• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제51권4호
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• pp.1037-1040
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• 2019

For the past 50 years, graphite has been widely used as a moderator, reflector and fuel matrix in different kinds of gas-cooled reactors. Resulting in approximately 250,000 metric tons of irradiated graphite waste. One of the most significant long-lived radioisotope from graphite reactors is carbon-14 ($^{14}C$) with a half-life of 5730 years, this makes it a huge concern for deep geologic disposal of nuclear graphite (NG). Considering the lifecycle of NG a number of waste management options have been developed, mainly focused on the achievement the radiological requirements for disposal. The existing approaches for recycling depend on the cost to be economically viable. In this new study, an affordable process to remove $^{14}C$ has been proposed using samples taken from the Nuclear Power Plant in Latina (Italy) which have been used to investigate the capability of organic and inorganic solvents in removing $^{14}C$ from exfoliated nuclear graphite, with the aim to design a practicable approach to obtain graphite for recycling or/and safety disposed as L& LLW.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제38권7호
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• pp.689-696
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• 2006

For a perforated plate, it is challenging to develop a finite element model due to the necessity of the fine meshing of the plate, especially if it is submerged in fluid. This necessitates the use of a solid plate with equivalent material properties. Unfortunately, the effective elastic constants suggested by the ASME code are deemed not valid for a modal analysis. Therefore, in this study the equivalent material properties of a perforated plate are suggested by performing several finite element analyses with respect to the ligament efficiencies.

• 비파괴검사학회지
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.256-263
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• 2009

After several PWSCCs were found in Bugey(France), Ringhals(Sweden), Tihange(Belgium), Oconee, Arkansas, Crystal Fever, Davis-Basse, VC Summer(U.S.A.), Thuruga(Japan), USNRC and PNNL started the research on PWSCC, that is, the PINC project. USNRC required KINS to participate in the PINC project in May 2005. KINS organized the Korean consortium at March 2006 and Pre-RRT for RVHP were performed for the preparation of PINC RRT. Through these preliminary RRT, Korea NDE teams can learn and develop the detection and sizing technique for RVHP dissimilar metal weld. These techniques are now being prepared in Korea and need to be utilized for the In-service inspection of the RVHP and BMI of Korea Nuclear Power Plants. PINC RRT mock-ups will be helpful to training.

• 한국방사성폐기물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국방사성폐기물학회 2009년도 학술논문요약집
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• pp.73-73
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• 2009

There are many factors to evaluate nuclear fuel cycle such as safety, public acceptance, economics, etc.. Transparency, proliferation, environment issues, public acceptance and safety are essential to expansion of nuclear industry and proliferation resistance is one of key constraints in the deployment of advanced nuclear energy systems. Proliferation resistance is being considered as one of the most important factors in assessing advanced and innovative nuclear systems. IAEA defmes proliferation resistance as characteristics of nuclear energy system that impedes the diversion or undeclared production of nuclear material [1]. Barriers to proliferation is consist of intrinsic and extrinsic barriers(institutional measures). Intrinsic barriers are characterized in material barriers and technical barriers in general. Material barriers is intrinsic, or inherent, qualities of materials that reduce the inherent desirability or attractiveness of the material as an explosive. Isotopic, chemical, radiological, mass and bulk, detectability barriers are considered as material barriers attributes [2]. Proliferation resistance is examined for several nuclear fuel cycles based on previous study which is focused on the intrinsic barriers [3-4]. Pyroprocessing and DUPIC are considered as reprocessing technologies in Korea and the PWR direct disposal is considered. Comparative assessments of the proliferation attributes and merits of different fuel cycle systems will be performed and the optimal back-end fuel cycle and strategy will be proposed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.198-206
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• 2019

A new methodology to analyze the nuclear material accountability for pyroprocessing system is developed. The $Pu-to-^{244}Cm$ ratio quantification is one of the methods for Pu accountancy in pyroprocessing. However, an uncertainty in the $Pu-to-^{244}Cm$ ratio due to the non-uniform composition in used fuel assemblies can affect the accountancy of Pu. A random variable, LOPu, is developed to analyze the probability of detection for Pu diversion of hypothetical scenarios at a pyroprocessing facility considering the uncertainty in $Pu-to-^{244}Cm$ ratio estimation. The analysis is carried out by the hypothesis testing and the event tree method. The probability of detection for diversion of 8 kg Pu is found to be less than 95% if a large size granule consisting of small size particles gets sampled for measurements. To increase the probability of detection more than 95%, first, a new Material Balance Area (MBA) structure consisting of more number of Key Measurement Points (KMPs) is designed. This multiple KMP-measurement for the MBA shows the probability of detection for 8 kg Pu diversion is greater than 96%. Increasing the granule sample number from one to ten also shows the probability of detection is greater than 95% in the most ranges for granule and powder sizes.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제45권5호
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• pp.665-674
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• 2013

