• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2002

This paper investigates different QA standards such as KEPIC QAP, KEPIC END 1200, ISO/1EC 17025 etc. and as a result defines QA elements for Nuclear Power Plant equipment qualification(EQ) in Korea. This paper also proposes a practical QA certification system appropriate for an Integrated Organization for EQ which is being planned to be established in Korea. Since the level of the Korean EQ technology is comparatively low, the Korean manufacturers of the Nuclear Power Plant(NPP) equipment have usually used overseas EQ services. The EQ related organizations in Korea are making efforts to construct the integrated EQ system. In connection with this, it is required that the QA elements and QA certification system suitable for EQ in Korea be developed.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 2005.10c
• /
• pp.53-55
• /
• 2005

The signals of the eddy current testing(ECT) for the examination of the steam generator(SG) tubes in the nuclear power plant(NPP) determine the existence, size, and kind of defects using the variation of impedance signals when a testing coil, driven by alternating current, passes through the SG tube contains defects. The aim of this paper is building a database of the RPC probe signals on the basis of the sizes variation of defects and frequency variation of probe. In this paper 3-D numerical analysis of the ECT signals using the finite element method is performed. Through this study, it is shown variation of magnitude and phase of impedance according to variation of defect size and frequency. From the result of this paper, we can obtain the information which is useful in defect discrimination of SG tube in nuclear power plant.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.247-270
• /
• 2009

This paper reviews studies on information searching behavior in process control systems and discusses some implications learned from previous studies for use in human factors studies on nuclear power plants (NPPs) main control rooms (MCRs). Information searching behavior in NPPs depends on expectancy, value, salience, and effort. The first quantitative scanning model developed by Senders for instrument panel monitoring considered bandwidth (change rate) of instruments as a determining factor in scanning behavior. Senders' model was subsequently elaborated by other researchers to account for value in addition to bandwidth. There is also another type of model based on the operator's situation awareness (SA) which has been developed for NPP application. In these SA-based models, situation-event relations or rules on system dynamics are considered the most significant factor forming expectancy. From the review of previous studies it is recommended that, for NPP application, (1) a set of symptomatic information sources including both changed and unchanged symptoms should be considered along with bandwidth as determining factors governing information searching (or visual sampling) behavior; (2) both data-driven monitoring and knowledge-driven monitoring should be considered and balanced in a systematic way; (3) sound models describing mechanisms of cognitive activities during information searching tasks should be developed so as to bridge studies on information searching behavior and design improvement in HMI; (4) the attention-situation awareness (A-SA) modeling approach should be recognized as a promising approach to be examined further; and (5) information displays should be expected to have totally different characteristics in advanced control rooms. Hence much attention should be devoted to information searching behavior including human-machine interface (HMI) design and human cognitive processes.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
• /
• 2012.11a
• /
• pp.31-32
• /
• 2012

This paper presents a new design of magnetic bearing structure for application in Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The proposed design includes so-called saturated coils which is used to generate the bias flux for bearing almost the whole mass of the rotor, and so-called linear auxiliary coil controlled to stabilize the suspension. The saturated coil is considered as an special electromagnet which is controlled to operate in the region of magnetic saturation in order to minimize the bias current as well as to enhance the magnetic flux density. This strategy will result in a very compact size of magnetic bearing as well as increasing the speed of the response of the current controller. The novel structure is expected to be applied to design very high power gas turbine generator of next generation of fast reactor in which the mass of rotor can reach 50 tons. The total power of the NPP can reach 2,000 MW. Moreover, the issue of arc occurrence between coils is also discussed and two solutions are proposed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.243-250
• /
• 2003

Nuclear power plants (NPPs) will be highly connected network enabled systems in the future. Using the network and web enabled tools, NPPs will be remotely monitored by operators at any time from any place connected to the network via a general web browser. However, there will be two major issues associated with this implementation. The first is the security issue. Only the authorized persons need to be allowed to access the plant since NPP is a safety-critical system. However, the web technology is open to the public. The second is the network disturbance issue. If operators can not access the plant due to network disturbances, the plant will come into the out-of-control situation. Therefore, in this work, we performed a conceptual design of a web-based remote monitoring and control system (RMCS) considering these issues.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.702-708
• /
• 2019

