• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.784-791
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• 2019

In the present study, a series of tungsten austenitic stainless steel alloys have been developed by interchanging the molybdenum in standard SS316 by tungsten. This was done to minimize the long-life residual activation occurred in molybdenum and nickel after decommissioning of the power plant. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the prepared alloys are determined. For the sake of increasing multifunction property of such series of tungsten-based austenitic stainless steel alloys, gamma shielding properties were studied experimentally by means of NaI(Tl) detector and theoretically calculated by using the XCOM program. Moreover, fast neutrons macroscopic removal cross-section been calculated. The obtained combined mechanical, structural and shielding properties indicated that the modified austenitic stainless steel sample containing 1.79% tungsten and 0.64% molybdenum has preferable properties among all other investigated samples in comparison with the standard SS316. These properties nominate this new composition in several nuclear application domains such as, nuclear shielding domain.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.71-87
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• 2011

Gravitational waves are predicted by the Einstein's theory of General Relativity. The direct detection of gravitational waves is one of the most challenging tasks in modern science and engineering due to the 'weak' nature of gravity. Recent development of the laser interferometer technology, however, makes it possible to build a detector on Earth that is sensitive up to 100-1000 Mpc for strong sources. It implies an expected detection rate of neutron star mergers, which are one of the most important targets for ground-based detectors, ranges between a few to a few hundred per year. Therefore, we expect that the gravitational-wave observation will be routine within several years. Strongest gravitational-wave sources include tight binaries composed of compact objects, supernova explosions, gamma-ray bursts, mergers of supermassive black holes, etc. Together with the electromagnetic waves, the gravitational wave observation will allow us to explore the most exotic nature of astrophysical objects as well as the very early evolution of the universe. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the theory of gravitational waves, principles of detections, gravitational-wave detectors, astrophysical sources of gravitational waves, and future prospects.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.145-152
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• 2021

Purpose: During the treatments of cancer patients with a linear accelerator (LINAC) using photon beams with energies ≥8 MV, the components inside the LINAC head get activated through the interaction of photonuclear reaction (γ, n) and neutron capture (n, γ). We used spectroscopy and measured the dose rate for the LINAC in operation after the treatment ended. Methods: We performed spectroscopy and dose rate measurements for three units of LINACs with a portable high-purity Germanium (HPGe) detector and a survey meter. The spectra were obtained after the beams were turned off. Spectroscopy was conducted for 3,600 seconds, and the dose rate was measured three times. We identified the radionuclides for each LINAC. Results: According to gamma spectroscopy results, most of the nuclides were short-lived radionuclides with half-lives of 100 days, except for ⁶⁰Co, ⁶⁵Zn, and ¹⁸¹W nuclides. The dose rate for three LINACs obtained immediately in front of the crosshair was in the range of 0.113 to 0.129 µSv/h. The maximum and minimum dose rates measured on weekends were 0.097 µSv/h and 0.092 µSv/h, respectively. Compared with the differences in weekday data, there was no significant difference between the data measured on Saturday and Sunday. Conclusions: Most of the detected radionuclides had half-lives <100 days, and the dose rate decreased rapidly. For equipment that primarily used energies ≤10 MV, when the equipment was transferred after at least 10 minutes after shutting it down, it is expected that there will be little effect on the workers' exposure.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.61-70
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• 1992

Photon, neutron and beta radiation fields were measured at PWR plants which are the representative types of nuclear power plant operated in Korea. The photon energy spectra were measured at locations in the auxiliary building during operation period and in the containment vessel(C/V) during shutdown period using a portable gamma spectrometer with a HPGe detector. The distribution of average energy was found to range from 440 to 780 keV in the C/V and from 280 keV to 760 keV in the auxiliary building, respectively. The average neutron energy measured at the five locations around the operation deck in the C/V in operation using a BMSS (Bonner Multi-Sphere Spectrometer) ranged from 20 keV to 210 keV. A computer code, BUNKI was used to unfold the spectrum. The beta energy spectra in the C/V and in the auxiliary building in annual outage were determined using 14 smear samples taken from the highly contaminated areas. The analysis showed that the representative corrosion product, $^{60}Co$ made main contribution to the beta energy field.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.361-370
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• 1993

