• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.613-626
• /
• 2022

Guaranteeing the quality and integrity of structural health monitoring (SHM) data is very important for an effective assessment of structural condition. However, sensory system may malfunction due to sensor fault or harsh operational environment, resulting in multiple types of data anomaly existing in the measured data. Efficiently and automatically identifying anomalies from the vast amounts of measured data is significant for assessing the structural conditions and early warning for structural failure in SHM. The major challenges of current automated data anomaly detection methods are the imbalance of dataset categories. In terms of the feature of actual anomalous data, this paper proposes a data anomaly detection method based on data-level and deep learning technique for SHM of civil engineering structures. The proposed method consists of a data balancing phase to prepare a comprehensive training dataset based on data-level technique, and an anomaly detection phase based on a sophisticatedly designed network. The advanced densely connected convolutional network (DenseNet) and Transformer encoder are embedded in the specific network to facilitate extraction of both detail and global features of response data, and to establish the mapping between the highest level of abstractive features and data anomaly class. Numerical studies on a steel frame model are conducted to evaluate the performance and noise immunity of using the proposed network for data anomaly detection. The applicability of the proposed method for data anomaly classification is validated with the measured data of a practical supertall structure. The proposed method presents a remarkable performance on data anomaly detection, which reaches a 95.7% overall accuracy with practical engineering structural monitoring data, which demonstrates the effectiveness of data balancing and the robust classification capability of the proposed network.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.4
• /
• pp.1421-1430
• /
• 2022

The computation of the solid angle and the detector efficiency is considering to be one of the most important factors during the measuring process for the radioactivity, especially the cylindrical γ-ray NaI(Tl) detectors nowadays have applications in several fields such as industry, hazardous for health, the gamma-ray radiation detectors grow to be the main essential instruments in radiation protection sector. In the present work, a generic numerical simulation method (NSM) for calculating the efficiency of the γ-ray spectrometry setup is established. The formulas are suitable for any type of source-to-detector shape and can be valuable to determine the full-energy peak and the total efficiencies and P/T ratio of cylindrical γ-ray NaI(Tl) detector setup concerning the truncated conical radioactive source. This methodology is based on estimate the path length of γ-ray radiation inside the detector active medium, inside the source itself, and the self-attenuation correction factors, which typically use to correct the sample attenuation of the original geometry source. The calculations can be completed in general by using extra reasonable and complicate analytical and numerical techniques than the standard models; especially the effective solid angle, and the detector efficiency have to be calculated in case of the truncated conical radioactive source studied condition. Moreover, the (NSM) can be used for the straight calculations of the γ-ray detector efficiency after the computation of improvement that need in the case of γ-γ coincidence summing (CS). The (NSM) confirmation of the development created by the efficiency transfer method has been achieved by comparing the results of the measuring truncated conical radioactive source with certified nuclide activities with the γ-ray NaI(Tl) detector, and a good agreement was obtained after corrections of (CS). The methodology can be unlimited to find the theoretical efficiencies and modifications equivalent to any geometry by essential sufficiently the physical selective considered situation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.9
• /
• pp.3150-3163
• /
• 2023

To improve the performance of blanket: maximizing the tritium breeding rate (TBR) for tritium self-sufficiency, and minimizing the Dose of backplate for radiation protection, most previous studies are based on manual corrections to adjust the blanket structure to achieve optimization design, but it is difficult to find an optimal structure and tends to be trapped by local optimizations as it involves multiphysics field design, which is also inefficient and time-consuming process. The artificial intelligence (AI) maybe is a potential method for the optimization design of the blanket. So, this paper aims to develop an intelligent optimization method based on an improved multi-objective NSGA-III algorithm and an adaptive BP neural network to solve these problems mentioned above. This method has been applied on optimizing the radial arrangement of a conceptual design of CFETR HCSB blanket. Finally, a series of optimal radial arrangements are obtained under the constraints that the temperature of each component of the blanket does not exceed the limit and the radial length remains unchanged, the efficiency of the blanket optimization design is significantly improved. This study will provide a clue and inspiration for the application of artificial intelligence technology in the optimization design of blanket.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.1
• /
• pp.278-284
• /
• 2023

