• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.8
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• pp.1871-1880
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• 2020

Round robin analyses for vessel failure probabilities due to PTS events are proposed for plant-specific analyses of all types of reactors developed in Korea. Four organizations, that are responsible for regulation, operation, research and design of the nuclear power plant in Korea, participated in the round robin analysis. The vessel failure probabilities from the probabilistic fracture mechanics analyses are calculated to assure the structural integrity of the reactor pressure vessel during transients that are expected to initiate PTS events. The failure probabilities due to various parameters are compared with each other. All results are obtained based on several assumptions about material properties, flaw distribution data, and transient data such as pressure, temperature, and heat transfer coefficient. The realistic input data can be used to obtain more realistic failure probabilities. The various results presented in this study will be helpful not only for benchmark calculations, result comparisons, and verification of PFM codes developed but also as a contribution to knowledge management for the future generation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

When the pumps stopped in the operation by the power failure, the hydraulic transients take place in the sudden change of a velocity of pipe line. Each and every water hammer problem shows the critical stage to be greatly affected the facts of safety and reliability in case of power failure. The field tests of the water hammer executed at Cheong-Yang booster pump station having an air chamber. The effects were studied by both the practical experiments and the CFD(Computational Fluid Dynamics : Surge 2008). The result states that the system with water hammering protection equipment was much safer when power failure happens. The following data by a computational fluid dynamic analysis are to be shown below, securing the system stability and integrity. (1) With water hammering protection equipment. (1) Change of pressure : Up to $15.5\;kg/cm^2$ in contrary to estimating $16.88\;kg/cm^2$. (2) Change rate of water level : 52~33% in contrary to estimating 55~27%. (3) Note that the operational pressure of pump runs approx. 145 m, lowering 155 m of the regularity head of pump. (4) Note that the cycle of water hammering delays from 80 second to 100 second, together with easing the function of air value at the pneumatic lines. (2) Change of pressure without water hammering protection equipment : Approximate $22.86\;kg/cm^2$. The comprehensive result says that the computational fluid dynamics analysis would match well with the practical field-test. It was able to predict Max. or Min. water hammering time in a piping system. This study aims effectively to alleviate water hammering in a pipe line to be installed with air chamber at the pumping station and results in making the stability of pump system in the end.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.10
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• pp.3236-3246
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• 2021

Lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident directed that multiple failures should be considered more seriously rather than single failure in the licensing bases and safety cases because attempts to take accident management measures could be unsuccessful under the high radiation environment aggravated by multiple failures, such as complete loss of electric power, uncontrollable loss of coolant inventory, failure of essential safety function recovery. In the case of the complete loss of electric power called station blackout (SBO), if there is no mitigation action for recovering safety functions, the reactor core would be overheated, and severe fuel damage could be anticipated due to the failure of the active heat sink. In such a transient condition at CANDU-6 plants, the seal failure of the primary heat transport (PHT) pumps can facilitate a consequent increase in the fuel sheath temperature and eventually lead to degradation of the fuel integrity. Therefore, it is necessary to specify the regulatory guidelines for multiple failures on a licensing basis so that licensees should prepare the accident management measures to prevent or mitigate accident conditions. In order to explore the efficiency of implementing accident management strategies for CANDU-6 plants, this study proposed a realistic accident analysis approach on the SBO transient with multiple-failure sequences such as seal failure of PHT pumps without operator's recovery actions. In this regard, a comparative study for two PHT pump seal failure modes with and without coolant seal leakage was conducted using a best-estimate code to precisely investigate the behaviors of thermal-hydraulic parameters during transient conditions. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis for different PHT pump seal leakage rates was also carried out to examine the effect of leakage rate on the system responses. This study is expected to provide the technical bases to the accident management strategy for unmitigated transient conditions with multiple failures.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2010

This paper studies causes of the L-1 blade damage of a low pressure turbine, which was found during the scheduled maintenance, in 500 MW fossil power plants. Many failures of turbine blades are caused by the coupling of aerodynamic forcing with bladed-disk vibration characteristics. In this study the coupled vibration characteristics of the L-1 turbine bladed-disk in a fossil power plant is shown for the purpose of identifying the root cause of the damage and confirming equipment integrity. First, analytic and experimental modal analysis for the bladed-disk at zero rpm as well as a single blade were performed and analyzed in order to verify the finite element model, and then steady stresses, natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes, dynamic stresses were calculated for the bladed-disk under operation. Centrifugal force and steady steam force were considered in calculation of steady and dynamic stress. The proximity of modes to sources of excitation was assessed by means of an interference diagram to examine resonances. In addition, fatigue analysis was done for the dangerous modes of operation by a local strain approach. It is expected that these dynamic characteristics will be used effectively to identify the root causes of blade failures and to perform prompt maintenance.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.48-56
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• 2006

