• 한국압력기기공학회 논문집
• /
• 제13권2호
• /
• pp.75-83
• /
• 2017

In severe accident conditions of light water reactors, the loss of coolant may cause problems in integrity of zirconium fuel cladding. Under the condition of the loss of coolant, the zirconium fuel cladding can be exposed to high temperature steam and reacted with them by producing of hydrogen, which is caused by the failure in oxidation resistance of zirconium cladding materials during the loss of coolant accident scenarios. In order to avoid these problems, we develop a multi-metallic layered composite (MMLC) fuel cladding which compromises between the neutronic advantages of zirconium-based alloys and the accident-tolerance of non-zirconium-based metallic materials. Cold pilgering process is a common tube manufacturing process, which is complex material forming operation in highly non-steady state, where the materials undergo a long series of deformation resulting in both diameter and thickness reduction. During the cold pilgering process, MMLC claddings need to reduce the outside diameter and wall thickness. However, multi-layers of the tube are expected to occur different deformation processes because each layer has different mechanical properties. To improve the utilization of the pilgering process, 3-dimensional computational analyses have been made using a finite element modeling technique. We also analyze the dimensional change, strain and stress distribution at MMLC tube by considering the behavior of rolls such as stroke rate and feed rate.

• 전력전자학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 전력전자학회 2008년도 하계학술대회 논문집
• /
• pp.646-648
• /
• 2008

The multi-films of a metallic film and a transparent conducting oxide (TCO, indium-tin oxide, ITO) film were formed on the stainless steel 316 and 304 plates by a sputtering method and an E-beam method and then the external metallic region of the stainless steel bipolar plates was converted into the metal nitride films through an annealing process. The multi-film formed on the stainless steel bipolar plates showed the XRD patterns of the typical indium-tin oxide, the metallic phase and the metal substrate and the external nitride film. The XRD pattern of the thin film on the bipolar plates modified showed two metal nitride phases of CrN and $Cr_2N$ compound. Surface microstructural morphology of the multi-film deposited bipolar plates was observed by AFM and FE-SEM. The electrical resistivity of the stainless steel bipolar plates modified was evaluated.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제53권3호
• /
• pp.932-941
• /
• 2021

This paper suggests a fracture simulation method for SFR metallic fuel pin under accident condition. Two major failure mechanisms - creep damage and eutectic penetration - are implemented in the suggested method. To simulate damaged element, stress-reduction concept to reduce stiffness of the damaged element is applied. Using the proposed method, the failure size of cladding can be predicted in addition to the failure time and failure site. To verify the suggested method, Whole-pin furnace (WPF) test and TREAT-M test conducted at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) are simulated. In all cases, predicted results and experimental results are overall in good agreement. Based on the simulation result, the effect of eutectic-penetration depth representing failure behavior on failure size is studied.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제49권8호
• /
• pp.1711-1716
• /
• 2017

Uranium tetrafluoride ($UF_4$) is the most used nuclear material for producing metallic uranium by reduction with Ca or Mg. Metallic uranium is a raw material for the manufacture of uranium silicide, $U_3Si_2$, which is the most suitable uranium compound for use as nuclear fuel for research reactors. By contrast, ammonium uranyl carbonate is a traditional uranium compound used for manufacturing uranium dioxide $UO_2$ fuel for nuclear power reactors or $U_3O_8-Al$ dispersion fuel for nuclear research reactors. This work describes a procedure for recovering uranium and ammonium fluoride ($NH_4F$) from a liquid residue generated during the production routine of ammonium uranyl carbonate, ending with $UF_4$ as a final product. The residue, consisting of a solution containing high concentrations of ammonium ($NH_4^+$), fluoride ($F^-$), and carbonate ($CO_3^{2-}$), has significant concentrations of uranium as $UO_2^{2+}$. From this residue, the proposed procedure consists of precipitating ammonium peroxide fluorouranate (APOFU) and $NH_4F$, while recovering the major part of uranium. Further, the remaining solution is concentrated by heating, and ammonium bifluoride ($NH_4HF_2$) is precipitated. As a final step, $NH_4HF_2$ is added to $UO_2$, inducing fluoridation and decomposition, resulting in $UF_4$ with adequate properties for metallic uranium manufacture.

