• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권5호
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• pp.1725-1732
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• 2024

In nuclear power plants, reactor coolant leakage can occur due to various reasons. Early detection of leaks is crucial for maintaining the safety of nuclear power plants. Currently, a detection system is being developed in Korea to identify reactor coolant system (RCS) leakage of less than 0.5 gpm. Typically, RCS leaks are detected by monitoring temperature, humidity, and radioactivity in the containment, and a water level in the sump. However, detecting small leaks proves challenging because the resulting changes in the containment humidity and temperature, and the sump water level are minimal. To address these issues and improve leak detection speed, it is necessary to quantify the leaks and develop an artificial intelligence-based leak detection system. In this study, we employed bidirectional long short-term memory, which are types of neural networks used in artificial intelligence, to predict the relative humidity in the leakage area for leak quantification. Additionally, an optimization technique was implemented to reduce learning time and enhance prediction performance. Through evaluation of the developed artificial intelligence model's prediction accuracy, we expect it to be valuable for future leak detection systems by accurately predicting the relative humidity in a leakage area.

• 대한소아치과학회지
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.281-290
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• 2015

본 연구의 목적은 bulk-fill 복합레진의 상아질 전단결합강도 및 미세누출을 평가함에 있다. 실험군으로 1종의 고점도 bulk-fill 복합레진과 2종의 저점도 bulk-fill 복합레진을 사용하였고 대조군으로 1종의 conventional 복합레진을 사용하였다. 상아질 접착제는 7세대를 사용하였다. 영구치를 4군으로 나눈 후 전단결합강도 측정을 위해 레진블록을 실험군은 4 mm, 대조군은 2 mm 두께로 축조하였고, 미세누출을 평가를 위해 실험군은 4 mm 단일층 충전, 대조군은 2 mm씩 2회 적층충전을 시행하였다. 전단결합강도와 관련하여 대조군과 비교하였을 때 저점도 bulk-fill 복합레진에서는 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 존재하지 않았으나, 고점도 bulk-fill 복합레진에서는 유의하게 낮은 값이 관찰되었다(p < 0.05). 미세누출과 관련하여 4군 사이에 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 존재하지 않았다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권7호
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• pp.2748-2754
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• 2022

Because existing reactant coolant system (RCS) leakage detection mechanisms are insensitive to small leaks, a real-time, direct detection system with a detection threshold below 0.5 gpm·hr^-1 was studied. A beta-ray detection system using a silicon detector with good energy resolution for beta rays and a low gamma-ray response was proposed. The detection performance in the leakage condition was evaluated through experiments and simulations. The concentration of ¹⁶N in the coolant corresponding to a coolant leakage of 0.5 gpm was calculated using the analytic method and ORIGEN-ARP. Based on the concentration of ¹⁶N and the measurement of the silicon detector with ⁹⁰Sr/⁹⁰Y, the beta-ray count rate was estimated using MCNPX. To evaluate the effect of gamma rays inside the containment building, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was calculated. To evaluate the count rate ratio, the radiation field inside the containment building was simulated using MCNPX, and response evaluation experiments were performed using beta and gamma rays on the silicon detector. The expected beta-ray count rate at 0.5 gpm leakage was 7.26 × 10⁵ counts/sec, and the signal-to-background count rate ratio exceeded 88 for a transport time of 10 s, demonstrating its suitability for operation inside a reactor containment building.

• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2001년도 추계학술대회논문집B
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• pp.735-740
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• 2001

In the nuclear power plant, emergency core coolant system(ECCS) is furnished at reactor coolant system(RCS) in order to cool down high temperature water in case of emergency. However, in this coolant system, it occurs thermal stratification phenomena in case that there is the mixing of cooling water and high temperature water due to valve leakage in ECCS. This thermal stratification phenomena raises excessive thermal stresses at pipe wall. Therefore, this phenomena causes the accident that reactor coolant flows in reactor containment in the nuclear power plant due to the deformation of pipe and thermal fatigue crack(TFC) at the pipe wall around the place that it exists. Hence, in order to fundamental identification of this phenomena, it requires the experimental research of modeling test in the pipe flow that occurs thermal stratification phenomena. So, this paper models RCS and ECCS pipe arrangement and analyzes the mechanism of thermal stratification phenomena by measuring of temperature in variance with leakage flow rate in ECCS modeled pipe and Reynold number in RCS modeled pipe. Besides, results of this experiment is compared with computational analysis which is done in advance.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.154-159
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• 2018

