• Title/Summary/Keyword: Nuclear transport

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Fixed neutron absorbers for improved nuclear safety and better economics in nuclear fuel storage, transport and disposal

  • M. Lovecky;J. Zavorka;J. Jirickova;Z. Ondracek;R. Skoda
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.55 no.6
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    • pp.2288-2297
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    • 2023
  • Current designs of both large reactor units and small modular reactors utilize a nuclear fuel with increasing enrichment. This increasing demand for better nuclear fuel utilization is a challenge for nuclear fuel handling facilities. The operation with higher enriched fuels leads to reduced reserves to legislative and safety criticality limits of spent fuel transport, storage and final disposal facilities. Design changes in these facilities are restricted due to a boron content in steel and aluminum alloys that are limited by rolling, extrusion, welding and other manufacturing processes. One possible solution for spent fuel pools and casks is the burnup credit method that allows decreasing very high safety margins associated with the fresh fuel assumption in spent fuel facilities. This solution can be supplemented or replaced by an alternative solution based on placing the neutron absorber material directly into the fuel assembly, where its efficiency is higher than between fuel assemblies. A neutron absorber permanently fixed in guide tubes decreases system reactivity more efficiently than absorber sheets between the fuel assemblies. The paper summarizes possibilities of fixed neutron absorbers for various nuclear fuel and fuel handling facilities. Moreover, an absorber material was optimized to propose alternative options to boron. Multiple effective absorbers that do not require steel or aluminum alloy compatibility are discussed because fixed absorbers are placed inside zirconium or steel cladding.

International Research Status on Spent Nuclear Fuel Structural Integrity Tests Considering Vibration and Shock Loads Under Normal Conditions of Transport (정상운반조건의 진동 및 충격하중을 고려한 사용후핵연료의 구조적 건전성 시험평가 해외연구현황)

  • Lim, JaeHoon;Cho, Sang Soon;Choi, Woo-seok
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.167-181
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    • 2019
  • Currently, the development of evaluation technology for vibration and shock load characteristics and spent nuclear fuel structural integrity under normal conditions of transport is being conducted in the Republic of Korea. This is the first such research conducted in the Republic of Korea and, thus, previous international studies need to be investigated and will be referred to in the ongoing project. Before 2000, several studies related to measurement of vibration and shock loads on spent nuclear fuel were conducted in the US. US national research institutes conducted uniaxial fuel assembly shaker tests, concrete block tests, and multi-axis fuel assembly tests between 2009 and 2016. In 2017, multi-modal transportation tests including road, sea, and rail transport were also performed by research institutes from the US, Spain and the Republic of Korea. Therefore, test preparation procedures, acceleration and strain measurement results, and finite-element and multi-body dynamics analysis were investigated. Based on the measured strain data, the preliminary conclusion was obtained that the measured strain was too small to cause damage to spent nuclear fuel rods. However, this conclusion is a preliminary conclusion that only reviews part of the results; a detailed review is being conducted in the US. The investigation of international studies on spent nuclear fuel structural integrity tests considering vibration and shock loads under normal conditions of transport in the US will be useful data for the project being conducted in the Republic of Korea.

The Fourier Analysis on DSA and P$_2$SA for Discrete-Ordinates Solutions of Neutron Transport Equations

  • Noh, Taewan
    • Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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    • 1995.10a
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    • pp.103-108
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    • 1995
  • By applying the P$_1$ and P$_2$ equations to the operator form of a synthetic acceleration, we derive the p,-acceleration (diffusion synthetic acceleration: DSA) and P$_2$-acceleration (p$_2$SA) schemes in one dimensional slab geometry. We Fourier-analyze the derived acceleration schemes with the discrete-ordinates transport equation and showed that the DSA outperforms the P$_2$SA. These results confirm that one cannot simply assume that replacement of the DSA with a higher order approximation will lead to a better acceleration performance.

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우성형 중성자 수송방정식을 이용한 광첨두현상 감소 및 제거

  • 노태완
    • Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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    • 1996.05a
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    • pp.173-178
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    • 1996
  • 특정한 방향성분에 대한 방향중성자속을 정의하는 방향차분 수송 방정식(discrete ordinates or S$_{N}$ transport equation)과 달리 방향변수를 구분된 방향영역에 대하여 적분하고, 해당 방향영역 내에서의 방향중성자속이 일정하다고 가정하는 영역상수법(piecewise constant method)을 이용하여 유사방향차분방정식(discrete ordinates-like equation)을 유도하여, 이를 Boltzmann 수송식과 2계 우성수송식(even-parity transport equation)에 적용하여 기존의 방향차분법의 단점인 광첨두현상(ray effects)을 감소시키고, 우성수송식의 교차미분항을 제거한 단순우성방정식(simplified even-parity equation)을 사용하여 광첨두현상을 제거하였다. 이는 단순우성방정식의 또 다른 장점을 제시한다.

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Transport Simulation of The Operation Modes in a KT-2 Tokamak

  • B. G. Hong;Lee, K. W.;Kim, S. K.
    • Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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    • 1995.05b
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    • pp.1027-1032
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    • 1995
  • To develop operation scenarios of KT-2 tokamak, 3 operation modes(OH, high ${\beta}$ and high bootstrap) deduced from zero dimensional steady-state power balance are examined with TSC(Tokamak Simulation Code) time-dependent transport .ode. Plasma profiles are evaluated self consistently during simulations and plasma shapes are maintained by feedback control on PF coil currents. Simulations show operation modes which are typical of KT-2 expected discharges are compatible with the KT-2 PF system design specifications[1].

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A Safety Assessment for the Wolsong LILW Disposal Center: As a part of safety case for the first stage disposal (월성원자력환경관리센터의 폐쇄후 처분안전성평가: 1단계 인허가 적용사례를 중심으로)

  • Park, Joo-Wan;Yoon, Jeong-Hyun;Kim, Chang-Lak
    • Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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    • v.6 no.4
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    • pp.329-346
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    • 2008
  • Post-closure safety assessment for the Wolsong Low- and Intermediate-level radioactive waste Disposal Center is described. Based on assessment context, closure concept and ground water flow characteristics of the disposal site, brief descriptions are included on the assessment scenarios, models, input parameters and tools. Radionuclide transport modeling in the near-field and far-field, gas generation and transport modeling, human intrusion and biosphere transport are also described briefly. Assessment results for each scenarios are shown to meet the performance criteria of regulatory body. Further and continuous efforts to improve the safety of disposal facility will be made during the construction and operational period.

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Green's Function of Time-Energy Dependent Neutron Transport Equation

  • Hokee Minn;Pac, Pong-Youl
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.2 no.4
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    • pp.263-268
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    • 1970
  • The spectrum of continuous transfer operator arising in a time-energy dependent neutron transport equation is analyzed. Four theorems concerning on the spectrum are proved. A convolution theorem of the generalized Mellin energy transform is given. Also the completeness theorem necessary for a final solution is proved. A unique time decay constant 1 - c is found, which is dominant asymptotically.

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