Low power physics tests should be peformed for the domestic pressurized light water reactors (PWRs) after refueling. The tests are peformed to ensure that operating characteristics of the core are consistent with predictions and that the core can be operated as designed. But in some low power physics tests, slow but steady reactivity increasing phenomena were noticed after step reactivity insertion by the control rod movement. These reactivity increasing phenomena are due to the low flux level and the gamma background because an uncompensated ion chamber (UIC) is used as the ex-core neutron detector. The gamma background may affect the results or the lour power physics tests. The aims or this paper are to analyze the grounds of such phenomena, to simulate a reference bank worth measurement test and to present a resolution quantitatively. In this study, the gamma background level was estimated by numerically solving the point kinetics equations accounting the gamma background effect. The reactivity computer check test was simulated to verify the model. Also, an appropriate neutron flux level was determined by simulating the reference bank worth measurement test. The determined neutron flux level is approximately 0.3 of the nuclear heating flux. This level is about 3 times as high as the current test upper limit specified in the test procedure. Then, the findings from this work were successfully applied to Kori unit 4 cycle 7 and Yonggwang unit 1 cycle 7 physics tests.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.292-303
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• 2004

The previous exponential experiment system has been improved for the automatical and accurate axial movement of the neutron source and detector with attaching the automatical control system which consists of a Programmable Logical Controller(PLC) and a stepping motor set. The automatic control program which controls MCA and PLC consistently has been also developed on the basis of GENIE 2000 Library. The exponential experiments have been carried out for Kori 1 unit spent fuel assemblies, Cl4, Jl4 and G23, and Kori 2 unit spent fuel assembly, J44, using the improved systematical measurement system. As the results, the average exponential decay constants for 4 assemblies are determined to be 0.1302, 0.1267, 0.1247, and 0.1210, respectively, with the application of Poisson regression.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.43-51
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• 2004

In order to decommission the shielding concrete of KRR(Korea Research Reactor) -1＆2, it must be exactly determined activated level and range by neutron irradiation during operation. To determine the activated level and range, it must be sampled and analyzed the core sample. But, there are difficulties in sample preparation and determination of the measurement efficiency by self-absorption. In the study, the full energy efficiency of the HPGe detector was compared with the measured value using standard source and the calculated one using Monte Carlo simulation. Also. self-absorption effects due to the density and component change of the concrete were calculated using the Monte Carlo method. Its results will be used radioactivity analysis of the real concrete core sample in the future.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.263-270
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• 2005

Nuclear track is an useful tool for elemental analysis of radionuclides, such as uranium, plutonium and thorium, etc., and for elements undergoing nuclear reactions with thermal neutrons such as lithium and boron. This method has various application fields such as detecting fissionable radionuelides, measuring the fission rate in nuclear technology, analyzing cosmic radiation from meteorite, calculating the age of minerals as well as their history, etc. Track registration method has been applied to the microscopic analysis of boron and fissionable element such as uranium in KAERI. This report reviews the theoretical background of the nuclear track formation, practical procedures to obtain etched tracks and a perspective of the future.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.423-428
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• 2022

Very low contents (in the range of 10^-9 g/g) of Ir in mantle-derived rock samples (komatiites) were non-destructively determined by INAA coupled with coincidence gamma-ray spectrometry using 16 Ge detectors. Aliquots of the same samples were analyzed by NiS fire-assay ICP-MS for Ir and other platinum group elements. Because the INAA procedure used in this study is non-destructive and is almost free from spectral interference in gamma-ray spectrometry, the INAA values of Ir contents obtained in this study can be highly reliable. Iridium values obtained by ICP-MS were consistent with the INAA values, implying that the ICP-MS values of Ir obtained in this study are equally reliable. Under the present experimental conditions, detection limits were estimated to be 1 pg/g, which corresponds to 0.1 pg for a sample mass of 0.1 g. These levels can be even lowered by an order of magnitude, if necessary, which cannot be achieved by ICP-MS carried out in this study.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.77-90
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• 2015

The fission track registration techniques for accurate determinations of uranium in solid- and liquid-state geological materials were recommended and their applicability were examined. The determination of uranium can be achieved by optical counting of neutron-induced fission tracks of $^{235}U$ registered on solid-state track detectors under high magnification. In a dry registration method using powdered pellets of rocks (e.g., granite and coal) showing good uranium-affinity, it was not easy to decide an overall mean concentration over the total sample owing to track-clusters caused by frequent presence of uranium-bearing minerals. Separate scanning for homogeneous and track-clustered parts may be an alternative choice. Assuring the homogeneity over the whole sample, high reproducibilities were confirmed both from duplicate detections using mica and Lexan polycarbonate detectors and from multiple measurements at different thermal neutron fluences. The wet registration method using sealed quartz tubes is recommended to overcome the common heterogeneity in uranium concentrations of $10^1ppm$ and more. Adopting the wet registration, the uranium homogeneity was recovered below the $10^0ppm$ level and the lower detection limit was proved to reach without difficulty the $10^2ppb$ (i.e. $ng\;g^{-1}$) level.