• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.121-133
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• 2020

Underwater cutting has a different mechanism than dry cutting, and there are more restrictions than benefits. Due to these constraints, research and development of underwater cutting has been very limited. At present, reactor dismantling is emerging as an important task worldwide, and reactor pressure containers, a key part of the reactor, are decommissioned based on underwater cutting. Reactor pressure containers are high-level radioactive waste, which is one of the main goals of today, such as to bridge the gap between environmental, safety, and cutting performance; hence, a process suitable for cutting should be applied. Therefore, many studies are being conducted on underwater cutting in connection with the dismantling of nuclear reactors in various areas in order to find appropriate processes. This paper first introduces the core technology of underwater cutting processes and discusses various processes. The emphasis is then placed on the adequacy of the reactor dismantling application. More specifically, we examine the suitability for the mechanical and thermal cutting processes, respectively, to find a solution suitable for dismantling a reactor. We discuss how each solution can sufficiently perform the specified functions at each stage of reactor dismantling and suggest that these processes can perform all of the work of underwater cutting.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2004.02a
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• pp.114-129
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• 2004

The 3D simulations for the Rotary Specimen Rack (RSR), the shielding concret, and the reactor core dismantling processes in the Korea Research Reactor-1&2(KRR-1&2) were carried out in the present work. The four main dismantling items, which are the RSR, reactor core, beam tube, and the thermal column and the shield concrete, were selected among the many components in the KRR-2 by consideration of the activation, worker training, difficulty of the work and so on. On the basis of these, we built 3D CAD models, selected the proper dismantling technologies, and reviewed their dismantling processes. In this study, the 3D simulation results of the shielding concrete, and the reactor core dismantling processes are also presented and discussed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2023

During the operation of a nuclear power plant (NPP), the waste reactor vessel closure head (RVCH) that is replaced owing to design or manufacturing defects is buried in a designated area or temporarily stored in a radiation shielding facility within the NPP. In such cases, storing it for extended periods proves a challenge owing to space constraints in the power plant and a safety risk associated with radiation exposure; therefore, dismantling it quickly and safely is crucial. However, not much research has been done on the dismantling of the RVCH in an operational power plant. This study proposes a dismantling process based on the radioactive contamination level measured for the Kori #1 RVCH, which is currently being discarded and stored, and examines the decontamination and cutting according to this process. In addition, the amount of secondary waste and dismantling cost are evaluated, and the dismantling effect of the reactor closure head is analyzed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.468-473
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• 2010

We confirmed that the dismantling of two research reactors with thermal power of $2MW_{th}$ and $100kW_{th}$, respectively, reveals no significant difference between the radiation levels of the research reactor site and the surrounding environment far away from it, from the radiation level aspect. Radiation dose and radioactivity were measured at monitoring points around the research reactor site of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) in Seoul and comparison points 0.5 km to 3.3 km from the site. To grasp trends in the radiation levels during dismantling from the end of 2002 to the end of 2007, the gamma radiation dose rate, the accumulated dose, and the radioactivity of the strontium, tritium, and gamma isotopes were statistically treated and estimated. The averages of these items between the two groups, the research reactor site and comparison points, were assessed by applying a T-test with a significance level of 0.05. P-values found by using the T-test were from 0.12 to 0.83 where the values were much higher than the significance level. As a result, no difference was observed between the radiation levels at the research reactor site and at the comparison points by this T-test. This study showed that dismantling activity of the Korea Research Reactor of the Seoul site did not expose the public or the environment to harmful levels of radiation.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.848-851
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• 1997

A graphic simulation program is developed to assimilate the remote dismantling process of research nuclear reactors. This program makes extensive use of a commercial robot graphic instruction program. Firstly, a realistic graphic model of research reactors are built along with various dismantling equipments. Using the graphic instruction languages provided by IGRIP, then, a graphic process simulation program is developed that operates interactively with the user. Consequently, it is made possible for a process designer to visualize an arbitrary dismantling sequence and interactively modify the process. It is expected that the developed system will be utilized as an effective operator aid in both design and execution phases of remote dismantling of research reactor.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.67-75
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• 2006

