• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.1146-1156
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• 2021

Single-unit probabilistic safety assessment (SUPSA) has complex Boolean logic equations for accident sequences. Multi-unit probabilistic safety assessment (MUPSA) model is developed by revising and combining SUPSA models in order to reflect plant state combinations (PSCs). These PSCs represent combinations of core damage and non-core damage states of nuclear power plants (NPPs). Since all these Boolean logic equations have complemented gates (not gates), it is not easy to generate exact Boolean solutions. Delete-term approximation method (DTAM) has been widely applied for generating approximate minimal cut sets (MCSs) from the complex Boolean logic equations with complemented gates. By applying DTAM, approximate conditional core damage probability (CCDP) has been calculated in SUPSA and MUPSA. It was found that CCDP calculated by DTAM was overestimated when complemented gates have non-rare events. Especially, the CCDP overestimation drastically increases if seismic SUPSA or MUPSA has complemented gates with many non-rare events. The objective of this study is to suggest a new quantification method named probability subtraction method (PSM) that replaces DTAM. The PSM calculates accurate CCDP even when SUPSA or MUPSA has complemented gates with many non-rare events. In this paper, the PSM is explained, and the accuracy of the PSM is validated by its applications to a few MUPSAs.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권3호
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• pp.917-925
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• 2022

Steam generator (SG) tubes in a nuclear power plant can undergo rapid changes in pressure and temperature during an accident; thus, an accurate model to predict short-term creep damage is essential. The theta (𝜃) projection method has been widely used for modeling creep-strain behavior under constant stress. However, many creep test data are obtained under constant load, so creep rupture behavior under a constant load cannot be accurately simulated due to the different stress conditions. This paper proposes a novel methodology to obtain the creep curve under constant stress using a modified 𝜃 projection method that considers the increase in true stress during creep deformation in a constant-load creep test. The methodology is validated using finite element analysis, and the limitations of the methodology are also discussed. The paper also proposes a creep-strain model for alloy 690 as an SG material and a novel creep hardening rule we call the damage-fraction hardening rule. The creep hardening rule is applied to evaluate the creep rupture behavior of SG tubes. The results of this study show its great potential to evaluate the rupture behavior of an SG tube governed by creep deformation.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.543-558
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• 2023

Currently, Japan is undertaking a nationwide project to measure and map radioactive contamination around Fukushima, as part of the efforts to restore normalcy following the nuclear accident. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) manages the Fukushima Environmental Safety Center, located approximately 20 km north of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Minamisōma City, Fukushima Prefecture. In collaboration with the JAEA, this study involved conducting comparison experiments and analyses with radiation detectors in high radiation environments, a challenging task in Korean environments. Environmental radiation surveys were conducted using three types of detectors: CZT, NaI(Tl), and LaBr₃(Ce), across two contaminated areas. Dose rate values were converted using dose rate conversion factors for each detector type, and dose rate maps were subsequently created and compared. The detectors yielded similar results, demonstrating their feasibility and reliability in high radiation environments. The findings of this study are expected to be a crucial reference for enhancing the verification and supplementation of procedures and methods in future radiation measurements and mobile surveys in high-radiation environments, using these three types of radiation instruments.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.196-205
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• 2016

Background: The emergency planning zone (EPZ) of the city of Busan is divided into the precautionary actions zone (PAZ) and the urgent protective action planning zone; which have a 5-km radius and a 20-km to 21-km radius from the nuclear power plant site, respectively. In this study, we assumed that a severe accident occurred at Shin-Kori nuclear unit 3 and evaluated the dispersion speed of radiological material at each distance at various wind speeds, and estimated the effective dose equivalent and the evacuation time of PAZ residents with the goal of supporting off-site emergency action planning for the nuclear site. Materials and Methods: The total effective dose equivalent, which shows the effect of released radioactive materials on the residents, was evaluated using the RASCAL 4.2 program. In addition, a survey of 1,036 residents was performed using a standardized questionnaire, and the resident evacuation time according to road and distance was analyzed using the VISSIM 6.0 program. Results and Discussion: According to the results obtained using the VISSIM and RASCAL programs, it would take approximately 80 to 252.2 minutes for permanent residents to move out of the PAZ boundary, 40 to 197.2 minutes for students, 60 to 232.2 minutes for the infirm, such as elderly people and those in a nursing home or hospital, and 30 to 182.2 minutes for those temporarily within the area. Consequently, in the event of any delay in the evacuation, it is estimated that the residents would be exposed to up to $10mSv{\cdot}h^{-1}$ of radiation at the Exclusion Area Boundaries (EAB) boundary and $4-6mSv{\cdot}h^{-1}$ at the PAZ boundary. Conclusion: It was shown that the evacuation time for the residents is adequate in light of the time lapse from the initial moment of a severe accident to the radiation release. However, in order to minimize the evacuation time, it is necessary to maintain a system of close collaboration to avoid traffic congestion and spontaneous evacuation attempts.

