• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.37-47
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• 2013

This paper describes basic plans for the development of a radioactive waste disposal facility with the introduction of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) for Kenya. The specific objective of this study was to estimate the total projected waste volumes of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) expected to be generated from the Kenyan nuclear power programme. The facility is expected to accommodate LILW to be generated from operation and decommissioning of nuclear power plants for a period of 50 years. An on-site storage capacity of 700 $m^3$ at nuclear power plant sites and a final disposal repository facility of more than 7,000 $m^3$ capacity were derived by considering Korean nuclear power programme radioactive waste generation data, including Kori, Hanbit, and APR 1400 nuclear reactor data. The repository program is best suited to be introduced roughly 10 years after reactor operation. This study is important as an initial implementation of a national LILW disposal program for Kenya and other newcomer countries interested in nuclear power technology.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.820-830
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• 2016

Pipe wall thinning by flow-accelerated corrosion and various types of erosion is a significant and costly damage phenomenon in secondary piping systems of nuclear power plants (NPPs). Most NPPs have management programs to ensure pipe integrity due to wall thinning that includes periodic measurements for pipe wall thicknesses using nondestructive evaluation techniques. Numerous measurements using ultrasonic tests (UTs; one of the nondestructive evaluation technologies) have been performed during scheduled outages in NPPs. Using the thickness measurement data, wall thinning rates of each component are determined conservatively according to several evaluation methods developed by the United States Electric Power Research Institute. However, little is known about the conservativeness or reliability of the evaluation methods because of a lack of understanding of the measurement error. In this study, quantitative models for UT thickness measurement deviations of nuclear pipes and fittings were developed as the first step for establishing an optimized thinning evaluation procedure considering measurement error. In order to understand the characteristics of UT thickness measurement errors of nuclear pipes and fittings, round robin test results, which were obtained by previous researchers under laboratory conditions, were analyzed. Then, based on a large dataset of actual plant data from four NPPs, a quantitative model for UT thickness measurement deviation is proposed for plant conditions.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.70-74
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• 2014

An Operating Experience Report(OER) has written about events and accidents happened at a Nuclear Power Plant(NPP). The purpose of publishing the OER is to prevent the similar event or accident repeatedly by spreading the experience of a single plant to other plants personnel. In this paper, it is analyses that the foreign NPPs' OERs on JIT published by the International Nuclear Agency(WANO, INPO, COG, BE). The analysis introduced in this paper is performed along with the various factors such as type of work, root-cause, and equipment. The root-cause analysis about the OERs shows that the Human-error is the major factor in foreign NPPs, but on the other hand equipment problem is the main part of the Domestic NPPs. The ratio of the foreign NPP's OERs on JIT according to the type of work was applied to KHNP-JIT developed nowadays for the first time in KOREA.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.3035-3043
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• 2021

Epidemiological research has revealed that radiation exposure can cause cataracts. The Korean nuclear regulatory body has proposed the reduction of the occupational dose limit for the lens of the eye from 150 mSv/y to 100 mSv/5y, with an additional limitation of not exceeding 50 mSv/y for a specific year, taking into account the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. This means that radiation workers should receive the same level of radiation safety for the lens of the eye as for whole-body protection. Korean nuclear power plants (NPPs) are conducting research to establish the radiation protection program for the lens of the eye. In terms of the preliminary results of the implementation of the radiation protection program for the lens of the eye dedicated to Korean NPPs, this review article summarizes the current state of understanding of the regulations, technical guidance, eye lens dosimeters, and radiation field conditions resulting in lens dose.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.297-310
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• 2012

Aging-related degradation of nuclear power plant components is an important aspect to consider in securing the long term safety of the plant, especially the seismic safety, since the degradation of the components affects not only their seismic capacity but their response. This can cause a change in the seismic margin of a component and the overall seismic safety of a system. To better understand the status and characteristics of degradation of components in Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs), the degradation occurrences of components in the U.S. NPPs were identified by reviewing recent publicly available information sources and the characteristics of these occurrences were evaluated and compared to observations from the past. Ten categories of components that are of high risk significance in Korean NPPs were identified, comprising anchorage, concrete, containment, exchanger, filter, piping systems, reactor pressure vessels, structural steel, tanks, and vessels. Software tools were developed to expedite the review process. Results from this review effort were compared to previous data in the literature to characterize the overall degradation trends.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.3660-3671
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• 2022

