experimental conditions. It is found that soot emissions with increasing EGR rate are increased, but are decreased as the applied electrical voltage of the non-thermal plasma reactor is elevated at the same engine speed and load. Results also show that CO and $CO_2$ emissions are increased as EGR rate is elevated, and CO emissions are increased, but $CO_2$ emissions are decreased as the applied electrical voltage of the non-thermal plasma reactor is elevated at the same engine speed and load.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.10-21
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• 2006

The aim in this study is to develop the combined EGR system with a non-thermal plasma reactor for reducing exhaust emissions and improving fuel economy in turbo intercooler ECU common-rail diesel engines. At the first step, in this paper, the characteristics of performance and $NO_x{\cdot}THC$ emissions under four kinds of engine loads are experimentally investigated by using a four-cycle, four-cylinder, direct injection type, water-cooled turbo intercooler ECU common-rail diesel engine with a combined plasma exhaust gas recirculation(EGR) system operating at three kinds of engine speeds. The EGR system is used to reduce $NO_x$ emissions, and the non-thermal plasma reactor and turbo intercooler system are used to reduce THC emissions. The plasma system is a flat-to-flat type reactor operated by a plasma power supply. The fuel is sprayed by pilot and main injections at the variable injection timing between BTDC $15^{\circ}$ and ATDC $1^{\circ}$ according to experimental conditions. It is found that the specific fuel consumption rate with EGR is increased, but the fuel economy is better than that of mechanical injection type diesel engine as compared with the same output. Results show that $NO_x$ emissions are decreased, but THC emissions are increased, as the EGR rate is elevated. $NO_x$ and THC emissions are also slightly decreased as the applied electrical voltage of the non-thermal plasma reactor is elevated. Thus one can conclude that the influence of EGR in $NO_x$ and THC emissions is larger than that of the non-thermal plasma reactor, but THC emissions are greatly influenced by the non-thermal plasma reactor as the EGR rate is elevated.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.678-699
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• 2015

Although the harsh space environment imposes many severe challenges to space pioneers, space exploration is a realistic and profitable goal for long-term humanity survival. One of the viable and promising options to overcome the harsh environment of space is nuclear propulsion. Particularly, the Nuclear Thermal Rocket (NTR) is a leading candidate for nearterm human missions to Mars and beyond due to its relatively high thrust and efficiency. Traditional NTR designs use typically high power reactors with fast or epithermal neutron spectrums to simplify core design and to maximize thrust. In parallel there are a series of new NTR designs with lower thrust and higher efficiency, designed to enhance mission versatility and safety through the use of redundant engines (when used in a clustered engine arrangement) for future commercialization. This paper proposes a new NTR design of the second design philosophy, Korea Advanced NUclear Thermal Engine Rocket (KANUTER), for future space applications. The KANUTER consists of an Extremely High Temperature Gas cooled Reactor (EHTGR) utilizing hydrogen propellant, a propulsion system, and an optional electricity generation system to provide propulsion as well as electricity generation. The innovatively small engine has the characteristics of high efficiency, being compact and lightweight, and bimodal capability. The notable characteristics result from the moderated EHTGR design, uniquely utilizing the integrated fuel element with an ultra heat-resistant carbide fuel, an efficient metal hydride moderator, protectively cooling channels and an individual pressure tube in an all-in-one package. The EHTGR can be bimodally operated in a propulsion mode of $100MW_{th}$ and an electricity generation mode of $100MW_{th}$, equipped with a dynamic energy conversion system. To investigate the design features of the new reactor and to estimate referential engine performance, a preliminary design study in terms of neutronics and thermohydraulics was carried out. The result indicates that the innovative design has great potential for high propellant efficiency and thrust-to-weight of engine ratio, compared with the existing NTR designs. However, the build-up of fission products in fuel has a significant impact on the bimodal operation of the moderated reactor such as xenon-induced dead time. This issue can be overcome by building in excess reactivity and control margin for the reactor design.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2018

Printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs) are widely used with an increasing demand for industrial applications. PCHEs are capable of operating at high temperatures and pressure. We consider a PCHE as a candidate intermediate heat exchanger type for a high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR). For conventional application using stainless steels, design and manufacturing of PCHEs are well established. For applications to HTGR, knowledge of longitudinal conduction and deformation of channel is required to estimate design margin. This paper analyzes the effects of longitudinal conduction and deformation of channel on thermal performance using a code internally developed for design and analysis of PCHEs. The code has a capability of two dimensional simulations. Longitudinal conduction is estimated using the code. In HTGR operating condition, about ten percent of design margin is required to compensate thermal performance. The cross-sectional images of PCHE channels are obtained using an optical microscope. The images are processed with computer image process technique. We quantify the deformation of channel with dimensional parameters. It is found that the deformation has negative effect on structural integrity. The deformation enhances thermal performance when the shape of channel is straight in laminar flow regime. It reduces thermal performance in cases of a zigzag channel and turbulent flow regime.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.139-151
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• 2011

The sulfur-iodine (SI) thermochemical water splitting cycle is one of promising hydrogen production methods from water using high-temperature heat generated from a high temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor (HTGR). The SI cycle consists of three main units, such as Bunsen reaction, HI decomposition, and $H_2SO_4$ decomposition. The feasibility of continuous operation of a series of subunits for $H_2SO_4$ decomposition was investigated with a bench-scale facility working at ambient pressure. It showed stable and reproducible $H_2SO_4$ decomposition by steadily producing $SO_2$ and $O_2$ corresponding to a capacity of 1 mol/h $H_2$ for 24 hrs.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.43 no.8 s.291
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• pp.492-497
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• 2006

SiC coating has been introduced as protective layer in TRISO nuclear fuel particle of High Temperature Gas cooled Reactor (HTGR) due to excellent mechanical stability at high temperature. In order to inhibit the failure of the TRISO particles, it is important to evaluate the fracture strength of the SiC coating layer. ]n present work, thin silicon carbide coating was fabricated using chemical vapor deposition process with different microstructures and thicknesses. Processing condition and surface status of substrate.affect on the microstructure of SiC coating layer. Sphere indentation method on trilayer configuration was conducted to measure the fracture strength of the SiC film. The fracture strength of SiC film with different microstructure and thickness were characterized by trilayer strength measurement method nanoindentation technique was also used to characterize the elastic modulus and th ε hardness of the SiC film. Relationships between microstructure and mechanical properties of CVD SiC thin film were discussed.