• 한국방사선학회논문지
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• 제14권7호
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• pp.857-862
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• 2020

2011년 3월 일본 앞바다의 쓰나미 피해로 인하여 후쿠시마 원전 사고로 바다에 스며든 방사능 물질은 태평양까지 흘러 바다 생물에 오염을 일으켰다. 물 시료를 채취하여 전처리하였다. 방사성 물질의 방출에 의한 원전부지 주변 지역과의 비교평가를 위해 긴급보호 조치계획구역(20 ~ 30 km) 떨어진 지역으로 기상상태, 인구분포 등을 고려하여 비교지점으로 선정하였다. 또한 원전주변 주민들이 받게 되는 최소검출방사능을 분석하고 유효선량을 평가하고자 한다. 물 시료의 삼중수소 방사능 분석결과 대부분 시료에서 불검출로 나타났으며, 일반인에 대한 연간 법적 기준치 1 mSv의 0.0014 % ~ 0.777 % 로 인체에 미치는 영향은 거의 없는 것을 알 수 있다. 따라서 원전부지 주변의 물 시료 측정과 분석을 통해 방사능 방출로 인한 주변주민, 그리고 일반대중의 피폭상황 등 불안감해소에 도움이 될 것으로 사료된다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.97-106
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• 1986

1981년 6일 9일 원자력 1호기에서 발생한 77.5% 출력상태에서의 외부전원상실사고를 열, 수력학적최적계산용 코드인 RELAP5/MODl/NSC를 사용하여 모의하였으며 해석결과는 발전소 실측자료와 잘 일치하였다. 원자로 냉각재펌프의 트립에 따른 flow coastdown후에 hot-cold leg온도차에 의하여 자연순환 유동이 형성됨이 확인되었으며 실측자료와 잘 일치하여 이와 관련된 전산코드의 열수력학 적모델의 타당성을 입증할 수 있었다. 또한 위의 사고전개가 정상운전상태인 전출력(100%)에서 재발하였을 경우를 가정하여 해석하였다. 이러한 해석을 통하여 보조급수의 공급과 더불어 증기발생기 PORV의 적절한 작동으로 원자력 1호기 노심잔열을 제거하여 안전성에 문제점을 야기하지 않음을 입증하였다. 최적 계산방법에 의한 사고해석에서는 turbine stop valve 작동시간, 증기 발생기 PORV 설정치 등 non-safety 관련요소들의 특성에 대한 정화한 모의가 필수적이다.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.125-137
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• 2013

Objective: The aim of this study was to comprehend major concepts and flows that penetrate international guides or standards for developing a quantitative possibility measure of human errors that can be committed or omitted in nuclear power plants. Background: For a few past decades, lots of researchers have studied the effect of stress and/or fatigue which can result in human errors. Thus, this study was carried out on the assumption that much of them were summarized as an international guidelines or manuals, if any, for human error prevention. Method: A literal survey was conducted with materials and documentation published by international organizations related with safety and standardization, such as ISO, OSHA, NIOSH, NASA, and so on with special reference to human error prevention through management of work stress and fatigue as major Performance Shaping Factors. Results: International guides or management manuals on stress or fatigue management for human error prevention hardly were found, and most researches seemed to concentrate on one of them individually. Conclusion: There was few vestige of research that studied both concurrently. However, it was verified that not a few researches have been tried to develop quantitative measures to estimate probability or job characteristics for human error prevention and/or performance downgrading. Application: The results of this study would help to develop a causal model of human errors due to work stress and fatigue that can result in unexpected accidents in nuclear power plant.

