• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.60-66
• /
• 2017

The standard master curve (MC) approach has the major limitation because it is only applicable to homogeneous datasets. In nature, materials are macroscopically inhomogeneous and involve scatter of fracture toughness data due to various deterministic material inhomogeneity and random inhomogeneity. RPV(reactor pressure vessel) steel has different fracture toughness with varying distance from the inner surface of the wall due to cooling rate in manufacturing process; deterministic inhomogeneity. On the other hand, reference temperature, $T_0$, used in the evaluation of fracture toughness is acting as a random parameter in the evaluation of welding region; random inhomogeneity. In the present paper, four regions, the surface, 1/8T, 1/4T and 1/2T, were considered for fracture toughness specimens of KSNP (Korean Standard Nuclear Plant) SA508 Gr. 3 steel to investigate deterministic material inhomogeneity and random inhomogeneity. Fracture toughness tests were carried out for four regions and three test temperatures in the transition region. Fracture toughness evaluation was performed using the bimodal master curve (BMC) approach which is applicable to the inhomogeneous material. The results of the bimodal master curve analyses were compared with that of conventional master curve analyses. As a result, the bimodal master approach considering inhomogeneous materials provides better description of scatter in fracture toughness data than conventional master curve analysis. However, the difference in the $T_0$ determined by two master curve approaches was insignificant.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.27-37
• /
• 1986

The neutron fluxes and dose rates due to radiation streaming from reactor cavities were evaluated at the KNU-1 reactor pressure vessel (RPY) head flange elevation. To find a suitable cross section data set for the evaluation, a benchmark test was performed for three data sets; DLC-23/CASK, DLC-31/FEWG, and DLC-47/BUGLE. The leakage fluxes from the KNU-1 RPV outer surface were calculated with two different methods: 1-D calculation with ANISN, and 2-D calculation with DOT3.5. The Monte Carlo procedures as embodied in the MORSE-CG code combined with the albedo option were applied to predict the radiation distributions in the cavity region. Finally, the activation analysis of the stud bolts was performed to identify the major activation products.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.109-114
• /
• 2014

After the Fukushima accident in 2011, it was revealed that nuclear power plant has the vulnerability to SBO accident and its extension situation without sufficient cooling of reactor core resulting core meltdown and radioactive material release even after reactor shutdown. Many safety systems had been developed like PAFS, hybrid SIT, and relocation of RPV and IRWST as a part of steps for the Fukushima accident, however, their applications have limitation in the situation that supply of feedwater into reactor is impossible due to high pressure inside reactor pressure vessel. The concept of hybrid heat pipe with control rod is introduced for breaking through the limitation. Hybrid heat pipe with control rod is the passive decay heat removal system in core, which has the abilities of reactor shutdown as control rod as well as decay heat removal as heat pipe. For evaluating the cooling performance hybrid heat pipe, a commercial CFD code, ANSYS-CFX was used. First, for validating CFD results, numerical results and experimental results with same geometry and fluid conditions were compared to a tube type heat pipe resulting in a resonable agreement between them. After that, wall temperature and thermal resistances of 2 design concepts of hybrid heat pipe were analyzed about various heat inputs. For unit length, hybrid heat pipe with a tube type of $B_4C$ pellet has a decreasing tendency of thermal resistance, on the other hand, hybrid heat pipe with an annular type $B_4C$ pellet has an increasing tendency as heat input increases.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
• /
• 1996.05a
• /
• pp.465-470
• /
• 1996

본 연구는 원자로 RPV(Reactor Pressure Vessel)를 두 개의 이상적인 입체 구조물 즉, 원통면과 반구로 나누어, 원통면에서의 충격위치를 검출할 수 있는 알고리즘을 제안하고 그 효용성을 고찰하는데 있다. 현재 사용중인 원전내네 금속파편 감시계통(LPMS : Loose Parts Monitoring System)의 경우 충격신호를 레코더에 저장하고 전문가를 통해 데이터베이스화된 기준신호와 비교 분석하는 Off-line분석방법을 사용해 왔다. 그리나 이러한 방법은 많은 소요시간을 가지므로 손상잠재성이 큰 경우 즉각적인 대처를 할 수가 없다는 단점을 가진다. 따라서 본 논문에서는 이러한 방법을 지양하고 센서로부터 얻은 충격신호를 분석컴퓨터에 입력하여 즉각적으로 충격위치를 찾을 수 있는 On-line분석방법을 제안함에 있어, 기초적 연구로서 원통면에서의 충격위치 검출방법을 제시하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.52 no.12
• /
• pp.2803-2811
• /
• 2020

With the aging of nuclear reactors, embrittlement of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steel, as a consequence of routine operations, is highly probable. To ensure operational integrity and safety, prediction and mitigation of compromising damage, brought on by pressurized thermal shock (PTS) following an emergency procedure, is of utmost importance. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes can be employed to predict these events and have therefore been an acceptable method for such assessments. In this paper, CFD simulations of a density driven ECC state in the ROCOM facility are analyzed. Obtained numerical results are validated with the experimental measurements. Considerable attention is attributed to the boundary conditions and their influence, specifically outlet definitions, in order to determine and adequately replicate the non-active pumps in the facility. Consequent analyses focused on initial conditions as well as on the temporal discretization and inner iterations. Disparities due to different turbulent modelling approaches are investigated for standard RANS models. Based on observed trends for different cases, a definitive simulation setup has been established, results of which have been ultimately compared to the measurements.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.194-202
• /
• 2010