Scheduling of dismantling old research reactor need to consider time, cost and safety for the worker. The biggest issue when dismantling facility for research reactor is safety for the worker and cost. Large portion of a budget is spending for the labor cost. To save labor cost for the worker, reducing a lead time is inevitable. Several algorithms applied to reduce read time, and safety considered as the most important factor for this project. This research presents three different dismantling scheduling scenarios. Best scenario shows the specific scheduling for worker and machine, so that it could save time and cost.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.83-92
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• 2013

A novel methodology to evaluate remote dismantling equipment for a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) in a decommissioning project is presented in this paper. The remote dismantling equipment, mainly composed of cutting tools and positioning equipment, is absolutely required to cut and handle highly radioactive and large components in nuclear power plants (NPPs); this equipment has a great effect on the overall success of the decommissioning project. Conventional evaluation methods have only focused on cutting technologies or positioning equipment, although remote dismantling equipment cannot achieve its goal without organic interaction between the cutting tools and the positioning equipment. In this paper, the cutting tools and the positioning equipment are evaluated by performance parameters according to their original characteristics, the relationship between the two systems, and common factors. Finally, the remote dismantling equipment used in recent decommissioning projects has been evaluated based on the proposed methodology. The results of this paper are expected to be useful for future decommissioning projects.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.1199-1204
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• 2003

The 3D simulations of the shielding concrete and the Rotary Specimen Rack(RSR) in the Korea Research Reactor-1&2(KRR-1&2) were carried out in present work. Four main dismantling processes, which are the removal of the RSR, reactor core region, beam tube, and thermal column and activated concrete, were selected for the graphic simulation by the consideration of the activation, worker training, work difficulty and so on. On the basis of these, we constructed their 3D CAD models and then drawn and reviewed their dismantling processes. In this study, the 3D simulation results of the shielding concrete and the RSR among main components are also presented and discussed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.2085-2091
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• 2020

The license for Kori-1, the first commercial reactor in Busan, Korea, was terminated in June 2017; therefore, preparations are being made for its decommissioning. Because the radioactivity of Bio-shield varies greatly throughout the structure, the doses received by the workers depend on the location, order, and duration of dismantling operations. Thus, a model for evaluating the worker external dose during the dismantling of the Kori-1 bio-shield was developed, and work scenarios for dose assessment were designed. The Dose evaluation code VISIPLAN was used for dose assessment. The dose rate around the bio-shield was evaluated and the level of exposure to the operator was evaluated according to the work scenario. The maximum annual external dose was calculated as 746.86 mSv for a diamond wire saw operator under dry cutting conditions, indicating that appropriate protective measures, such as changing dismantling sequence, remote monitoring, shield installation, and adjustment of work team are necessary for the safe dismantling of the bio-shield. Through these protective measures, it was found that the worker's dose could be below the dose limit.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.243-253
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• 2021

In the dismantling process of a reactor coolant system (RCS) piping, a radiation protection plan should be established to minimize the radiation exposure doses of dismantling workers. Hence, it is necessary to estimate the individual effective dose in the RCS piping dismantling process when decommissioning a nuclear power plant. In this study, the radiation exposure doses of the dismantling workers at different positions was estimated using the MicroShield dose assessment program based on the NUREG/CR-1595 report. The individual effective dose, which is the sum of the effective dose to each tissue considering the working time, was used to estimate the radiation exposure dose. The estimations of the simulation results for all RCS piping dismantling tasks satisfied the dose limits prescribed by the ICRP-60 report. In dismantling the RCS piping of the Kori-1 or Wolsong-1 units in South Korea, the estimation and reduction method for the radiation exposure dose, and the simulated results of this study can be used to implement the radiation safety for optimal dismantling by providing information on the radiation exposure doses of the dismantling workers.