The synthetic B₂O₃-As₂O₃ glass ceramic are prepared to investigate the physical properties and the radiation shielding capabilities with the variation of concentration of the As₂O₃ with 10, 20, 30, and 40%, respectively. XRD analyses are performed on the fabricated glass-ceramic and depicted the improvement of crystallinity by adding As₂O₃. The radiation shielding properties are studied for the B₂O₃-As₂O₃ glass ceramic. The values of linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) are varied with the variation of incident photon gamma energy (23.1-103 keV). The LAC values enhanced from 12.19 cm^-1-37.75 cm^-1 by raising the As₂O₃ concentration from 10 to 40 mol% at low gamma energy (23.1 keV) for BAs10 and BAs40, respectively. Among the shielding parameters, the half-value layer, transmission factor, and radiation protection efficiency are estimated. Furthermore, the fabricated samples of glass ceramic have low manufacturing costs and good shielding features compared to the previous work. It can be concluded the B₂O₃-As₂O₃ glass ceramic is appropriate to apply in X-ray or low-energy gamma-ray shielding applications.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.1
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2023

To protect people and the environment from environmental radiation, the Act on Protective Action Guidelines against Radiation in the Natural Environment was formulated in Korea in 2011. This law regulates matters related to radiation safety that can be encountered in life. In accordance with this law, radiation monitoring equipment is operated at major airports and ports across the country, ensuring radiation monitoring of imported cargo. Currently, six ministries conduct radiation monitoring of imported cargo: the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission; the Korea Customs Service; the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety; the Ministry of Environment; the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; and the Korea Forest Service. Each ministry designates the relevant cargo items for radiation monitoring. The objective of this study was to comprehensively review the Korean radiation monitoring system for imported cargo and identify the areas and scopes of improvement. This paper also proposes a new law and an integrated supervision plan, which involves establishing a dedicated department to enhance the efficiency and professionalism of the national radiation monitoring system for imported cargo. The review will contribute to the development of a more sophisticated national radiation monitoring system for imported cargo.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.2315-2324
• /
• 2023

Space nuclear reactors are becoming popular in deep space exploration owing to their advantages of high-power density and stability. Following the fourth-generation nuclear reactor technology, a conceptual design of the dual drum-controlled space molten salt reactor (D²-SMSR) is proposed. The reactor concept uses molten salt as fuel and heat pipes for cooling. A new reactivity control strategy that combines control drums and safety drums was adopted. Critical physical characteristics such as neutron energy spectrum, neutron flux distribution, power distribution and burnup depth were calculated. Flow and heat transfer characteristics such as natural convection, velocity and temperature distribution of the D²-SMSR under low gravity conditions were analyzed. The reactivity control effect of the dual-drums strategy was evaluated. Results showed that the D²-SMSR with a fast spectrum could operate for 10 years at the full power of 40 kWth. The D²-SMSR has a high heat transfer coefficient between molten salt and heat pipe, which means that the core has a good heat-exchange performance. The new reactivity control strategy can achieve shutdown with one safety drum or three control drums, ensuring high-security standards. The present study can provide a theoretical reference for the design of space nuclear reactors.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.1949-1958
• /
• 2023

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 116 was released to provide a comprehensive dataset of the dose coefficients (DCs) for external exposures produced with the adult reference voxel phantoms of ICRP Publication 110. Although an advanced skeletal dosimetry method for photons and neutrons using fluence-to-dose response functions (DRFs) was introduced in ICRP Publication 116, the ICRP-116 skeletal DCs were calculated by using the simple method conventionally used (i.e., doses to red bone marrow and endosteum approximated by doses to spongiosa and/or medullary cavities). In the present study, the photon and neutron DRFs were used to produce skeletal DCs of the ICRP-110 reference phantoms, which were then compared with the ICRP-116 DCs. For photons, there were significant differences by up to ~2.8 times especially at energies <0.3 MeV. For neutrons, the differences were generally small over the entire energy region (mostly <20%). The general impact of the DRF-based skeletal DCs on the effective dose calculations was negligibly small, supporting the validity of the ICRP-116 effective DCs despite their skeletal DCs derived from the simple method. Meanwhile, we believe that the DRF-based skeletal DCs could be beneficial in better estimates of skeletal doses of individuals for risk assessments.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.7
• /
• pp.2613-2620
• /
• 2023

