• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2003.07b
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• pp.906-908
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• 2003

A Linear induction electromagnetic(EM) pump of liquid metal fast breeder reactor(LMFBR) is used for the purpose that the liquid metal of high temperature is transported by EM force. This paper evaluates magnetic flux density necessary for transporting liquid metal, using analytical model of the linear induction EM pump. Using the 2-D finite element method(2-D FEM), magnetic flux density is estimated in consideration of a geometric model, electric parameter, and velocity of liquid metal. From the viewpoint of hydrodynamics, the results can be used for flow analysis of the liquid metal.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.10-12
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• 1998

Pumping liquid metal in nuclear power plant application by conventional centrifugal pumps pose difficulties such as bearing wear out at high temperatures and leak proof sealing of the liquid metal. MHD machine is obtained by replacing solid conducting secondary of conventional motors with ionized gas or liquid metal. It is used for reactor cooling pump because of construction simplicity, perfect sealing and easy operation/maintenance MHD pump is complicated because it includes electromagnetic and hydrodynamic phenomena. The principle of MHD Pumps is described in this paper. We design small laboratory size Flat Linear Induction Pump(FLIP) for transferring sodium.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.66-82
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• 1999

The national long-term R&D program, updated in 1997, requires Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI) to complete by the year 2006 the basic design of Korea Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor(KALIMER), along with supporting R&D work, with the capability of resolving the issue of spent fuel storage as well as with significantly enhanced safety. KALIMER is a 150 MWe pool-type sodium cooled prototype reactor that uses metallic fuel. The conceptual design is currently under way to establish a self-consistent design meeting a set of major safety design requirements for accident prevention. Some of the current emphasis includes those for inherent and passive means of negative reactivity insertion and decay heat removal, high shutdown reliability, prevention of and protection from sodium chemical reaction, and high seismic margin, among others. All of these requirements affect the reactor design significantly and involve extensive supporting R&D programs. This paper summarizes some of the results of conceptual engineering and design analyses performed for the safety of HAMMER in the area of inherent safety, passive decay heat removal, sodium water reaction, and seismic isolation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.566-594
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• 2000

In most LMFBR(Liquid Metal Fast Breed Reactor) design, the operating temperature is very high and the time-dependent creep and stress-rupture effects become so important in reactor structural design. Therefore, unlike with conventional PWR, the normal operating conditions can be basically dominant design loading because the hold time at elevated temperature condition is so long and enough to result in severe total creep ratcheting strains during total service lifetime. In this paper, elevated temperature design of the conceptually designed baffle annulus regions of KALIMER(Korea Advanced Liquid MEtal Reactor) reactor internal strictures is carried out for normal operating conditions which have the operating temperature 53$0^{\circ}C$ and the total service lifetime of 30 years. For the elevated temperature design of reactor internal structures, the ASME Code Case N-201-4 is used. Using this code, the time-dependent stress limits, the accumulated total inelastic strain during service lifetime, and the creep-fatigue damages are evaluated with the calculation results by the elastic analysis under conservative assumptions. The application procedures of elevated temperature design of the reactor internal structures using ASME Code Case N-201-4 with the elastic analysis method are described step by step in detail. This paper will be useful guide for actual application of elevated temperature design of various reactor types accounting for creep and stress-rupture effects.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.1442-1450
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• 2017

In liquid metal fast breeder reactors, postulated failures of the plant protection system may lead to serious unprotected accidental consequences. Unprotected transients are generically categorized as transient overpower accidents and transient under cooling accidents. In both cases, core meltdown may occur and this can lead to a molten fuel coolant interaction (MFCI). The understanding of MFCI phenomena is essential for study of debris coolability and characteristics during post-accident heat removal. Sodium is used as coolant in liquid metal fast breeder reactors. Viewing inside sodium at elevated temperature is impossible because of its opaqueness. In the present study, a methodology to depict MFCI phenomena using a flat panel detector based imaging system (i.e., real time radiography) is brought out using a woods metal-water experimental facility which simulates the $UO_2-Na$ interaction. The developed imaging system can capture attributes of the MFCI process like jet breakup length, jet front velocity, fragmented particle size, and a profile of the debris bed using digital image processing methods like image filtering, segmentation, and edge detection. This paper describes the MFCI process and developed imaging methodology to capture MFCI attributes which are directly related to the safe aspects of a sodium fast reactor.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06b
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• pp.386-391
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• 2001