Background: To prevent small leakage accidents, a real-time and direct detection system for small leaks with a detection limit below that of existing systems, e.g. $0.5gpm{\cdot}hr^{-1}$, is required. In this study, a small-size beta detector, which can be installed inside the reactor containment (CT) building and detect small leaks directly, was suggested and its feasibility was evaluated using MCNPX simulation. Materials and Methods: A target nuclide was selected through analysis of radiation from radionuclides in the reactor coolant system (RCS) and the spectrum was obtained via a silicon detector simulated in MCNPX. A window was designed to reduce the background signal caused by other nuclides. The sensitivity of the detector was also estimated, and its shielding designed for installation inside the reactor CT. Results and Discussion: The beta and gamma spectrum of the silicon detector showed a negligible gamma signal but it also contained an undesired peak at 0.22 MeV due to other nuclides, not the $^{16}N$ target nuclide. Window to remove the peak was derived as 0.4 mm for beryllium. The sensitivity of silicon beta detector with a beryllium window of 1.7 mm thickness was derived as $5.172{\times}10^{-6}{\mu}Ci{\cdot}cc^{-1}$. In addition, the specification of the shielding was evaluated through simulations, and the results showed that the integrity of the silicon detector can be maintained with lead shielding of 3 cm (<15 kg). This is a very small amount compared to the specifications of the lead shielding (600 kg) required for installation of $^{16}N$ gamma detector in inside reactor CT, it was determined that beta detector would have a distinct advantage in terms of miniaturization. Conclusion: The feasibility of the beta detector was evaluated for installation inside the reactor CT to detect small leaks below $0.5gpm{\cdot}hr^{-1}$. In future, the design will be optimized on specific data.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.237-248
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• 2013

Thermal stratification has continuously caused several piping failures in nuclear power plants since the early 1980s. However, this critical thermal effect was not considered when the old nuclear power plants were designed. Therefore, it is urgent to evaluate this unexpected thermal effect on the structural integrity of piping systems. In this paper, the thermal effects of stratified flow in two different safety injection piping systems were investigated by using a coupled CFD-FE method. Since stratified flow is generally generated by turbulent penetration and/or valve leakage, thermal stress analyses as well as CFD analyses were carried out considering these two primary causes. Numerical results show that the most critical factor governing thermal stratification is valve leakage and that temperature distribution significantly changes according to the leakage path. In particular, in-leakage has a high possibility of causing considerable structural problems in RCS piping.

• 한국압력기기공학회 논문집
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.54-60
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• 2010

Piping failures due to thermal fatigue have been widely reported in normally stagnant non-isolable reactor coolant branch lines. Since the thermal fatigue due to thermal stratification was not considered in the piping fatigue design in old NPPs, it is important to evaluate the effect of thermal stratification on the integrity of branch lines. In this study, geometrical screening criteria for Up-horizontal branch lines in MRP-132 were applied to SI(Safety Injection) lines of KSNP 2-loop and WH 3-loop. Some computational fluid dynamic(CFD) analyses on the Reactor Coolant System(RCS) branch lines were also performed to develop the regulatory guidelines for screening criteria. As a result of applying MRP-132 screening criteria, KSNP 2-loop and WH 3-loop SI lines are determined to need further detailed evaluation. Results of CFD analyses show that both valve isolation and amount of leakage through valve can be used as technical bases for the screening criteria on the thermal fatigue analysis.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1996년도 춘계학술발표회논문집(2)
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• pp.683-690
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• 1996

The MIDLOOP code has been developed for the evaluation of RES pressurization transients initiated from a loss-of-Residual Heat Removal System (RHRS) during mid-loop operation after reactor shutdown. It provides a fast running and realistic tool for studying parametrically the response of important plant parameters such as pressure, temperature, and level to various plant combinations of the primary side vent, makeup, and leakage procedures and the steam generator (SG) conditions. The code consists of ten nodes representing the primary and secondary sides of a nuclear power plant and can analyze the effect of air on the primary system pressurization and primary to secondary heat transfer. The analysis results of the MIDLOOP code are in good agreement with the ROSA-IV/LSTF experiment without opening in the RCS.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제51권4호
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• pp.1109-1116
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• 2019

It is essential to predict the radioactivity distribution around the reactor cooling system (RCS) during obligatory cyclic operation of AP-1000. A home-developed program CPA-AP1000 is upgraded to predict the response of activated corrosion products (ACPs) in the RCS. The program is written in MATLAB and it uses state of the art MCNP as a subroutine for flux calculations. A pair of cyclic power profiles were superimposed after initial full power operation. The effect of cyclic operation is noticed to be more prominent for in-core surfaces, followed by the primary coolant and out-of-core structures. The results have shown that specific activity trends of $^{56}Mn$ and $^{24}Na$ promptly follow the power variations, whereas, $^{59}Fe$, $^{58}Co$, $^{99}Mo$ and $^{60}Co$ exhibit a sluggish power-following response. The investigations pointed out that promptly power-following response of ACPs in the coolant is vital as an instant radioactivity source during leakage incidents. However, the ACPs with delayed power-following response in the out-of-core components are perceived to cause a long-term activity. The present results are found in good agreement with those for a reference PWR. The results are useful for source term monitoring and optimization of work procedures for an innovative reactor design.

• 한국항공우주학회지
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• 제32권9호
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• pp.72-79
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• 2004

발사체 상단에 대한 추력기 고장 진단 방법을 개발하였다. 고장 발생시 발사체를 보호하기 위해 고장을 검출 및 진단하고 발사체 제어기를 재구성하는 것이 필요하다. RCS를 사용하는 발사체 상단의 추력기 고장을 검출하기 위해 해석적 방법이 적용되었다. 추력기 고장 형태(가스 누출, 노즐 잠김)에 상관없이 시스템에 적용할 수 있는 고장 검출 구조가 제안되었다. PILS를 이용하여 얻은 결과로부터 발사체 상단에 대해 제시한 고장 진단 방법이 타당함을 보였다.