• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.318-329
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• 2016

Reducing critical boron concentration in a commercial pressurized water reactor core offers many advantages in view of safety and economics. This paper presents a preliminary investigation of a reduced-boron pressurized water reactor core to achieve a clearly negative moderator temperature coefficient at hot zero power using the newly-proposed "Burnable absorber-Integrated Guide Thimble" (BigT) absorbers. The reference core is based on a commercial OPR1000 equilibrium configuration. The reduced-boron ORP1000 configuration was determined by simply replacing commercial gadolinia-based burnable absorbers with the optimized BigT-loaded design. The equilibrium cores in this study were directly searched via repetitive Monte Carlo depletion calculations until convergence. The results demonstrate that, with the same fuel management scheme as in the reference core, application of the BigT absorbers can effectively reduce the critical boron concentration at the beginning of cycle by about 65 ppm. More crucially, the analyses indicate promising potential of the reduced-boron OPR1000 core with the BigT absorbers, as its moderator temperature coefficient at the beginning of cycle is clearly more negative and all other vital neutronic parameters are within practical safety limits. All simulations were completed using the Monte Carlo Serpent code with the ENDF/B-VII.0 library.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.2812-2820
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• 2020

House load operation (HLO) occurs when the generator supplies power to the house load without triggering reactor trips during grid disturbances. In Korea, the HLO capability of optimized power reactor 1000 (OPR1000) plants has prevented several reactor trips. Operational experiences demonstrate the difference in the reactor trip incidence due to grid disturbances between OPR1000 plants and Westinghouse plants in Korea, attributable to the availability of the HLO capability. However, probabilistic safety assessments (PSAs) for OPR1000 plants have not considered their specific design features in the initiating event analyses. In an at-power PSA, the HLO capability can affect the initiating event frequencies of general transients (GTRN) and loss of offsite power (LOOP), resulting from transients within the grid system. The initiating event frequencies of GTRN and LOOP for an OPR1000 plant are reduced by 17.7% and 78.7%, respectively, compared to the Korean industry-average initiating event frequencies, and its core damage frequency from internal events is reduced by 15.2%. The explicit consideration of the HLO capability in initiating event analyses makes significant changes in the risk contributions of the initiating events. Consequently, for more realistic at-power PSAs in Korea, we recommend incorporating plant-specific HLO-related design features when estimating initiating event frequencies.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.1513-1525
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• 2024

An improved mitigation system for thermally-induced steam generator tube rupture accidents was introduced to prevent direct environmental release of fission products bypassing the containment in the OPR1000. This involves injecting bypassed steam into the containment, cooling, and decontaminating it using a water coolant tank. To evaluate its performance, a severe accident analysis was performed using the MELCOR 2.2 code for OPR1000. Simulation results show that the proposed system sufficiently prevented the release of radioactive nuclides (RNs) into the environment via containment injection. The pool scrubbing system effectively decontaminated the injected RN and consequently reduced the aerosol mass in the containment atmosphere. However, the decay heat of the collected RNs causes re-vaporization. To restrict the re-vaporization, an external water source was considered, where the decontamination performance was significantly improved, and the RNs were effectively isolated. However, due to the continuous evaporation of the feed water caused by decay heat, a substantial amount of steam is released into the containment. Despite the slight pressurization inside the containment by the injected and evaporated steam, the steam decreased the hydrogen mole fraction, thereby reducing the possibility of ignition.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.8
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• pp.3097-3111
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• 2024

Since the level 2 PSA of OPR-1000 was the requirement for regulatory purposes, Cs-137 release estimation was contained as the Nuclear Safety Act of ROK in which the Cs-137 release frequency exceeding 100 TBq was determined to happen less than 1.0E-6 per year after the Fukushima Daiichi Accident. However, Cs-137 release estimation from the conventional level 2 PSA of OPR-1000 provided uncertainty due to dominant accident sequence consideration. Thus, this study aimed to develop systematic methods through the overall framework to quantify realistic uncertainty concerns of radioactive material release using sensitivity and uncertainty analysis methods and apply them to OPR-1000. This framework helped to quantify confidential value for the Cs-137 release under the BEPU approach using both parametric and non-parametric methods to cover both realistic and conservative points. Uncertainty propagation analysis showed the unexpected uncertainty increase of Cs-137 release exceeding 100 TBq. The non-parametric uncertainty analysis provided higher conservative concerns for safety than the realistic concerns in terms of economics when compared with the parametric uncertainty analysis. Wilks' uncertainty analysis showed the importance to consider conservative Cs-137 release in order to reach the higher safety need. Sensitivity analysis showed reasonable relationships between engineering safety parameters with the Cs-137 release.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.134-143
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• 2023

