• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권8호
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• pp.2616-2628
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• 2021

The results of effective irradiation swelling in a wide range of burnup levels are numerically obtained for an inert matrix fuel, which are verified with DART model. The fission gas swelling of fuel particles is calculated with a mechanistic model, which depends on the external hydrostatic pressure. Additionally, irradiation and thermal creep effects are included in the inert matrix. The effects of matrix creep strains, external hydrostatic pressure and temperature on the effective irradiation swelling are investigated. The research results indicate that (1) the above effects are coupled with each other; (2) the matrix creep effects at high temperatures should be involved; and (3) ranged from 0 to 300 MPa, a remarkable dependence of external hydrostatic pressure can be found. Furthermore, an explicit multi-variable mathematic model is established for the effective irradiation swelling, as a function of particle volume fraction, temperature, external hydrostatic pressure and fuel particle fission density, which can well reproduce the finite element results. The mathematic model for the current volume fraction of fuel particles can help establish other effective performance models.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1997년도 춘계학술발표회논문집(2)
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• pp.67-73
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• 1997

By introducing the concept of overpressurization of rim pores due to dislocation punching, the total pressure exerted on the rim pores is estimated. Then this concept is combined with the assumption that all the fission gases produced in the rim region are retained in the rim region to calculate the rim porosity. Rim porosities calculated in this way are compared with measured data, which produces reasonable agreement. Finally a correlation for the thermal conductivity of the rim region is obtained using the hypothesis that the rim region consists of pores and fully dense material of UO$_2$.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제49권5호
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• pp.1031-1043
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• 2017

A structural model for stress distributions of coated Zircaloy subjected to realistic incore pressure difference, thermal expansion, irradiation-induced axial growth, and creep has been developed in this study. In normal operation, the structural integrity of coating layers is anticipated to be significantly challenged with increasing burnup. Strain mismatch between the zircaloy and the coated layer, due to their different irradiation-induced axial growth, and creep deformation are found to be the most dominant causes of stress. This study suggests that the compatibility of the high temperature irradiation-induced strains (axial growth and creep) between zircaloy and the coating layer and the capability to undergo plastic strain should be taken as key metrics, along with the traditional focus on chemical protectiveness.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권5호
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• pp.1929-1934
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• 2022

Besides recent progresses in the physics-based modelling of fission gas and helium behaviour, the scarcity of experimental data concerning their combined behaviour (i.e., cocktail) hinders further model developments. For this reason, in this work, we propose a modelling methodology aimed at providing recommendations for accelerated experimental investigations. By exploring a wide range of annealing temperatures and cocktail compositions with a physics-based modelling approach we identify the most interesting conditions to be targeted by future experiments. To corroborate the recommendations arising from the proposed methodology, we include a sensitivity analysis quantifying the impact of the model parameters on fission gas and helium release, in conditions representative of high and low burnup.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권2호
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• pp.423-429
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• 2021

The investigation of the utilization of enriched ²⁰⁸Pb as a coolant to enhance the performance of a long-life fast reactor with a Modified CANDLE (Constant Axial shape of Neutron flux, nuclide densities, and power shape During Life of Energy production) burnup scheme has performed. The analyzes were performed on a reactor with thermal power of 800 MegaWatt Thermal (MWTh) with a refueling process every 15 years. Uranium Nitride (enriched ¹⁵N), ²⁰⁸Pb, and High-Cr martensitic steel HT-9 were employed as fuel, coolant, and cladding materials, respectively. One of the Pb-nat isotopes, ²⁰⁸Pb, has the smallest neutron capture cross-section (0.23 mb) among other liquid metal coolants. Furthermore, the neutron-producing cross-section (n, 2n) of ²⁰⁸Pb is larger than sodium (Na). On the other hand, the inelastic scattering energy threshold of ²⁰⁸Pb is the highest among Na, ^natPb, and Bi. The small inelastic scattering cross-section of ²⁰⁸Pb can harden the neutron energy spectrum. Therefore, ²⁰⁸Pb is a better neutron multiplier than any other liquid metal coolant. The excess neutrons cause more production than consumption of ²³⁹Pu. Hence, it can reduce the initial fuel loading of the reactor. The selective photoreaction process was developing to obtain enriched ²⁰⁸Pb. The neutronic was calculated using SRAC and JENDL 4.0 as a nuclear data library. We obtained that the modified CANDLE reactor with enriched ²⁰⁸Pb as coolant and reflector has the highest k-eff among all reactors. Meanwhile, the ^natPb cooled reactor has the lowest k-eff. Thus, the utilization of the enriched ²⁰⁸Pb as the coolant can reduce reactor initial fuel loading. Moreover, the enriched ²⁰⁸Pb-cooled reactor has the smallest power peaking factor among all reactors. Therefore, the enriched ²⁰⁸Pb can enhance the performance of a long-life Modified CANDLE fast reactor.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.19-26
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• 1988

