• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.253-258
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• 2018

A microcell $UO_2$ pellet, as an accident-tolerant fuel pellet, is being developed to enhance the accident tolerance of nuclear fuels under accident conditions as well as the fuel performance under normal operation conditions. Improved capture-ability for highly radioactive and corrosive fission product (Cs and I) is the distinct feature of a ceramic microcell $UO_2$ pellet, and the enhanced pellet thermal conductivity is that of a metallic microcell $UO_2$ pellet. The fuel temperature can be effectively decreased by enhanced thermal conductivity. In this study, the material concepts of metallic and ceramic microcell $UO_2$ pellets were designed, and the fabrication process of microcell $UO_2$ pellets embodying the designed concept was developed. We successfully implemented the microcell $UO_2$ pellets and produced microcell $UO_2$ pellets. In addition, an assessment of the out-of-pile properties of a microcell $UO_2$ pellet was performed, and the in-reactor performance and behavior of the developed microcell pellets were evaluated through a Halden irradiation test. According to the expectations, the excellent performance of the microcell $UO_2$ pellets was confirmed by the online measurement data of the Halden irradiation test.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.172-177
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• 2010

This study reports the high-temperature oxidation kinetics, ASR(area specific resistance), and interfacial microstructure of metallic interconnects coated with conductive oxides in oxidation atmosphere at $800^{\circ}C$, The conductive material LSC($La_{0.8}Sr_{0.2}CoO_3$, prepared by Solid State Reaction) was coated on the Crofer22APU. The contact behavior of coating layer/metal substrate was increased by sandblast. The electrical conductivity of the LSC coated Crpfer22APU was measured by a DC two probe four wire method for 4000hr, in air at $800^{\circ}C$. Microstructure and composition of the coated layer interface were investigated by SEM/EDS. These results show that a coated LSC layer prevents the formation and growth of oxide scale such as $Cr_2O_3$ and enhances the long-term stability and electrical performance of metallic interconnects for SOFCs.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.181-190
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• 2004

Computational models for analyzing the in-reactor behavior of metallic fuel pins under transient conditions in liquid-metal reactors are developed and implemented in the TRAMAC (TRAnsient thermo-Mechanical Analysis Code) for a metal fuel rod under transient operation conditions. Not only the basic models for a fuel rod performance but also some sub-models used for transient condition are installed in TRAMAC. Among the models, a fission gas release model, which takes the multi-bubble size distribution into account to characterize the lenticular bubble shape and the saturation condition on the grain boundary and the cladding deformation model have been developed based mainly on the existing models in the MAC-SIS code. Finally, cladding strains are calculated from the amount of thermal creep, irradiation creep, and irradiation swelling. The cladding strain model in TRAMAC predicts well the absolute magnitudes and gen-eral trends of their predictions compared with those of experimental data. TRAMAC results for the FH-1,2,6 pins are more conservative than experimental data and relatively reasonable than those of FPIN2 code. From the calculation results of TRAMAC, it is apparent that the code is capable of predicting fission gas release, and cladding deformation for LMR metal fuel finder transient operation conditions. The results show that in general, the predictions of TRAMAC agree well with the available irradiation data.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.77-77
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• 2015

Metallic glass alloys having dense packing structure have short range ordered structure with long range homogeneity. Therefore, they can provide complete corrosion protection and unique electrical properties. Recently, metallic glass thin films have received much attention to extend its application fields combining with PVC coating technologies. The metallic glass thin films can change the surface properties of the conventional bulk materials which need anticorrosion properties. However, multi-component alloying targets are required to fabricate the metallic glass thin films because metallic glass alloys contain more than three elements. Recently, many researchers have been reported the properties of the metallic glass thin films synthesized with multi-cathode systems or amorphous target. But, it is difficult to fabricate the large sized sputtering targets for mass production equipment with high toughness and thermal stability. In this study, newly developed sputtering target with glass forming ability and the properties of the metallic glass thin films will be introduced with respect to the various application fields such as bipolar plate in PEM fuel cell and decorative coatings for electric device and construction fields.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.73.1-73.1
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• 2010

For the successful cold starting of a fuel cell engine, either internal of external heat supply must be made to overcome the formation of ice from water below the freezing point of water. In the present study, switchable vanadium oxide compounds as variable temperature-electrical resistance materials onto the surface of flat metallic bipolar plates have been prepared by a dip-coating technique via an aqueous sol-gel method. Subsequently, the chemical composition and micro-structure of the polycrystalline solid thin films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. In addition, it was carefully measured electrical resistance hysteresis loop over a temperature range from $-20^{\circ}C$ to $80^{\circ}C$ using the four-point probe method. The experimental results revealed that the thin films was mainly composed of Karelianite $V_2O_3$ which acts as negative temperature coefficient materials. Also, it was found that thermal dissipation rate of the vanadium oxide thin films partially satisfy about 50% saving of the substantial amount of energy required for ice melting at $-20^{\circ}C$. Moreover, electrical resistances of the vanadium-based materials converge on an extremely small value similar to that of pure flat metallic bipolar plates at higher temperature, i.e. $T{\geq}40^{\circ}C$. As a consequence, experimental studies proved that it is possible to apply the variable temperature-electrical resistance material based on vanadium oxides for the cold starting enhancement of a fuel cell vehicle and minimize parasitic power loss and eliminate any necessity for external equipment for heat supply in freezing conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.05b
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• pp.207-213
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• 1997

The computational scheme on a irradiation temperature of U-10Zr fuel was established considering porosity formation, bond sodium infiltration and constituent redistribution. Thermotransport theory was adapted to model the redistribution phenomenon. As a results, the bond sodium seems to be logged in the outer region of fuel slug. The main driving force for constituent redistribution appears to be the Zr solubility change along to radial position of the fuel. It is evident that the heat of transport also has some contribution to the redistribution.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2011

Ru black was used for cathode catalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell which showed low performance at the initial test. However, it was observed that the performance of Ru black cathode was dramatically enhanced after certain kind of experiment compared with initial one. It might be due to an electrochemical treatment in which a voltage was applied to the Ru cathode for constant period time. When a constant potential of 0.1 V was applied to Ru cathode for 30 min, the fuel cell performance of Ru cathode showed the best results. In order to investigate the effect of electrochemical treatment on the performance enhancement, the characteristics of electrochemically treated Ru black was compared with that of Ru black which was reduced under $H_2$ atmosphere. From XRD results, it was turned out that Ru black was not completely converted to metallic Ru by electrochemical treatment, but it is sufficient to be one of reasons for the performance enhancement. According to the results of CO stripping voltammetry, it was observed that some Ru was removed from Ru electrode by electrochemical treatment which might have a bad effect on the fuel cell performance. The removal of some Ru from as-received Ru black by electrochemical treatment is also another reason for the enhancement of fuel cell performance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.302.2-302
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• 2002

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2019.05a
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• pp.106-107
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• 2019

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2018.11a
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• pp.71-72
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• 2018