Efforts are being made to respond to global warming. Interest in and demand for the private sector-led RE100 campaign is also increasing. Self-built solar power generation, one of the implementation tools for RE100, is not expanding. However, it can be an economical means of implementation in the long run. In this study, we intend to analyze the impact on the optimal ratio of self-solar power generation using HOMER simulation. OPR defines the optimal solar power generation ratio and looks into what changes there are in the optimal solar power ratio when self-power consumption increases and external power purchase price changes. As a result, the optimal rate of self-solar power generation has a low impact even if self-power consumption increases. As the external power unit price increases, the optimal ratio increases, and at a power unit price of 100 KRW/kWh, OPR is 24%; at 200 KRW/kWh OPR is 31%; and at 300 KRW/kWh OPR is 34%. This shows that the electricity price replaced during the life cycle has a high impact on the economic feasibility of solar power generation. However, when the external power unit price reached a certain level, the increase in OPR decreased. This shows that it is difficult for domestic companies to achieve RE100 based on the economic feasibility of solar energy alone. Therefore, efforts are needed to supply renewable energy in the public sector.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.16-19
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• 2010

In this study, the axial ODSCC occurrence of domestic OPR 1000 steam generator tube was caused by the tube weakness and the sludge accumulation in the secondary side of steam generator. Inconel 600 HTMA used as tube material is related to most of tube leakage accidents in the world and also these ODSCCs were detected mainly at the 5th TSP(Tube Support Plate) to the 8th TSP of hot leg side. These elevations(5th TSP to 8th TSP) pave the way for the sludge accumulation. As a result of EC(Eddy Current) Bobbin and RPC data analysis, ODSCCs were occurred at contact points of tube and tube support plate. The more accumulated sludge, the higher occurrence frequency of ODSCC.

• Journal of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.691-707
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• 2016

In this paper, we first introduce two one-parameter relaxation (OPR) iterative methods for solving singular saddle point problems whose semi-convergence rate can be accelerated by using scaled preconditioners. Next we present formulas for finding their optimal parameters which yield the best semi-convergence rate. Lastly, numerical experiments are provided to examine the efficiency of the OPR methods with scaled preconditioners by comparing their performance with the parameterized Uzawa method with optimal parameters.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.26-30
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• 2003

The dinuclear $Ag_2[Phen]_2[S_2P(OPr)_2]_2$(phen=1,10-phenanthroline; Pr=propyl), was prepared by the reaction of bis(dipropyldithiophosphato) silver(I) complex with 1,10-phenanthroline ligand, and its structure was determined by X-ray crystallography. The two dipropyldithiophosphato ligands each bridge two silver atoms to form an eight-membered $Ag_2S_4P_2$ ring, while the 1,10-phenanthroline molecule coordinates to a silver atom to complete the local tetrahedral geometry for the metal ion. The Ag-S bond distances are 2.559(1) and 2.567(1)${\AA}$, and the Ag-N bond distances are 2.366(3) and 2.471(3)${\AA}$.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.519-523
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• 2013

A steam generator (SG) tube is an important component of a nuclear power plant (NPP). It works as a pressure boundary between the primary and secondary systems. The integrity of a SG tube can be assessed by an eddy current test every outage. The eddy current technique(adopting a bobbin probe) is currently the main technique used to assess the integrity of the tubing of a steam generator. An eddy current signal analyst for steam generator tubes continuously analyzes data over a given period of time. However, there are possibilities that the analyst conducting the test may get tired and cause mistakes, such as: missing indications or not being able to separate a true defect signal from one that is more complicated. This error could lead to confusion and an improper interpretation of the signal analysis. In order to avoid these possibilities, many countries of opted for automated analyses. Axial ODSCC (outside diameter stress corrosion cracking) defects on the tubes of OPR1000 steam generators have been found on the tube that are in contract with tube support plates. In this study, automated analysis software called CDS (computer data screening) made by Zetec was used. This paper will discuss the results of introducing an automated analysis system for an axial ODSCC on the tubes of an OPR1000 steam generator.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.8-11
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• 2016

Strong deep ultraviolet emitting aniline and $TiO_2$ composite has been synthesized via hydrolysis and condensation reactions of titaniumisopropoxide ($Ti(OPr)_4$), aniline, and acetic anhydride. Three different weight ratios of aniline and $Ti(OPr)_4$ including 3:1 ($TiO_2An-A$), 2:1 ($TiO_2An-B$), and 1:1 ($TiO_2An-C$) were synthesized and characterized their optical properties. The FTIR spectra of the $TiO_2An-A$, -B, and -C showed the absorption intensities of the benzene ring stretching and bending vibrations, and benzene ring -CH stretching, bending, and deformation vibrations increased with the increase of the amount of aniline. The UV-visible absorption spectra showed that the UV region absorption was slightly increased with the increase of the amount of aniline. The photoluminescence (PL) intensities were exponentially increased with the increase the excitation wavelength from 307 to 317 nm, steadily increased from 300 to 313 nm and slowly increased from 302 to 308 nm for $TiO_2An-A$, -B, and -C, respectively and decreased thereafter. Therefore, the PL intensity is strongly dependent on the weight ratio of $Ti(OPr)_4$ and aniline.