• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.11
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• pp.4246-4251
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• 2023

The optimized design of a Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) system, including Delayed Gamma NAA (DGNAA) and Prompt Gamma NAA (PGNAA), has been proposed in this research based on Mevex Linac with 5 MeV electron energy and 50 kW power as a neutron source. Based on the MCNPX 2.6 simulation, the optimized configuration contains; tungsten as an electron-photon converter, BeO as a photoneutron target, BeD₂ and plexiglass as moderators, and graphite as a reflector and collimator, as well as lead as a gamma shield. The obtained thermal neutron flux at the beam port is equal to 2.06 × 10⁹ (# /cm².s). In addition, using the optimized neutron beam, the detection limit has been calculated for some elements such as H-1, B-10, Na-23, Al-27, and Ti-48. The HPGe Coaxial detector has been used to measure gamma rays emitted by nuclides in the sample. By the results, the proposed system can be an appropriate solution to measure the concentration and toxicity of elements in different samples such as food, soil, and plant samples.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.293-297
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• 2023

The burnup profile of spent fuel should be determined accurately for the safety storage of spent fuel. In this study, a neutron detection system was developed as a part of basic research to analyze the burnup profile of spent fuel, and a performance was evaluated using a radiation source. The prototype of the neutron detection system was based on a ³He proportional chamber. The ³He proportional chamber is often used for neutron measurement and analysis because of its high neutron detection efficiency and simplicity for gamma ray rejection. For quantitative evaluation, tests were conducted using calibrated ²⁵²Cf and ¹³⁷Cs sources. In the performance evaluation, a field applicability was verified by analyzing the detection characteristics according to the nuclide.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.13-16
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• 1963

Thermal neutron activation analysis was applied to determine the trace amount of Vanadium and Manganese in Buyo and Kumsan Ginseng. These elements have been regarded to have great nutritional value and one of the indispensable factor in the growth of ginseng. The TRIGA MARK II Reactor in Atomic Energy Research Institute was used for the neutron source. The samples were irradiated for 10 minutes for Vanadium and for 5 minutes for Manganese at the neutron flux of about $1.28{\times}10^{12}n/cm^2/sec$ and the RCL 256 Channel Pulse-Height Analyzer connected with $2"{\times}2"$ Nal(Tl) was used for activity determination. The amounts were about 0.02 ppm for Vanadium and 20 ppm for Manganese, and it was also found that the amounts of the elements were slightly different depending on the kinds of ginsengs.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.154-161
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• 2015

For efficiently designing neutron induced gamma spectroscopy sonde, Monte Carlo simulation is employed to understand a dominant location of thermal neutron and classify the formation elements from the energy peak of capture gamma spectrum. A pulsed neutron generator emitting 14 MeV neutron particles was used as a source, and flux of thermal neutron was calculated from the twelve detectors arranged at each 10 cm intervals from the source. Design for reducing borehole effects using shielding materials was also applied to numerical sonde model. Moreover, principal elements and quantities of numerical earth models were verified through the energy spectrum analysis of capture gamma detected from a gamma detector. These results can help to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio, and determine an optimal placement of capture gamma detectors of neutron induced gamma spectroscopy sonde.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 2007

Lithium ion secondary battery has been applied widely to portable devices, and has been studied for application to high power electric cell system such as power tool or hybrid electronic vehicle. The structure change of the electrodes materials occur when lithium ions move between electrodes. Neutron or X-rays can analyze the structure of electrode. The advantage of X-rays is convenient in test. However X-rays is scattered by electron cloud in atoms. Therefore, The elucidation for correct position of lithium is difficult with X-rays because lithium has small atomic weight. Neutron analysis techniques could solve this problem. In this review, We wish to discuss about structure analysis and the principle of structural characterization method using neutron beam source.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2016

Calculation of the core neutronic parameters is one of the key components in all nuclear reactors. In this research, the energy spectrum and spatial distribution of the neutron flux in a uranium target have been calculated. In addition, sensitivity of the core neutronic parameters in accelerator-driven subcritical advanced liquid metal reactors, such as electron beam energy ($E_e$) and source multiplication coefficient ($k_s$), has been investigated. A Monte Carlo code (MCNPX_2.6) has been used to calculate neutronic parameters such as effective multiplication coefficient ($k_{eff}$), net neutron multiplication (M), neutron yield ($Y_{n/e}$), energy constant gain ($G_0$), energy gain (G), importance of neutron source (${\varphi}^*$), axial and radial distributions of neutron flux, and power peaking factor ($P_{max}/P_{ave}$) in two axial and radial directions of the reactor core for four fuel loading patterns. According to the results, safety margin and accelerator current ($I_e$) have been decreased in the highest case of $k_s$, but G and ${\varphi}^*$ have increased by 88.9% and 21.6%, respectively. In addition, for LP1 loading pattern, with increasing $E_e$ from 100 MeV up to 1 GeV, $Y_{n/e}$ and G improved by 91.09% and 10.21%, and $I_e$ and $P_{acc}$ decreased by 91.05% and 10.57%, respectively. The results indicate that placement of the Np-Pu assemblies on the periphery allows for a consistent $k_{eff}$ because the Np-Pu assemblies experience less burn-up.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.549-555
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• 2017

A lead slowing-down spectrometer (LSDS) system is under development to analyze isotopic fissile content that is applicable to spent fuel and recycled material. The source neutron mechanism for efficient and effective generation was also determined. The source neutron interacts with a lead medium and produces continuous neutron energy, and this energy generates dominant fission at each fissile, below the unresolved resonance region. From the relationship between the induced fissile fission and the fast fission neutron detection, a mathematical assay model for an isotopic fissile material was set up. The assay model can be expanded for all fissile materials. The correction factor for self-shielding was defined in the fuel assay area. The corrected fission signature provides well-defined fission properties with an increase in the fissile content. The assay procedure was also established. The assay energy range is very important to take into account the prominent fission structure of each fissile material. Fission detection occurred according to the change of the Pu239 weight percent (wt%), but the content of U235 and Pu241 was fixed at 1 wt%. The assay result was obtained with 2~3% uncertainty for Pu239, depending on the amount of Pu239 in the fuel. The results show that LSDS is a very powerful technique to assay the isotopic fissile content in spent fuel and recycled materials for the reuse of fissile materials. Additionally, a LSDS is applicable during the optimum design of spent fuel storage facilities and their management. The isotopic fissile content assay will increase the transparency and credibility of spent fuel storage.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1999.05a
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• pp.10-10
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• 1999

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.417.1-417
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• 2002

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 1998

Domestic intercomparison study of the neutron personnel dosemeters was performed for the first time in Korea. Thirteen types of neutron dosemeters from twelve institutions took part in this intercomparison study and the $D_2O$ moderated Cf-252 source of KAERI was used for irradiation. Eight of the fifteen dosemeters submitted by each participant were divided into two groups and each group was irradiated with different doses of the simulated mixed fields of neutron and gamma. The participants assessed their dosemeter reading in terms of the personal dose equivalent, Hp(10), for both neutron and gamma dose. The ratio of the reported dose equivalent to the delivered dose equivalent for comparison between participants ranged from 0.55 to 1.34 for neutron, from 0.54 to 1.32 for gamma and from 0.75 to 1.20 for total dose. This intercomparison results show that all dosemeter processors, especially for neutron category, are able to pass the personnel dosemeter performance test which shall be enforced according to the ordinance of the MOST, No. 96-6.