저누출 장전 모형은 새 연료를 안에서부터 넣는 in-out 형태를 취하여 격납 용기의 fluence를 줄이고 중성자 경제성을 높이고자 하는 것으로, 이 경우에는 노심내의 전체적인 중성자 경제성은 좋아지지만 노심 중앙부에서의 새연료의 과다 반응도 때문에 안전성 여유를 줄이게 되므로 많은 수의 가연성 독붕봉을 사용하여 첨두 인자를 조절해야만 한다. 본 논문에서는 가연성 독붕봉 연소에 따른 출력 변화를 섭동으로 취급하며, 이를 출력감도 계수(Power Sensitivity Coefficient)로 표시한다. 최적화된 가연성 독붕봉의 분포를 구하기 인하여 알고 있는 주기말상태로부터, 노심 내의 출력과 과다 반응도를 제어하면서 주기초로 추적해 나가는 역연소법(Reverse Depletion Method)의 도입에 대한 타당성을 출력 민감도 계수개념과 선형 계획법을 이용하여 원자력 7호기 제1주기에 응용하여 검증했으며, 가연성 독붕봉의 추정량과 실제량과의 차이는 최대 4.5%의 오차를 보였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권6호
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• pp.2094-2106
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• 2022

The solid-state core of a heat pipe cooled reactor operates at high temperatures over 1000 K with thermal and irradiation-induced expansion during burnup. The expansion changes the gap thickness between the solid components and the material properties, and may even cause the gap closure, which then significantly influences the thermal and mechanical characteristics of the reactor core. This study developed an irradiation behavior model for HPRTRAN, a heat pipe reactor system analysis code, to introduce the irradiation effects such as swelling and creep. The megawatt heat pipe reactor MegaPower was chosen as an application case. The coupled irradiation-thermal-mechanical model was developed to simulate the irradiation effects on the heat transfer and stresses of the whole reactor core. The results show that the irradiation deformation effect is significant, with the irradiation-induced strains up to 2.82% for fuel and 0.30% for monolith at the end of the reactor lifetime. The peak temperatures during the lifetime are 1027:3 K for the fuel and 956:2 K for monolith. The gap closure enhances the heat transfer but caused high stresses exceeding the yield strength in the monolith.

• 분석과학
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.601-607
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• 2000

란탄은 사용후핵연료의 연소도 지표원소들 중 하나로써 이용되고 있다. $U_3Si/Al$ 사용후핵연료는 다량의 U과 Al 속에 미량의 La이 포함되어 있어 정량시 매질의 영향을 줄이기 위해 화학적 분리가 요구된다. La의 분리 및 측정을 위해 IC-ICP-MS를 이용하였으며, 우선 방사성 시료를 취급하기 위하여 유도결합 플라스마 질량분석기의 플라스마 부분 및 분리관을 방사선 차폐 글로브박스 내에 설치하였다. CG10 분리관과 ${\alpha}$-HiBA 용리액을 사용하여 U, Al, La 및 몇 가지 핵분열생성물 (Sr, Zr, Y, Mo, Ru, Pd, Rh, Cs, Ba, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu 및 Cd)의 머무름 거동을 살펴보았다. 0.2 M ${\alpha}$-HiBA 용리액에서 U과 Al이 초기에 용출되므로 분리관과 ICP-MS의 시료분무기 사이에 3방향 밸브를 연결하여 다량의 U과 Al이 ICP-MS로 유입되지 않도록 하므로써 매질의 영향을 줄일 수 있었다. 이 조건에서 La은 약 12분 정도에 분리 및 측정이 가능하였으며, $1-10{\mu}g/L$ (ppb)의 농도범위가 측청에 적합하였고 시료양을 $200{\mu}L$ 취할 경우 La의 검출한계는 $0.25{\mu}g/L$이었다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.1049-1078
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• 2021

The review summarizes the published data on the widely applied electron-beam, laser-beam, as well as resistance upset, projection, and spot welding of zirconium alloys for nuclear applications. It provides the results of their analysis to identify common patterns in this area. Great attention has been paid to the quality requirements, the edge preparation, up-to-date equipment, process parameters, as well as post-weld treatment and processing. Also, quality control and weld repair methods have been mentioned. Finally, conclusions have been drawn about a significant gap between the capabilities of advanced welding equipment to control the microstructure and, accordingly, the properties of welded joints of the zirconium alloys and existing algorithms that enable to realize them in the nuclear industry. Considering the ever-increasing demands on the high-burnup accident tolerant nuclear fuel assemblies, great efforts should be focused on the improving the welding procedures by implementing predefined heat input cycles. However, a lot of research is required, since the number of possible combinations of the zirconium alloys, designs and dimensions of the joints dramatically exceeds the quantity of published results on the effect of the welding parameters on the properties of the welds.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권6호
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• pp.2388-2394
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• 2024

In our previous works, two different spherical burnable poison particles (BPPs) as B₄C and Gd₂O₃ in pin-in block type HTGR core had utilized to suppress the excess reactivity and to control long-term reactivity during the burnup period. In the present work, we performed the neutronic analysis of a prismatic HTGR operating at 850 ℃ with thermal power of 100 MW containing spherical and cylindrical BPPs and then studied the self-shielding effect of BPPs and shape effect. The calculations were performed when the surface area (1) or volume (2) of cylindrical BPPs equals to that of the spherical BPPs. The calculations showed that the neutronic parameters were slightly better for the second case than the first one, such as the excess reactivity of the reactor core at the beginning of the cycle were more suppressed, the core lifetime were more extended, and the fuel-burning were more efficiently. The neutron spectrum in each region of the cylindrical BBPs slightly differs than that of the spherical BPPs. Therefore, the self-shielding effect of BPPs on reactor core performance depends on the particle's geometrical shape.