Excellent thermal neutron absorption performance of boron expands the potential use of boron rich slag to prepare epoxy resin matrix nuclear shielding composites. However, shielding attenuation behaviors and mechanism of the composites against gamma rays are unclear. Based on the radiation protection theory, Phy-X/PSD, XCOM, and ⁶⁰Co gamma ray source were integrated to obtain the shielding parameters of boron rich slag/epoxy resin composites at 0.015-15 MeV, which include mass attenuation coefficient (µ_t), linear attenuation coefficient (µ), half value thickness layer (HVL), electron density (N_eff), effective atomic number (Z_eff), exposure buildup factor (EBF) and exposure absorption buildup factor (EABF).µ_t, µ, HVL, N_eff, Z_eff, EBF and EABF are 0.02-7 cm²/g, 0.04-17 cm^-1, 0.045-20 cm, 5-14, 3 × 10²³-8 × 10²³ electron/g, 0-2000, and 0-3500. Shielding performance is BS4, BS3, BS3, BS1 in descending order, but worse than ordinary concrete. µ and HVL of BS1-BS4 for ⁶⁰Co gamma ray is 0.095-0.110 cm^-1 and 6.3-7.2 cm. Shielding mechanism is main interactions for attenuation gamma ray by BS1-BS4 are elements with higher content or higher atomic number via Photoelectric Absorption at low energy range, and elements with higher content via Compton Scattering and Pair Production in Nuclear Field at middle and higher energy range.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.10
• /
• pp.3854-3859
• /
• 2023

Background: This study aims to develop an evaluator that can quickly and accurately evaluate the shielding of low-energy industrial radiation generators. Methods: We used PyQt to develop a graphical user interface (GUI)-based program and employed the calculation methodology reported in the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP)-49 for shielding calculations. We gathered the necessary factors for shielding evaluation using two libraries designed for Python, pandas and NumPy, and processed them into a database. We verified the effectiveness of the proposed program by comparing the results with those from safety reports of six domestic facilities. Results: After verifying the effectiveness of the program using the NCRP-49 example, we obtained an average error rate of 1.73%. When comparing the facility safety report and results obtained using the program, we found that the error rate was between 1.09% and 6.51%. However, facilities that did not use a defined shielding methodology were underestimated by 31.82% compared with the program (the final barrier thickness satisfied the shielding standard). Conclusion: The developed program provides a fast and accurate shielding evaluation that can assist personnel that work in radiation generator facilities and government officials in reviewing safety.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.3
• /
• pp.893-899
• /
• 2024

In a secondary cooling system of a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), rapid detection of hydrogen due to sodium-water reaction (SWR) caused by water leakage from a heat exchanger tube of a steam generator (SG) is important in terms of safety and property protection of the SFR. For hydrogen detection, the hydrogen detectors using atomic transmission phenomenon of hydrogen within Ni-membrane were used in Japanese proto-type SFR "Monju". However, during the plant operation, detection signals of water leakage were observed even in the situation without SWR concerning temperature up and down in the cooling system. For this reason, the study of a new hydrogen detector has been carried out to improve stability, accuracy and reliability. In this research, the authors focus on the difference in composition of hydrogen and the difference between the background hydrogen under normal plant operation and the one generated by SWR and theoretically estimate the hydrogen behavior in liquid sodium by using ultra-accelerated quantum chemical molecular dynamics (UA-QCMD). Based on the estimation, dissolved H or NaH, rather than molecular hydrogen (H₂), is the predominant form of the background hydrogen in liquid sodium in terms of energetical stability. On the other hand, it was found that hydrogen molecules produced by the sodium-water reaction can exist stably as a form of a fine bubble concerning some confinement mechanism such as a NaH layer on their surface. At the same time, we observed experimentally that the fine H₂ bubbles exist stably in the liquid sodium, longer than previously expected. This paper describes the comparison between the theoretical estimation and experimental results based on hydrogen form in sodium in the development of the new hydrogen detector in Japan.