• 한국세라믹학회지
• /
• 제45권3호
• /
• pp.161-166
• /
• 2008

The multi-films of a metallic film and a transparent conducting oxide (TCO, indium-tin oxide, ITO) film were formed on the stainless steel 316 and 304 plates by a sputtering method and an E-beam method and then the external metallic region of the stainless steel bipolar plates was converted into the metal nitride films through an annealing process. The multi-film formed on the stainless steel bipolar plates showed the XRD patterns of the typical indium-tin oxide, the metallic phase and the metal substrate and the external nitride film. The XRD pattern of the thin film on the bipolar plates modified showed two metal nitride phases of CrN and $Cr_2N$ compound. Surface microstructural morphology of the multi-film deposited bipolar plates was observed by AFM and FE-SEM. The metal nitride film formed on the stainless steel bipolar plates represented a microstructural morphology of fine columnar grains with 10 nm diameter and 60nm length in FE-SEM images. The electrical resistivity of the stainless steel bipolar plates modified was evaluated.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제47권3호
• /
• pp.227-239
• /
• 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.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제42권5호
• /
• pp.576-581
• /
• 2010

KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) fabricated MOX (Mixed Oxide) fuel pellets as a cooperation project with PSI (Paul Scherrer Institut) for an irradiation test in the Halden reactor. The MOX pellets were fitted into fuel rods that included instrumentation for measurement in IFE (Institutt for Energiteknikk). The fuel rods were assembled into the test rig and irradiated in the Halden reactor up to 50 MWd/kgHM. The irradiated fuel rods were transported to the IFE, where ceramography was carried out. The fuel rods were cut transversely at the relatively higher burn-up locations and then the radial cross sections were observed. Micrographs were analyzed using an image analysis program and grain sizes along the radial direction were measured by the linear intercept method. Radial cracks in the irradiated MOX were observed that were generally circumferentially closed at the pellet periphery and open in the hot central region. A circumferential crack was formed along the boundary between the dark central and the outer regions. The inner surface of the cladding was covered with an oxide layer. Pu-rich spots were observed in the outer region of the fuel pellets. The spots were surrounded by many small pores and contained some big pores inside. Metallic fission product precipitates were observed mainly in the central region and in the inside of the Pu spots. The average areal fractions of the metallic precipitates at the radial cross section were 0.41% for rod 6 and 0.32% for rod 3. In the periphery, pore density smaller than 2 ${\mu}m$ was higher than that of the other regions. The grain growth occurred from 10 ${\mu}m$ to 12 ${\mu}m$ in the central region of rod 6 during irradiation.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국원자력학회 2004년도 추계학술발표회 발표논문집
• /
• pp.895-896
• /
• 2004

• Corrosion Science and Technology
• /
• 제20권6호
• /
• pp.435-450
• /
• 2021

The interest in eco-friendly energy is increasing, and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is attracting attention as alternative power sources. Research on metallic bipolar plates, a fuel cell component, is being actively conducted. However, since the operating conditions of PEMFC, in which sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and hydrofluoric acid (HF) are mixed, are strong acidity, the durability of the metallic bipolar plate is very important. In this research, the electrochemical characteristics and corrosion damage behavior of 316L stainless steel, a material for metallic bipolar plates, were analyzed through potentiostatic corrosion tests with test times and chloride concentrations. As the test times and chloride concentrations increased, the current density and corrosion damage increased. As a result of observation with scanning electron microscope(SEM) and 3D microscope, both the depth and width of pitting corrosion increased with increases in test times and chloride concentrations. In particular, the pitting corrosion damage depth at test conditions of 6 hours and 1000 ppm chloride increased the most. The growth of the pitting corrosion damage was not directly proportional to time and increased significantly after a certain period.

• 한국주조공학회지
• /
• 제20권2호
• /
• pp.80-88
• /
• 2000

Continuous casting equipment was designed to cast the metallic uranium rods, and a thermal analysis was carried out to calculate the temperature and solidification profiles. Fluid flow and heat transfer analysis model including the effects of phase change was used to simulate the continuous casting process by finite volume method. In the design of continuous casting equipment, the casting speed, pouring temperature and cooling conditions should be considered as significant factors. In this study, the effects of casting speed, pouring temperature, and air gap between the uranium and mold were investigate. The results represented that the temperature and solidification profiles of continuous casting equipment varied with the casting speed, pouring temperature, and air gap.