The fatigue strength of the welds is affected by such factors as the weld geometry, microstructures, tensile properties and residual stresses caused by fabrication. It is very important to evaluate the structural integrity of the welds in nuclear power plant because the weldment undergoes the most of damage and failure mechanisms. In this study, the fatigue assessments for a reactor vessel outlet nozzle with the weldment to the piping system are performed considering the welding residual stresses as well as the effect of local brittle zone in the vicinity of the weld fusion line. The analytical approaches employed are the microstructure and mechanical properties prediction by semi-analytical method, the thermal and stress analysis including the welding residual stress analysis by finite element method, the fatigue life assessment by following the ASME Code rules. The calculated results of cumulative usage factors(CUF) are compared for cases of the elastic and elasto-plastic analysis, and with or without residual stress and local brittle zone effects, respectively. Finally, the fatigue life of reactor vessel outlet nozzle weld is slightly affected by the local brittle zone and welding residual stresses.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.95-105
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the career obstacle factors and career identity according to career choice type among paramedic students. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 234 paramedic students in C area from August 25 to September 3, 2015. The questionnaire consisted of general characteristics of the subjects, career obstacle factors, career identity, and types of career choice. The data were analyzed by t test, ANOVA, post hoc $Scheff{\acute{e}}$ test, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS v. 20.0. Results: Career obstacle factors and career identity of paramedic students had significant differences on motivation of university choice, major satisfaction, and job preference. A stable type of career choice showed a significantly lower score for career obstacle factors and a higher score for career identity. Career identity had a strongly positive relationship with major satisfaction and had a negative relationship with career obstacle factors. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the main variables affecting career identity were types of career choice, motivation of university choice, major satisfaction, and career obstacle factors. The explanatory power was 58.0%. Conclusion: The development of a career integrity enhancement program can solve the career obstacle factors for paramedic students.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.15-22
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• 2011

The chemistry factor and RTPTS margin for domestic reactor pressure vessel materials were analyzed by using the surveillance data which have been obtained from 8 nuclear power plants in Korea. The surveillance data have been used to assess the integrity of the pressure vessel under the pressurized thermal shock (PTS) event. The chemistry factor, which is determined by the Cu and Ni contents of vessel materials, is considered a proper tool to assess the $RT_{PTS}$. The chemistry factors, which were obtained from the surveillance data of domestic reactor pressure vessels, were investigated and compared with those of Regulatory Guide 1.99 in this study. Regressions for ${\Delta}RT_{NDT}$ were performed to expect the chemistry factor as a function of Cu and Ni, and to estimate $RT_{PTS}$ margin. The margin analysis was performed by comparing the regression graphs and standard deviations with those of Regulatory Guide 1.99. The standard deviations calculated by using the domestic surveillance data for base metal and welds are almost same as the standard deviations which are suggested on Regulatory Guide 1.99, Rev.2.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.218-227
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• 2016

Background: Steam explosions may occur in nuclear power plants by molten fuel-coolant interactions when the external reactor vessel cooling strategy fails. Since this phenomenon can threaten structural barriers as well as major components, extensive integrity assessment research is necessary to ensure their safety. Method: In this study, the influence of yield criteria was investigated to predict the failure of a reactor cavity under a typical postulated condition through detailed parametric finite element analyses. Further analyses using a geometrically simplified equivalent model with homogeneous concrete properties were also performed to examine its effectiveness as an alternative to the detailed reinforcement concrete model. Results: By comparing finite element analysis results such as cracking, crushing, stresses, and displacements, the Willam-Warnke model was derived for practical use, and failure criteria applicable to the reactor cavity under the severe accident condition were discussed. Conclusion: It was proved that the reactor cavity sustained its intended function as a barrier to avoid release of radioactive materials, irrespective of the different yield criteria that were adopted. In addition, from a conservative viewpoint, it seems possible to employ the simplified equivalent model to determine the damage extent and weakest points during the preliminary evaluation stage.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.337-348
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• 2007

A fuzzy neural network model is presented to predict residual stress for dissimilar metal welding under various welding conditions. The fuzzy neural network model, which consists of a fuzzy inference system and a neuronal training system, is optimized by a hybrid learning method that combines a genetic algorithm to optimize the membership function parameters and a least squares method to solve the consequent parameters. The data of finite element analysis are divided into four data groups, which are split according to two end-section constraints and two prediction paths. Four fuzzy neural network models were therefore applied to the numerical data obtained from the finite element analysis for the two end-section constraints and the two prediction paths. The fuzzy neural network models were trained with the aid of a data set prepared for training (training data), optimized by means of an optimization data set and verified by means of a test data set that was different (independent) from the training data and the optimization data. The accuracy of fuzzy neural network models is known to be sufficiently accurate for use in an integrity evaluation by predicting the residual stress of dissimilar metal welding zones.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.24-30
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• 2021

In this paper, a structural stability analysis of the swash plate hydraulic piston pump installed on hydraulic supply systems in marine vessels is presented. In order to verify the integrity of the pump design, a standard structural analysis technique based on the finite element method has been applied for various operating and boundary conditions. For the maximum operational torque (223 N·m) at 5°, 10°, and 15° of the swash plate angle, the maximum deformation, equivalent stress and safety factor are evaluated. The analytical results show that under current operating conditions, the structural reliability of the design has been confirmed.