• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

A whole body counter (WBC) is used in nuclear power plants (NPP) to identify and measure internal radioactivity of workers who is likely to ingest or inhale radionuclides. WBC has several counting geometry, i.e. the thyroid, lung, whole body and gastrointestinal tract, considered with the location where radionuclides are deposited in the body. But only whole body geometry is used to detect internal radioactivity during whole body counting at NPPs. It is overestimated internal exposure dose because this measured values are indicated as the most conservative radioactivity values among the them of others geometry. In this study, experiments to measure radioactivity depending on the counting geometry of WBC were carried out using a WBC, a phantom, and standard radiation sources in order to improve overestimated internal exposure dose. Quantitative criteria, could be selected counting geometry according to ratio of count rates of the upper and lower detectors of the WBC, are provided through statistical analysis method.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 2009

Nuclear power plants (NPP) using Alloy 600 (Ni 75wt%, Cr 15wt%, Fe 10wt%) as a heat exchanger tube of the steam generator (SG) have experienced various corrosion problems by ageing such as pitting, intergranular attack (IGA) and stress corrosion cracking (SCC). In spite of much effort to reduce the material degradations, SCC is still one of important problems to overcome. Especially lead is known to be one of the most deleterious species in the secondary system that cause SCC of the alloy. Even Alloy 690 (Ni 60wt%, Cr 30wt%, Fe 10wt%) as an alternative of Alloy 600 because of outstanding superiority to SCC is also susceptible to leaded environment. An oxide on SG tubing materials such as Alloy 600 and Alloy 690 is formed and modified expanding to complex sludge throughout hideout return (HOR) of various impurities including Pb. Oxide formation and breakdown is requisite for SCC initiation and propagation. Therefore it is expected that an oxide property such as a passivity of an oxide formed on steam generator tubing materials is deeply related to PbSCC and an inhibitor to hinder oxide modification by lead efficiently can be found. In the present work, the SCC susceptibility obtained by using a slow strain rate test (SSRT) in aqueous solutions with and without lead was discussed in view of the oxide property. The oxides formed on Alloy 600 and Alloy 690 in aqueous solutions with and without lead were examined by using a transmission electron microscopy (TEM), an energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), an x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.648-652
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• 2011

Passive autocatalytic recombiner (PAR) is considered as an explosive gas control system in operating NPP plants. This work investigates and evaluates hydrogen recombination performance over manufactured $Pt/TiO_2$ catalysts. When the space velocity increases, the hydrogen conversion decreased, while hydrogen depletion rate (g/sec) increases highly in $35000{\sim}100000hr^{-1}$ Gas Hourly Space Velocity (GHSV). Hydrogen conversion and depletion rate with Pt loading is investigated. As a result, there were no differences in the hydrogen conversion, but exothermic heating rate (K/sec) is increases as Pt loading increases. The catalyst showes a high hydrogen conversion efficiency of 80% under atmospheric conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2009

In this paper, the signal analysis of eddy current array probe was performed to analyze the electromagnetic characteristics with the variation of FBH(flat bottomed hole) defects size on steam generator tube in NPP(nuclear power plants) using the electromagnetic finite element method. To obtain the electromagnetic characteristic of probes, the governing equation was derived from Maxwell's equations, and the individual problem was analyzed by using the 3-dimensional finite element method. For the simulation FBH defects were used. The depth of FBH defects were 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% of steam generator(SG) tube thickness, and it was assumed that the defects were located on the tube outside. And the operation frequencies of 100 kHz, 300 kHz and 400 kHz were used. Material of specimen was Inconel 600 which is usually used for SG tubes in NPP. The signal difference could be observed according to the size variation of depth of FBH defects and operation frequencies. The results in this paper can be helpful when the ECT(eddy current testing) signals from EC array probe are evaluated and analyzed.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.99-108
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• 2011

