• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1995년도 추계학술발표회논문집(2)
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• pp.1008-1013
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• 1995

The CANFLEX fuel bundle has been developed by KAERI/AECL jointly to facilitate the use of various fuel cycles in CANDU-6 reactor. As one of the design evaluations, the structural analysis of the fuel bundles by hydraulic drag force is performed to evaluate the fuel integrity in the period of the refuelling in CANDU-6. The structural integrity is evaluated by FEM modelling for the complicated bundles configuration in channel. It is noted that the present analysis method is newly developed for the structural integrity evaluation. The analysis results show that the fuel bundle is shown to keep its structural integrity during the refuelling.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.91-100
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• 2005

Kyung-hee Thorium Fuel (KTF), a heterogeneous thorium-based seed and blanket design concept for pressurized light water reactors, is being studied as an alternative to enhance proliferation resistance and fuel cycle economics of PWRs. The proliferation resistance characteristics of the KTF assembly design were evaluated through parametric studies using neutronic performance indices such as Bare Critical Mass (BCM), Spontaneous Neutron Source rate (SNS), Thermal Generation rate (TG), and Radio-Toxicity. Also, Fissile Economic Index (FEI), a new index for gauging fuel cycle economy, was suggested and applied to optimize the KTF design. A core loaded with optimized KTF assemblies with a seed-to-blanket ratio of 1: 1 was tested at the Korea Next Generation Reactor (KNGR), ARP-1400. Core design characteristics for cycle length, power distribution, and power peaking were evaluated by HELIOS and MASTER code systems for nine reload cycles. The core calculation results show that the KTF assembly design has nearly the same neutronic performance as those of a conventional $UO_2$ fuel assembly. However, the power peaking factor is relatively higher than that of conventional PWRs as the maximum Fq is 2.69 at the M$9^{th}$ equilibrium cycle while the design limit is 2.58. In order to assess the economic potential of a heterogeneous thorium fuel core, the front-end fuel cycle costs as well as the spent fuel disposal costs were compared with those of a reference PWR fueled with $UO_2$. In the case of comprising back-end fuel cycle cost, the fuel cycle cost of APR-1400 with a KTF assembly is 4.99 mills/KWe-yr, which is lower than that (5.23 mills/KWe-yr) of a conventional PWR. Proliferation resistance potential, BCM, SNS, and TG of a heterogeneous thorium-fueled core are much higher than those of the $UO_2$ core. The once-through fuel cycle application of heterogeneous thorium fuel assemblies demonstrated good competitiveness relative to $UO_2$ in terms of economics.

• 비파괴검사학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.9-13
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• 2002

수중에서 사용후 핵연료 제원측정 시험의 효율성을 높이고 측정오차를 줄이기 위하여 수중 영상측정방법을 개발하였다. 이 시스템의 모의 핵연료봉 직경 및 길이 측정치는 실제값 기준으로 할 때, 각각 $-0.24{\pm}0.03mm,\;0.34{\pm}0.06mm$이고 측정 최대오차는 각각 -0.3mm 및 0.4mm이내였다. 실제 사용후핵연료에 대한 수중 제원측정결과 고리원자력 2호기에서 2주기 동안 연소한 핵연료 집합체 J44의 핵연료봉 직경은 설계치 기준으로 할 때 핵연료봉 상 하단부 직경은 2.0%, 중앙부의 직경은 3.0% 정도 감소하였으나 핵연료봉의 길이는 0.4% 정도 신장하였다. 고리원자력 1호기에서 3주기 동안 연소한 핵연료 집합체 F02의 핵연료봉의 직경 및 길이는 핵연료 집합체 J44의 결과와 비슷한 경향을 나타내었다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.219-229
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• 1976

우리나라에서 건설될 가상적인 1125MWe PWR발전소에 대해 통계적인 방법으로 몇가지 서로 다른 핵주기간의 상호 경제성을 살펴 보았다. 모든 핵연료 파라메타들은 각기 적절한 확률분포함수를 갖고 있는 통계적인 변수로 취급하였고, 무작위 표본 추출 방법으로 요구비용 및 여러가지 핵주기성분에 대한 break-even 코스트들의 히스토그램을 얻었다. 이 히스토그램으로 throw-away 주기에 대한 재처리 및 플루토늄 재장전주기의 cost-benefit를 조사하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.297-305
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• 2018

Fuel assembly (FA) bow in pressurized water reactor (PWR) cores is considered to be a complex process with a large number of influencing mechanisms and several unknowns. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses are a common way to assess the predictability of such complex phenomena. To perform such analyses, a structural model of a row of 15 FAs in the reactor core is implemented with the finite-element code ANSYS Mechanical APDL. The distribution of lateral hydraulic forces within the core row is estimated based on a two-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics model with porous media, assuming symmetric or asymmetric core inlet and outlet flow profiles. The influence of the creep rate on the bow amplitude is tested based on different creep models for guide tubes and fuel rods. Different FA initial states are considered: fresh FAs or FAs with higher burnup, which may be initially straight or exhibit an initial bow from previous cycles. The simulation results over one reactor cycle demonstrate that changes in the creep rate and the hydraulic conditions may have a considerable impact on the bow amplitudes and the bow patterns. A good knowledge of the specific creep behavior and the hydraulic conditions is therefore crucial for making reliable predictions.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.8-13
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• 2006