In this paper, the vibration characteristics of IHTS(Intermediate Heat Transfer System) piping system of LMR(Liquid Metal Reactor) conveying hot liquid sodium are investigated to eliminate the pipe supports for economic reasons. To do this, a 3-dimensional straight pipe element and a curved pipe element conveying fluid are formulated using the dynamic stiffness method of the wave approach and coded to be applied to any complex piping system. Using this method, the dynamic characteristics including the natural frequency, the frequency response functions, and the dynamic instability due to the pipe internal flow velocity are analyzed. As one of the design parameters, the vibration energy flow is also analyzed to investigate the disturbance transmission paths for the resonant excitation and the non-resonant excitations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1998.05a
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• pp.118-123
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• 1998

The neurotics analysis of a liquid metal reactor fur burning minor actinides has shown that uncertainties in the nuclear data of several key minor actinide isotopes can introduce large uncertainties in the predicted performance of the core. A comprehensive sensitivity and uncertainty analysis was performed on a 1200 MWth actinide burner designed for a low burnup reactivity swing, negative doppler coefficient, and low sodium void worth. Sensitivities were generated using depletion perturbaton methods for the equilibrium cycle of the reactor and covariance data was taken ENDF-B/V and other published sources. The relative uncertainties in the burnup swing, doppler coefficient, and void worth were conservatively estimated to be 180%, 91%, and 46%, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.293-300
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• 2006

A liquid metal reactor (LMR) operated at high temperatures is subjected to both cyclic mechanical loading and thermal loading; thus, creep-fatigue is a major concern to be addressed with regard to maintaining structural integrity. The Korea Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (KALIMER), which has a normal operating temperature of $545^{\circ}C$ and a total service life time of 60 years, is composed of various cylindrical structures, such as the reactor vessel and the reactor baffle. This study focuses on the creepfatigue crack initiation for a cylindrical Y-junction structure made of 316 stainless steel (SS), which is subjected to cyclic axial tensile loading and thermal loading at a high-temperature hold time of $545^{\circ}C$. The evaluation of the considered creep-fatigue crack initiation was carried out utilizing the ${\sigma}_d$ approach of the RCC-MR A16 guide, which is the high-temperature defect assessment procedure. This procedure is based on the total accumulated strain during the service time. To confirm the evaluated result, a high-temperature creep-fatigue structural test was performed. The test model had a circumferential through wall defect at the center of the model. The defect front of the test model was investigated after the $100^{th}$ cycle of the testing by utilizing a metallurgical inspection technique with an optical microscope, after which the test result was compared with the evaluation result. This study shows how creep-fatigue crack initiation for a high-temperature structure can be predicted with conservatism per the RCC-MR A16 guide.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.227-239
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• 2015

The thermal, mechanical, and neutronic performance of the metal alloy fast reactor fuel design complements the safety advantages of the liquid metal cooling and the pool-type primary system. Together, these features provide large safety margins in both normal operating modes and for a wide range of postulated accidents. In particular, they maximize the measures of safety associated with inherent reactor response to unprotected, doublefault accidents, and to minimize risk to the public and plant investment. High thermal conductivity and high gap conductance play the most significant role in safety advantages of the metallic fuel, resulting in a flatter radial temperature profile within the pin and much lower normal operation and transient temperatures in comparison to oxide fuel. Despite the big difference in melting point, both oxide and metal fuels have a relatively similar margin to melting during postulated accidents. When the metal fuel cladding fails, it typically occurs below the coolant boiling point and the damaged fuel pins remain coolable. Metal fuel is compatible with sodium coolant, eliminating the potential of energetic fuel-coolant reactions and flow blockages. All these, and the low retained heat leading to a longer grace period for operator action, are significant contributing factors to the inherently benign response of metallic fuel to postulated accidents. This paper summarizes the past analytical and experimental results obtained in past sodium-cooled fast reactor safety programs in the United States, and presents an overview of fuel safety performance as observed in laboratory and in-pile tests.

• Proceedings of the Acoustical Society of Korea Conference
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• 1998.06e
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• pp.247-250
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• 1998

The scattering of plane ultrasonic waves by the nuclear fuel pin of liquid metal reactor in sodium is studied. According to the internal composition in the cladding tube, the fuel pin has three cross sections, i.e. helium gas plenum, sodium-filled section, and fuel insertion section. The scattering spectra for each section of the fuel pin are different. The circumnavigating ultrasonic waves of each section are analyzed by the resonance scattering method. The whispering gallery wave modes are generated in the sodium-filled plenum section and the fuel rod insertion section with a sodium-gap. The circumferential wave modes are propagated in the cladding tube of the helium gas plenum section. The annular gap between the cladding tube and metal uranium pellet rod affects the scattering spectra. The different propagation characteristics can be utilized for the nondestructive method of detecting the unbonded area and measuring the level of the sodium-filled section of the fuel pin.