Application of a stronger and more durable material for reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) might be an effective way to insure the integrity and increase the efficiency of nuclear power plants. A series of research projects to apply the SA508 Gr.4 steel in ASME code to RPVs are in progress because of its excellent strength and durability compared to commercial RPV steel (SA508 Gr.3 steel). In this study, the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of SA508 Gr.3 Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel and SA508 Gr.4N Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel were investigated. The differences in the stable phases between these two low alloy steels were evaluated by means of a thermodynamic calculation using ThermoCalc. They were then compared to microstructural features and correlated with mechanical properties. Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel shows the upper bainite structure that has coarse cementite in the lath boundaries. However, Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel shows the mixture of lower bainite and tempered martensite structure that homogeneously precipitates the small carbides such as $M_{23}C_6$ and $M_7C_3$ due to an increase of hardenability and Cr addition. In the mechanical properties, Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel has higher strength and toughness than Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel. Ni and Cr additions increase the strength by solid solution hardening. In addition, microstructural changes from upper bainite to tempered martensite improve the strength of the low alloy steel by grain refining effect, and the changes in the precipitation behavior by Cr addition improve the ductile-brittle transition behavior along with a toughening effect of Ni addition.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.765-774
• /
• 2009

For over 30 years, investigations of the thermohydraulic behavior of pressurized-water reactors under accident conditions have been carried out in the PKL test facility at AREVA NP in Erlangen, Germany. The PKL facility models the entire primary side and significant parts of the secondary side of a of pressurized water reactor at a height scale of 1:1. Volumes, power ratings and mass flows are scaled with a ratio of 1:145. The experimental facility consists of four primary loops with circulation pumps and steam generators (SGs) arranged symmetrically around the reactor pressure vessel (RPV). The investigations carried out encompass a very broad spectrum from accident scenario simulations with large, medium, and small breaks, over the investigation of shutdown procedures after a wide variety of accidents, to the systematic investigation of complex thermohydraulic phenomena. The PKL tests began in the mid 1970s with the support of the German Research Ministry. Since the mid 1980s, the project has also been significantly supported by the German PWR operators. Since 2001, 25 partner organizations from 15 countries have taken part in the PKL investigations with the support and mediation of the OECD/ NEA (Nuclear Energy Agency). After an overview of PKL history and a short description of the facility, this paper focuses on the investigations carried out since the beginning of the international cooperation, and shows, by means of some examples, what insights can be derived from the tests.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Systems Engineering
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.27-37
• /
• 2020

The Fukushima Daiichi accident in 2011 revealed some vulnerabilities of existing Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) under extended Station Blackout (SBO) accident conditions. One of the key Severe Accident Management (SAM) strategies developed post Fukushima accident is the In-Vessel Retention (IVR) Strategy which aims to retain the structural integrity of the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV). RELAP/SCDAPSIM/MOD3.4 is selected to predict the thermal-hydraulic response of APR1400 undergoing an extended SBO. To assess the effectiveness of the IVR strategy, it is essential to quantify the underlying uncertainties. In this work, both the epistemic and aleatory uncertainties are considered to identify the success window of the IVR strategy. A set of in-vessel relevant phenomena were identified based on Phenomena Identification and Ranking Tables (PIRT) developed for severe accidents and propagated through the thermal-hydraulic model using Wilk's sampling method. For this work, a Systems Engineering (SE) approach is applied to facilitate the development process of assessing the reliability and robustness of the APR1400 IVR strategy. Specifically, the Kossiakoff SE method is used to identify the requirements, functions and physical architecture, and to develop a design verification and validation plan. Using the SE approach provides a systematic tool to successfully achieve the research goal by linking each requirement to a verification or validation test with predefined success criteria at each stage of the model development. The developed model identified the conditions necessary for successful implementation of the IVR strategy which maintains the vessel integrity and prevents a melt-through.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.142-147
• /
• 2005

The embrittlement of fast neutron-irradiated reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels was investigated by X-ray diffraction patterns at room temperature and $M\ddot{o}ssbauer$ spectroscopy at room- and liquid nitrogen-temperature. Neutron fluence on the samples were $10^{12},\;10^{13},\;10^{14},\;10^{15},\;10^{16},\;10^{17},\;10^{18}\;n/cm^2$. The X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the structure of the neutron unirradiated sample was bcc type, where as but the neutron irradiated samples with the fluence higher than $10^{17}\;n/{\cal}cm^2$ were so severely damaged, that bcc type structure disappeared. The $M\ddot{o}ssbauer$ spectra of all samples showed superposition of two or more sextets. In this paper all $M\ddot{o}ssbauer$ spectra were fitted by three set of sextet. The isomer shift and quadrupole splitting values were found around zero. At liquid nitrogen temperature, magnetic hyperfine field and absorption area increase rapidly S 1 sextet in the samples of $10^{17}\~10^{18}\;n/{\cal}cm^2$ neutron fluences. And at room temperature, magnetic hyperfine field and absorption increased rapidly at SI sextet in the samples of $10^{17}\~10^{18}\;n/{\cal}cm^2$ neutron fluences. This rapid increase of magnetic hyperfine field and absorption area were inferred to be caused by the change of $^{56}Fe,\;^{55}Mn$ into $^{57}Fe$ due to by neutron irradiation.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.305-311
• /
• 2000

Applicability of crack arrest load measured from the Charpy V-notch impact test has been investigated to predict the fracture toughness of nuclear reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels (ASME SA508 Cl.3). The temperature dependence of the crack arrest load was well described by the type of exponential function characterized by an index temperature at which the crack arrest load is 2kN. The specific index temperature, which also well correlated with $T_{NDT}\;and\;T_{41J}$ is expected to be representative index temperature characterizing the crack arrest fracture toughness of RPV steels. Also, the crack arrest load correlated well with the stable crack length measured from the fracture surface. From the measurements of the crack arrest load and the stable crack length, the lower bound fracture toughness, $K_{Ia}$ of RPV steels could be predicted with sufficient accuracy.