• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제49권7호
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• pp.1442-1450
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• 2017

In liquid metal fast breeder reactors, postulated failures of the plant protection system may lead to serious unprotected accidental consequences. Unprotected transients are generically categorized as transient overpower accidents and transient under cooling accidents. In both cases, core meltdown may occur and this can lead to a molten fuel coolant interaction (MFCI). The understanding of MFCI phenomena is essential for study of debris coolability and characteristics during post-accident heat removal. Sodium is used as coolant in liquid metal fast breeder reactors. Viewing inside sodium at elevated temperature is impossible because of its opaqueness. In the present study, a methodology to depict MFCI phenomena using a flat panel detector based imaging system (i.e., real time radiography) is brought out using a woods metal-water experimental facility which simulates the $UO_2-Na$ interaction. The developed imaging system can capture attributes of the MFCI process like jet breakup length, jet front velocity, fragmented particle size, and a profile of the debris bed using digital image processing methods like image filtering, segmentation, and edge detection. This paper describes the MFCI process and developed imaging methodology to capture MFCI attributes which are directly related to the safe aspects of a sodium fast reactor.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.66-73
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• 2015

Background: A numerical simulation was carried out to investigate the difference between internal and external heat-flux distributions at the reactor vessel wall under in-vessel retention through external reactor vessel cooling (IVR-ERVC). Methods: Total loss of feed water, station blackout, and large break loss of coolant accidents were selected as the severe accident scenarios, and a transient analysis using the element-birth-and-death technique was conducted to reflect the vessel erosion (vessel wall thickness change) effect. Results: It was found that the maximum heat flux at the focusing region was decreased at least 10% when considering the two-dimensional heat conduction at the reactor vessel wall. Conclusion: The results show that a higher thermal margin for the IVR-ERVC strategy can be achieved in the focusing region. In addition, sensitivity studies revealed that the heat flux and reactor vessel thickness are dominantly affected by the molten corium pool formation according to the accident scenario.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.225-229
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• 2001

In Korea, an advanced reactor system of 330MWt power called SMART (System integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor) is being developed by KAERI to supply energy for seawater desalination as well as electricity generation. A shielding design of the SMART core with 49 CEDM is established by a two-dimensional discrete ordinates radiation transport analyses. The DORT two-dimensional discrete ordinates transport code is used to evaluate the SMART shielding designs. Three axial regions represent the SMART reactor assembly, each of which is modeled in the R-Z geometry. The BUGLE-96 library is used in the analyses, which consists of 47 neutron and 20 gamma energy groups. The results indicate that the maximum neutron fluence at the bottom of reactor vessel is $5.89 {\times} 10^{17}\;n/cm^2$ and that on the radial surface of reactor vessel is $4.49 {\times} 10^[16}\;n/cm^2$. These results meet the requirement, $1.0 {\times} 10^{20}\;n/cm^2$, in 10 CFR 50.61 and the integrity of SMART reactor vessel during the lifetime of the reactor is confirmed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.85-93
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• 2015

Background: $^{241}Am$, $^{243}Am$, and $^{237}Np$ isotopes are among the most radiotoxic components of spent nuclear fuel. Recently, researchers have planned different incineration scenarios for the highly radiotoxic elements of nuclear waste in critical reactors. Computational methods are widely used to predict burnup rates of such nuclear wastes that are used under fuel matrixes in critical reactors. Methods: In this work, the Monte Carlo N-particle transport code was used to calculate the neutronic behavior of a transuranic (TRU)-bearing CANada Deuterium Uranium 6 reactor. Results: The computational data showed that the 1.0% TRU-containing thorium-based fuel matrix presents higher proliferation resistance and TRU depletion rate than the other investigated fuel Matrixes. The fuel matrix includes higher negative temperature reactivity coefficients as well. Conclusion: The investigated thorium-based fuel matrix can be successfully used to decrease the production of highly radiotoxic isotopes.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제40권2호
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• pp.127-132
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• 2008

An experimental loop operating with water at supercritical conditions(25MPa, $600^{\circ}C$ in the test section) is designed for operation in the research reactor LVR-15 in UJV Rez, Czech Republic. The loop should serve as an experimental facility for corrosion tests of materials for in-core as well as out-of-core structures, for testing and optimization of suitable water chemistry for a future HPLWR and for studies of radiolysis of water at supercritical conditions, which remains the domain where very few experimental data are available. At present, final necessary calculations(thermalhydraulic, neutronic, strength) are being performed on the irradiation channel, which is the most challenging part of the loop. The concept of the primary and auxiliary circuits has been completed. The design of the loop shall be finished in the course of the year 2007 to start the construction, out-of-pile testing to verify proper functioning of all systems and as such to be ready for in-pile tests by the end of the HPLWR Phase 2 European project by the end of 2009.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.189-195
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• 2021