Sliding wear tests have been performed to evaluate the effect of normal load decrease on the wear depth of nuclear fuel rods in room temperature air. The objectives of this study are to quantitatively evaluate the supporting ability of spacer grid springs, to estimate the wear depth by using the contacting force decrease and to compare the wear behavior with increasing test cycles (up to $10^7$) at each spring condition. The result showed that the contacting load decrease depends on the spring shape and the applied slip amplitude. The estimated wear depth is smaller when compared with measured wear depth. Based on the test results, the wear mechanism, the role of wear debris layer and the spring shape effect were discussed.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• 제17권6호
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• pp.453-458
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• 2001

The fretting wear of a nuclear fuel rod it a dangerous phenomenon. In this study, TiN coating was used to reduce the fretting wear of Zircaloy-4 tube, a nuclear fuel rod cladding material. TiN coating is probably one of the molt frequently and successfully used PVD coatings for the mitigation of fretting wear. The fretting tester was designed and manufactured for this experiment. The number of cycles, slip amplitude and normal load were selected as main factors of fretting wear. The results of this research showed that wear volume was improved 1.3∼3.2 times with TiN coating. The worn surfaces were observed by SEM. Wear mechanism at lower slip amplitude was the brittle cracks and rupture of TiN coating. However, adhesive and abrasive wear were mainly observed on most surfaces at higher slip amplitude.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제35권5호
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• pp.471-481
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• 2003

In order to evaluate the microstructural characteristics of irradiated fuel claddings (Zircaloy-4), two irradiated specimens having different burnups (18 GWD/MTU and 42 GWD/MTU) were prepared from the G23-M4 fuel rods, which were loaded in Kori Unit 1 for 4 fuel cycles. The oxide thickness, hydride morphology and hardness change were characterized by an optical microscope and a micro-hardness tester after preparing the irradiated specimens in the PIE (Post Irradiation Examination) facilities. The dislocation loops and the amorphous transformation of precipitates induced by the neutron irradiation in the nuclear plant were also examined by a TEM. As the burnup increased from 18 GWD/MTU to 42 GWD/MTU, the oxide thickness increased from $6.0{\mu}m\;to\;25.3{\mu}m$ and the contents of hydrogen pick-up in the Zr matrix also greatly increased. In the comparison of the hardness of the unirradiated fuel cladding, the amount of hardness increase was nearly $9.3\%\;and\;24.2\%$ for the irradiated samples of 18 and 42 GWD/MTU, respectively. Both -type dislocation loops and -type dislocation components were observed simultaneously in the irradiated specimens and the densities of the dislocation was increased by increasing the burnup. The precipitates in both the irradiated specimens were amorphously transformed by the neutron irradiation and the trend of the amorphous transformation of the precipitates was enhanced at a higher burnup.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.149-160
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• 2007

The IAEA launched the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO) and developed the INPRO Methodology to provide guidelines and to assess the characteristics of a future innovative nuclear energy system in areas such as safety, economics, waste management, and proliferation resistance. The proliferation resistance area of the INPRO Methodology is reviewed here, and modifications for further improvements are proposed. The evaluation metrics including the evaluation parameters, evaluation scales and acceptance limits are developed for a practical application of the methodology to assess the proliferation resistance. The proliferation resistant characteristics of the DUPIC fuel cycle are assessed by applying the modified INPRO Methodology based on the developed evaluation metrics and acceptance criteria. The evaluation procedure and the metrics can be utilized as a reference for an evaluation of the proliferation resistance of a future innovative nuclear energy system.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.243-251
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• 2015

국내 원자력발전은 현재 두 번째로 큰 전력 공급 방법이며 원전의 수 역시 증가되는 것으로 계획되어 있다. 그러나, 원자력발전에 의해 발생되는 사용후핵연료에 대해서는 아직 명확한 관리 정책이 확립되어 있지 않다. 원자로 이 후 핵물질 흐름과 관련된 후행 핵연료주기는 사용후핵연료 관리를 위한 기술들의 집합이다. 따라서, 사용후핵연료 관리 정책은 핵연료주기 선택과 함께한다. 핵연료주기 선택의 중요 항목은 경제성으로 이는 사적비용과 함께 외부비용을 더해 결정되어야 한다. 직접비용 인 사적비용과 달리 간접비용인 외부비용에 대한 연구는 원전에 집중되어 있으며 핵연료주기에 대한 연구는 없는 상황이다. 본 연구에서는 핵연료주기에 적용할 수 있는 외부비용 항목들을 도출하고 정량화를 시도하였다. 핵연료주기 외부비용 평가를 위해 고려될 수 있는 핵연료주기로 OT(직접처분), DUPIC(PWR-CANDU 연결), PWR-MOX(PWR 습식재처리), Pyro-SFR (파이로 처리와 고속로 연계)의 네 가지를 선정하였다. 원자력발전의 외부비용 평가에 고려되었던 항목들을 분석하여 핵연료주기에서 에너지 공급 안보비용, 사고위험비용과 수용성 비용을 외부비용 항목으로 도출하고 추산하였다.