This paper deals with break size estimation of loss of coolant accidents (LOCA) using a nonlinear autoregressive with exogenous inputs (NARX) neural network. Previous studies used static approaches, requiring time-integrated parameters and independent firing algorithms. NARX neural network is able to directly deal with time-dependent signals for dynamic estimation of break sizes in real-time. The case studied is a LOCA in the primary system of Bushehr nuclear power plant (NPP). In this study, number of hidden layers, neurons, feedbacks, inputs, and training duration of transients are selected by performing parametric studies to determine the network architecture with minimum error. The developed NARX neural network is trained by error back propagation algorithm with different break sizes, covering 5% -100% of main coolant pipeline area. This database of LOCA scenarios is developed using RELAP5 thermal-hydraulic code. The results are satisfactory and indicate feasibility of implementing NARX neural network for break size estimation in NPPs. It is able to find a general solution for break size estimation problem in real-time, using a limited number of training data sets. This study has been performed in the framework of a research project, aiming to develop an appropriate accident management support tool for Bushehr NPP.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.193-206
• /
• 2022

Several algorithms for nuclear power plant (NPP) break event detection, isolation, localization, and size estimation are proposed. A break event can be promptly detected and isolated after its occurrence by simultaneously monitoring changes in the sensing readings and by employing an interquartile range-based isolation scheme. By considering the multi-sensor data block of a break to be rank-one, it can be located as the position whose lead field vector is most orthogonal to the noise subspace of that data block using the Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) algorithm. Owing to the flexibility of deep neural networks in selecting the best regression model for the available data, we can estimate the break size using multiple-sensor recordings of the break regardless of the sensor types. The efficacy of the proposed algorithms was evaluated using the data generated by Maanshan NPP simulator. The experimental results demonstrated that the MUSIC method could distinguish two near breaks. However, if the two breaks were close and of small sizes, the MUSIC method might wrongly locate them. The break sizes estimated by the proposed deep learning model were close to their actual values, but relative errors of more than 8% were seen while estimating small breaks' sizes.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.149-157
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the significant duration of ground motions on responses of base-isolated nuclear power plants (NPPs). Two sets of ground motion records with short duration (SD) and long duration (LD) motions, scaled to match the target response spectrum, are used to perform time-history analyses. The reactor containment building in the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400) NPP is numerically modeled using lumped-mass stick elements in SAP2000. Seismic responses of the base-isolated NPP are monitored in forms of lateral displacements, shear forces, floor response spectra of the containment building, and hysteretic energy of the lead rubber bearing (LRB). Fragility curves for different limit states, which are defined based on the shear deformation of the base isolator, are developed. The numerical results reveal that the average seismic responses of base-isolated NPP under SD and LD motion sets were shown to be mostly identical. For PGA larger than 0.4g, the mean deformation of LRB for LD motions was bigger than that for SD ones due to a higher hysteretic energy of LRB produced in LD shakings. Under LD motions, median parameters of fragility functions for three limit states were reduced by 12% to 15% compared to that due to SD motions. This clearly indicates that it is important to select ground motions with both SD and LD proportionally in the seismic evaluation of NPP structures.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
• /
• 2011.11a
• /
• pp.53-54
• /
• 2011

The facilities producing the nuclear energy chosen for resolving the recent global energy problem have been increasingly constructed, and hence more frequent durability tests on radiation shielding concrete are required due to NPP(Nuclear Power Plant) life extension and increase of radioactive waste repositories. Bulk dry density is one of the critical factors ensuring the durability and performance of the radiation shielding concrete because the design of the radiation shielding reinforced concrete structures for NPPs is based on the bulk dry density of the concrete. Bulk density of unconsolidated shielding concrete can be calculated utilizing a test assuring to satisfy the bulk dry density, or existing credible data set. This study evaluated correlation between bulk density and bulk dry density of the concrete used for Korean NPPs (y=1.0913X-0.2458) and developed a correlation expression considering standard deviation of bulk dry density (y=1.0913X-0.3358).

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.87 no.5
• /
• pp.431-450
• /
• 2023

In this study, it is intended to perform nonlinear time-history analyses of nuclear power plant structures (NPP) under near-fault earthquakes showing directivity pulse and fling-step characteristics. Simulation procedures based on cycloidal pulse and far-fault ground motions are also used to simulate near-fault motions showing forward-directivity and fling-step characteristics and the structural responses are compared with those of the recorded near-fault ground motions. Because it is aimed to determine specifically the pulse type characteristics of near-fault ground motions on NPPs, all the ground motions are normalized to have a PGA of 0.3 g. Depending on the obtained results it can be underlined that although near-fault ground motion has the potential to cause damage mostly on structural systems having larger periods, it may also have noticeable effects on the responses of rigid structures, like NPP containment buildings. On the other hand, simulated near-fault motions can help us to get an insight into the near-fault mechanism as well as an approximate visualization of the structural responses under near-fault earthquakes.