This paper presents the development and validation methods of the FUTURE (FUel cycle analysis Tool for nUcleaR Energy) code, which was developed for a dynamic material flow evaluation and economic analysis of the nuclear fuel cycle. This code enables an evaluation of a nuclear material flow and its economy for diverse nuclear fuel cycles based on a predictable scenario. The most notable virtue of this FUTURE code, which was developed using C# and MICROSOFT SQL DBMS, is that a program user can design a nuclear fuel cycle process easily using a standard process on the canvas screen through a drag-and-drop method. From the user's point of view, this code is very easy to use thanks to its high flexibility. In addition, the new code also enables the maintenance of data integrity by constructing a database environment of the results of the nuclear fuel cycle analyses.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.148-163
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• 1998

Flow Induced Material Degradation (FIMD) is reviewed focusing on Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) models. Several examples of FAC related incidents are described, which include nuclear and fossile power plants. Lastly, mitigation techniques such as inspection, material selection, water chemistry, temperature, and hydrodynamic factor are discussed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.231-236
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• 2007

Due to the occasional occurrences of stress corrosion cracking(SCC) in steam generator tubing(Alloy 600), degraded tubes are removed from service by plugging or are repaired for re-use. Since electrodeposition inside a tube does not entail parent tube deformation, residual stress in the tube can be minimized. In this work, tube restoration via electrodeposition inside a steam generator tubing was performed after developing the following: an anode probe to be installed inside a tube, a degreasing condition to remove dirt and grease, an activation condition for surface oxide elimination, a tightly adhered strike layer forming condition between the electro forming layer and the Alloy 600 tube, and the condition for an electroforming layer. The reliability of the electrodeposited material, with a variation of material properties, was evaluated as a function of the electrodeposit position in the vertical direction of a tube using the developed anode. It has been noted that the variation of the material properties along the electrodeposit length was acceptable in a process margin. To improve the reliability of a material property, the causes of the variation occurrence were presumed, and an attempt to minimize the variation has been made. A Ni alloy electrodeposition process is suggested as a primary water stress corrosion cracking(PWSCC) mitigation method for various components, including steam generator tubes. The Ni alloy electrodeposit formed inside a tube by using the installed assembly shows proper material properties as well as an excellent SCC resistance.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.222-228
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• 2020

Rubber materials, used in nuclear power plants, need high heat-oxidation resistance to curing or cracking under a heat aging environment. This is because they are applied to environments with high temperature, high humidity, and radiation exposure. Nuclear radiation causes additional hardening or degradation, therefore, rubber materials need radiation resistance that satisfies the general and any accidental conditions produced in the power plant. Therefore, in this study, we developed a rubber material with excellent heat and radiation resistance for the diaphragm seal of a nuclear steam generator nozzle dam. The rubber material greatly improved the reliability of the steam generator nozzle dam. In addition, 30 inch and 42 inch diaphragm seals were manufactured using the developed rubber material. A nozzle dam was installed in a nuclear power plant and tested under the same conditions as a steam generator to evaluate safety and reliability. In the future, the performance and safety of diaphragm seals developed through field tests of nuclear power plants will be evaluated and applied to currently operating and new nuclear power plants.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제52권10호
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• pp.2387-2393
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• 2020

In this study, a gradient material for shielding neutrons and gamma rays was developed, which consists of epoxy resin, boron carbide (B₄C), lead (Pb) and a little graphene oxide. It aims light weight and compact, which will be applied on the transportable nuclear reactor. The material is made up of sixteen layers, and the thickness and components of each layer were designed by genetic algorithm (GA) combined with Monte Carlo N Particle Transport (MCNP). In the experiment, the viscosities of the epoxy at different temperatures were tested, and the settlement regularity of Pb particles and B₄C particles in the epoxy was simulated by matlab software. The material was manufactured at 25 ℃, the Pb C and O elements of which were also tested, and the result was compared with the outcome of the simulation. Finally, the material's shielding performance was simulated by MCNP and compared with the uniformity material's. The result shows that the shielding performance of gradient material is more effective than that of the uniformity material, and the difference is most noticeable when the materials are 30 cm thick.