A technology for designing and licensing a dedicated radiation shielding facility needs to be developed for safe and efficient operation an R&D center. Technology development is important for smooth operation of such facilities. Causes of damage to internal structures (such as baffle former bolt (BFB) of pressurized water reactor) of a nuclear power reactor should be analyzed along with prevention and countermeasures for similar cases of other plants. It is important to develop technologies that can comprehensively analyze various characteristics of internal structures of long term operated reactors. In high-temperature, high-pressure operating environment of nuclear power plants, cases of BFB cracks caused by irradiated assisted stress corrosion cracks (IASCC) have been reported overseas. The integrity of a reactor's internal structure has emerged as an important issue. Identifying the cause of the defect is requested by the Korean regulatory agency. It is also important to secure a foundation for testing technology to demonstrate the operating environment for medium-level irradiated testing materials. The demonstration testing facility can be used for research on material utilization of the plant, which might have highest fluence on the internal structure of a reactor globally.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권5호
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• pp.1775-1782
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• 2023

Several reactor physics commissioning experiments were conducted to obtain the neutronic parameters at the beginning of the G.A. Siwabessy Multi-purpose Reactor (RSG-GAS) operation. These parameters are essential for the reactor to safety operate. Leveraging the experimental data, this study evaluated the calculated core reactivity, control rod reactivity worth, integral control rod reactivity curve, and fuel reactivity. Calculations were carried out with Serpent 2 code using the latest neutron cross-section data ENDF/B-VIII.0. The criticality calculations were carried out for the RSG-GAS first core up to the third core configuration, which has been done experimentally during these commissioning periods. The excess reactivity for the second and third cores showed a difference of 510.97 pcm and 253.23 pcm to the experiment data. The calculated integral reactivity of the control rod has an error of less than 1.0% compared to the experimental data. The calculated fuel reactivity value is consistent with the measured data, with a maximum error of 2.12%. Therefore, it can be concluded that the RSG-GAS reactor core model is in good agreement to reproduce excess reactivity, control rod worth, and fuel element reactivity.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권5호
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• pp.1479-1482
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• 2021

Research reactors are typically well-suited for outreach activities at different levels. However, unplanned seeking to increase the utilization of a research reactor may result in weakening the nuclear security of this facility. Research reactor staff might be in shortage of a functional nuclear security culture; specifically, there might be a conviction that the necessities of research can be given the priority over consistence with security procedural requirements. Research reactors are usually parts of bigger institutes or research labs of different activities. Moreover, the employments of research reactors are usually with the purpose that easy entry to the reactor premises is fundamental. So, they could be co-situated in places with different sorts of activities, mostly under similar security arrangements. The co-area of research reactor offices among different kinds of research labs introduces explicit security issues, the effects of which should be viewed as when building up a nuclear security framework. Notwithstanding potential security vulnerabilities presented in the design, research reactors frequently have devices kept promptly accessible to encourage research and education. The accessibility of these sorts of hardware could be used by an authorized person to commit an unapproved activity or cause harm. This paper aims to present insights to compromise contradicting conditions in new research reactors in which both enhancing utilization and ensuring security are satisfied.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권4호
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• pp.1449-1455
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• 2022

A radiotracer investigation was carried out in a Thermal Stratification Test Facility (TSTF) with objectives of investigating the dispersion and diffusion of radionuclide and effectiveness of the thermocline to minimize the radionuclide content in the hot water layer. Technetium-99m (^99mTc) as sodium pertechnetate was used as a radiotracer in the investigation. Qualitative analysis showed that a thermocline is formed within the TSTF and is effective in preventing the transport of radionuclide from bottom section to the top section of the facility. It was found that the radiotracer injected at the bottom of the pool took about 17.4 h to disperse from bottom to the top of the facility. The results of the investigation helped in understanding the effectiveness of hot water layer and thus to minimize the pool top radiation levels.

• Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering
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• 제35권11호
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• pp.2321-2326
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• 2018

We evaluated the optimal conditions for fluidization of nickel oxide (NiO) and its reduction into high-purity Ni during hydrogen reduction in a laboratory-scale fluidized bed reactor. A comparative study was performed through structural shape analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM); variance in pressure drop, minimum fluidization velocity, terminal velocity, reduction rate, and mass loss were assessed at temperatures ranging from 400 to $600^{\circ}C$ and at 20, 40, and 60 min in reaction time. We estimated the sample weight with most active fluidization to be 200 g based on the bed diameter of the fluidized bed reactor and height of the stocked material. The optimal conditions for NiO hydrogen reduction were found to be height of sample H to the internal fluidized bed reactor diameter D was H/D=1, reaction temperature of $550^{\circ}C$, reaction time of 60 min, superficial gas velocity of 0.011 m/s, and pressure drop of 77 Pa during fluidization. We determined the best operating conditions for the NiO hydrogen reduction process based on these findings.