Almost all companies have paid much attention to the safety management ranging from maintenance to operation even at the stage of designing in order to prevent accidents, but fatal accidents continue to increase throughout the world. In particular, it is essential to systematically prevent such fatal accidents as fire, explosion or leakage of toxic gas at factories in order to not only protect the workers and neighbors but also prevent economic losses and environmental pollution. Though it is well known that accident probability is very low in NPP(Nuclear Power Plants), the reason why many researches are still being performed about the accidents is the results may be so severe. HRA is the main process to make preparation for possibility of human error in designing of the NPP. But those techniques have some problems and limitation as follows; the evaluation sensitivity of those techniques are out of date. And the evaluation of human error is not coupled with the design process. Additionally, the scope of the human error which has to be included in reliability assessment should be expanded. This work focuses on the coincidence of human error and mechanical failure for some important performance shaping factors to propose a method for improving safety effectively of the process industries. In order to apply in these purposes into the thesis, I found 63 critical Performance Shaping Factors of the eight dimensions throughout studies that I executed earlier. In this study, various analysis of opinion of specialists(Personal Factors, Training, Knowledge or Experience, Procedures and Documentation, Information, Communications, HMI, Workplace Design, Quality of Environment, Team Factors) and the guideline for construction of PSF were accomplished. The selected method was AHP which simplifies objective conclusions by maintaining consistency. This research focused on the implementation process of PSF to evaluate the process of PSF at each phase. As a result, we propose an evaluation model of PSF as a tool to find critical problem at each phase and improve on how to resolve the problems found at each phase. This evaluation model makes it possible to extraction of PSF succesfully by presenting the basis of assessment which will be used by enterprises to minimize the trial and error of construction process of PSF.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.385-393
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• 2006

Screening performance of the existing intake screens (drum and travelling screen) on mass impingement of marine animals, a euphausiid, Euphausia pacifica and a scyphozoan medusae, Aurelia aurita that have often clogged intake screens of the Uljin Nuclear Power Plant, was tested. The maximum tolerable densities of marine animals in the inflowing seawater upon the screen were estimated with two different approaches. First the maximum density of jellyfish was calculated from (1) passing amount of seawater per unit time through the screens and (2) the covered area of animals on the screens clogged. The maximum density of krill tolerable in the drum screen was cited from a simulated record of Uljin NPP, then those in the travelling screens were also calculated using the data of drum screen and ratio of seawater amount passing through the screens under the condition of 0.5m water column (W.C.) of the differential pressure (AP) produced by screens, an established permissible limit of ${\Delta}P$. Secondly, the screening performances were also tested by hydrodynamic measurements with various screen models in a circulating water channel equipped with a speed-controlling pump and a differential pressure gauge. From the first approach, the maximum tolerable densities of drum and travelling screen were calculated as 2.0 and $1.5ind/m^3$ for the Jellyfish and 900 and $680ind./m^3$ for the euphausiid, respectively. These densities estimated from the second approach were 2.1 and $0.8ind/m^3$ for the jellyfish and 1059 and $504ind/m^3$ for the euphausiid, respectively. These estimates were compared with the data from historic clogging events to evaluate the practical performance of these intake screens. The comparisons suggest a newly improved intake-screen of which performance should be at least seven times (approximately) better than the existing ones ior the krill and 3.2 times for the jellyfish, respectively, for preventing mass impingement, and for maintaining the condition of the differential pressure between the screens below 0.3 m W.C.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.374-382
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• 2009

Steam generator(SG) tube, as a barrier isolating primary to the secondary coolant system of nuclear power plants(NPP), must maintain the structural integrity far the public safety and its efficient power generation capacity. And SG tubes bearing defects must be timely detected and taken repair measures if needed. For the accomplishment of these objectives, SG tubes have been periodically examined by eddy current testing(ECT) on the basis of administrative notices and intensified SG management program(SGMP). Stress corrosion cracking(SCC) on the SG tubes is not easily detected and even missed since it has lower signal amplitude and other disturbing factors against its detection. However once SCC is developed, that can cause detrimental affects to the SG tubes due to its rapid propagation rate. Accordingly SCC is categorized as prime damage mechanism challenging the soundness of the SG tubes. In this study, reproduced EDM notch specimens are examined for the detectability and quantitative characterization of the axial ODSCC by +PT MRPC probe, containing pancake, +PT and shielded pancake coils apart in a single plane around the circumference. The results of this study are assumed to be applicable fur providing key information of engineering evaluation of SCC and improvement of confidence level of ECT on SG tubes.