• 대한기계학회논문집B
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• 제24권11호
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• pp.1447-1456
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• 2000

Simulated experiments of high pressure melt ejection(HPME) are performed to measure the released fraction of corium simulant from the French type PWR cavity. The experiments are carried out on a 1/20th linear scaled model of the Ulchin 1&2 cavity. Water or woods metal and nitrogen is used as simulant of molten corium and steam, respectively. Experimental parameters are water mass, annulus area and breach size. It is shown that only breach size effects is very important while the mass and the annulus area do not affect the released fraction. It is found that the liquid film transport is much more dominant mechanism than the entrainment droplet transport, especially in linear scale down simulated HPME experiment.

• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.337-345
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• 2011

In order to provide an effective preparedness for a nuclear or radiological emergency happening in the domestic or neighborhood countries and to solve the vague fear of the people for the ingestion of radioactive livestock products, the establishment of national guideline level for radionuclides in feed is urgently necessary. This is because it is important to secure the safety and to manage the crisis in the agricultural, fishery and food sector by performing the effective safety control during and after nuclear incident. This study was performed to investigate the report cases of international organizations and foreign countries to set up a domestic control standard for managing radioactive substances that may be contaminated in animal feeds due to the nuclear power plant incident. In addition, an attempt was made to provide a useful reference that can help prepare a domestic control standard, using a coefficient that can consider the transfer into livestock through the intake of radioactive contaminated animal feeds. The standard radioisotopes investigated were confined to radioactive cesium ($^{137+134}Cs$) and iodine ($^{131}I$). Guideline level for the radionuclides was calculated by using the transfer coefficient factor and the maximum daily intake of animal feed provided by IAEA. For example, the maximum daily intake of animal feed was set as $25kg\;d^{-1}$ for dairy cows, $10kg\;d^{-1}$ for beef cattle, $3.0kg\;d^{-1}$ for pigs and $0.15kg\;d^{-1}$ for chickens. The result values for radioactive cesium were calculated as $8,696Bq\;kg^{-1}$, $4,545Bq\;kg^{-1}$, $1,667Bq\;kg^{-1}$ and $2,469Bq\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. The results for radioactive iodine showed the ranges between $741Bq\;kg^{-1}$ and $76,628Bq\;kg^{-1}$. These data can be utilized as a scientific reference for the preparation of a crisis management manual for the emergency control due to nuclear power plant accident in Korea and neighboring country. These results will contribute to establish the safe feed management system at national level as manual for responding the radioactive exposure of agricultural products and animal feeds, which are currently not established.

• 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전산유체공학회 2009년 추계학술대회논문집
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• pp.121-128
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• 2009

During a hypothetical high-pressure accident in a nuclear power plant (NPP), molten corium can be ejected through a breach of a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and dispersed by a following jet of a high-pressure steam in the RPV. The dispersed corium is fragmented into smaller droplets in a reactor cavity of the NPP by the steam jet and released into other compartments of the NPP by a overpressure in the cavity. The fragments of the corium transfer thermal energy to the ambient air in the containment or interact chemically with steam and generate hydrogen which may be burnt in the containment. The thermal loads from the ejected molten corium on the containment which is called direct containment heating (DCH) can threaten the integrity of the containment. DCH in a NPP containment is related to many physical phenomena such as multi-phase hydrodynamics, thermodynamics and chemical process. In the evaluation of the DCH load, the melt dispersion rates depending on the RPV pressure are the most important parameter. Mostly, DCH was evaluated by using lumped-analysis codes with some correlations obtained from experiments for the dispersion rates. In this study, MC3D code was used to evaluate the dispersion rates in the APR1400 NPP during the high-pressure accidents. MC3D is a two-phase analysis code based on Eulerian four-fields for melt jet, melt droplets, gas and water. The dispersion rates of the corium melt depending on the RPV pressure were obtained from the MC3D analyses and the values specific to the APR1400 cavity geometry were compared to a currently available correlation.