A new methodology to derive a dose constraint for radioactive effluent from a unit of nuclear power plant (NPP) through retrospective assessment was developed to reflect operational flexibility in line with international standards. The new dose constraint can retain the safety margin between the offsite dose and the past dose constraints. As case studies, the new approach was applied to 24 Korean NPPs to address the limitations of the existing seven dose constraints that do not fully comply with current international radiation protection standards. Therefore, an effective dose constraint for Korean NPPs was proposed as no less than 0.15 mSv/y, which is comparable to the international practices and previous studies (0.05-0.3 mSv/y). Although the lower bound of the equivalent dose constraint was calculated as 0.17 mSv/y, it is not proposed in this study since the compliance with the derived effective dose constraint can prevent accompanied equivalent doses to any organs from exceeding equivalent dose limits. The new framework and the case studies are expected to contribute toward and support the revision of existing dose constraints for radioactive effluent from NPPs, ensuring better compliance with the current international safety standards as well as reflect the operational flexibility in practice.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.25-36
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• 2023

Nuclear power plants have recognized the importance of nuclear cybersecurity. Based on regulatory guidelines and security-related standards issued by regulatory agencies around the world including IAEA, NRC, and KINAC, nuclear operating organizations and related systems manufacturing organizations, design companies, and regulatory agencies are considering methods to prepare for nuclear cybersecurity. Cryptographic algorithms have to be developed and applied in order to meet nuclear cybersecurity requirements. This paper presents methodologies for validating cryptographic algorithms that should be continuously applied at the critical control system of I&C in NPPs. Through the proposed schemes, validation programs are developed in the PLC, which is a critical system of a NPP's I&C, and the validation program is verified through simulation results. Since the development of a cryptographic algorithm validation program for critical digital systems of NPPs has not been carried out, the methodologies proposed in this paper could provide guidelines for Cryptographic Module Validation Modeling for Control Systems in NPPs. In particular, among several CMVP, specific testing techniques for ECB mode-based block ciphers are introduced with program codes and validation models.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.8
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• pp.3167-3179
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• 2024

In abnormal states of nuclear power plants (NPPs), operators undertake mitigation actions to restore a normal state and prevent reactor trips. However, in abnormal states, the NPP condition fluctuates rapidly, which can lead to human error. If human error occurs, the condition of an NPP can deteriorate, leading to reactor trips. Sudden shutdowns, such as reactor trips, can result in the failure of numerous NPP facilities and economic losses. This study develops a remaining trip time (RTT) prediction system as part of an operator support system to reduce possible human errors and improve the safety of NPPs. The RTT prediction system consists of an algorithm that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) and explainable AI (XAI) methods, such as autoencoders, light gradient-boosting machines, and Shapley additive explanations. AI methods provide diagnostic information about the abnormal states that occur and predict the remaining time until a reactor trip occurs. The XAI method improves the reliability of AI by providing a rationale for RTT prediction results and information on the main variables of the status of NPPs. The RTT prediction system includes an interface that can effectively provide the results of the system.

• Journal of Korea Society of Digital Industry and Information Management
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.99-109
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• 2020

In the past, conservative concepts have been applied in terms of the characteristic of nuclear power plants(NPPs), resulting in analog-based equipment and closed networks. However, as digital technology has recently been applied to the design, digital-based facilities and communication networks have been used in nuclear power plants, increasing the risk of cybersecurity than using analog-based facilities. Nuclear power plant facilities are divided into a safety system and a non-safety system. It is essential to identify the difference and cope with cybersecurity threats to the safety system according to its characteristics. In this paper, we examine the cybersecurity regulatory guidelines for safety systems in nuclear power plant facilities. Also, we analyze cybersecurity threats to a programmable logic controller of the safety system and suggest cybersecurity requirements be applied to it to respond to the threats. By implementing security functions suitable for the programmable logic controller according to the suggested cybersecurity requirements, regulatory guidelines can be satisfied, and security functions can be extended according to other system requirements. Also, it can effectively cope with cybersecurity attacks that may occur during the operation of nuclear power plants.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.252-260
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• 2022

Purpose: As the intensity and frequency of natural hazards are increasing due to climate change, external events that affecting nuclear power plants(NPPs) may increase. NPPs must be protected from external events such as natural hazards and human-induced hazards. External events that may occur in NPPs should be identified, and external events that may affect NPPs should be identified. This study introduces the methodology of identification and screening methods for external events by literature review. Method: The literature survey was conducted on the identification and screening methods of external events for probabilistic safety assessment of NPPs. In addition, the regulations on the identification and screening of external events were investigated. Result: In order to minimize the cost of external event impact analysis of nuclear power plants, research on identifying and screening external events is being conducted. In general, in the identification process, all events that can occur at the NPPs are identified. In the screening process, external events are selected based on qualitative and quantitative criteria in most studies. Conclusions: The process of identifying and screening external events affecting NPPs is becoming important. This paper, summarize on how to identify and screen external events for a probabilistic safety assessment of NPPs. It is judged that research on bounding analysis and conservative analysis methods performed in the quantitative screening process of external events is necessary.