• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.873-879
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• 2024

A sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) core has a potential of prompt criticality due to a change of core material distribution during a severe accident, and the resultant energy release has been one of the safety issues of SFRs. In this study, the safety assessment of an unprotected loss-of-flow (ULOF) in a small SFR (SSFR) has been performed using the SIMMER-IV computer code, which couples the models of space- and time-dependent neutronics and multi-component, multi-field thermal hydraulics in three dimensions. The code, therefore, is applicable to the simulations of transient behaviors of extended disrupted core material motion and its reactivity effects during the transition phase (TP) of ULOF, including a potential of prompt-criticality power excursions driven by fuel compaction. Several conservative assumptions are used in the TP analysis by SIMMER-IV. It was found out that one of the important mechanisms that drives the reactivity-inserting fuel motion was sodium vapor pressure resulted from a fuel-coolant interaction (FCI), which itself was non-energetic local phenomenon. The uncertainties relating to FCI is also evaluated in much conservative way in the sensitivity analysis. From this study, the ULOF characteristics in an SSFR have been understood. Occurrence of recriticality events under conservative assumptions are plausible, but their energy releases are limited.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.1135-1144
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• 2024

With the increasing ratio of renewables in the grid, a low-carbon and stable base load source that also is capable of load tracking is in demand. Sodium cooled fast reactors (SFRs) coupled to thermal heat storage system (THS) is a strong candidate for the need. This research focuses on the designing and performance validation of a two-tank THS based on molten salt to integrate with a 280 MW_th sodium cooled fast reactor. Designing of the THS includes the vital component, sodium-to-salt heat exchanger which is a technology gap that needs to be filled, and designing and parameter selection of the tanks and related pumps. Modeling of the designed THS is conducted followed by the description of operation strategies and control logics of the THS. Finally, the dynamic simulation of the designed THS is conducted based on Fortran. Results show, the proposed power system meets the need of the design requirements to store heat for 18 h during a day and provide 500 MW_th for peak demand for the rest of the day.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.283-291
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• 2024

Sodium cooled Fast Reactors (SFR) are built with several engineered safety features and hence a severe accident such as a core melt accident is hypothetical with a probability of <10^-6/ry. However, in case of such accidents, the mixture of the molten fuel and structural materials interacts with sodium. This phenomenon is known as Molten Fuel Coolant Interaction (MFCI) and results in fragmentation of the melt due to various instabilities. The fragmented particles settle as a debris bed on the core catcher at the bottom of the reactor vessel, and continue to generate decay heat. Characteristics of the debris particles play a vital role in heat transfer from the bed and need thorough investigation. The size, shape, and physical state of the debris depend on the associated fragmentation mechanism, superheating of the melt, and sodium temperature. Experiments have been conducted by releasing simulated corium, a molten mixture of alumina and iron generated by the aluminothermy process at ~2400 ℃ into liquid sodium, to study the fragmentation phenomena. After the experiment, the fragmented debris was retrieved and the particle size distribution was determined by sieve analysis. The debris was subjected to microscopic investigation for obtaining morphological characteristics. Based on the characteristics of debris, an attempt has been made to assess of fragmentation mechanism of simulated corium in sodium.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.281-284
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• 2012

We utilize AKARI's slitless spectroscopic capability to detect the $3.3{\mu}m$ polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emission and measure star formation (SF) activity for various AKARI programs. First, we obtain $2{\sim}5{\mu}m$ spectra of 20 flux-limited galaxies with mixed SED classes in order to calibrate the $3.3{\mu}m$ PAH luminosity ($L_{PAH3.3}$) as a star formation rate (SFR) indicator. We find that $L_{PAH3.3}$ correlates with $L_{IR}$ as well as with the $6.2{\mu}m$ PAH luminosity ($L_{PAH6.2}$). The correlations does not depend on SED classes. We find that ULIRGs deviate from the correlation between PAH luminosities and $L_{IR}$, while they do not for the correlation between PAH luminosities. We suggest possible effects to cause this deviation. On the other hand, how AGN activity is linked to SB activity is one of the most intriguing questions. While it is suggested that AGN luminosity of quasars correlates with starburst (SB) luminosity, it is still unclear how AGN activity is connected to SF activity based on host galaxy properties. We are measuring SFRs for the LQSONG sample consisting of reverberation mapped AGNs and PG-QSOs. This is an extension of the ASCSG program by which we investigated the connection between SB and AGN activities for Seyferts type 1s at z ~ 0.36. While we found no strong correlation between $L_{PAH3.3}$ and AGN luminosity for these Seyferts 1s, $L_{PAH3.3}$ measured from the central part of galaxies correlates with AGN luminosity, implying that SB and AGN activities are directly connected in the nuclear region.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.189-191
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• 2017

We performed systematic observations of the H $\small{I}$ $Br{\alpha}$ line ($4.05{\mu}m$) in 51 nearby (z<0.3) ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs), using AKARI near-infrared spectroscopy. The $Br{\alpha}$ line is predicted to be the brightest among the H ${\small{I}}$ recombination lines in ULIRGs with visual extinction higher than 15 mag. We detected the $Br{\alpha}$ line in 33 ULIRGs. In these galaxies, the relative contribution of starburst to the total infrared luminosity ($L_{IR}$) is estimated on the basis of the ratio of the $Br{\alpha}$ line luminosity ($L_{Br{\alpha}}$) to $L_{IR}$. The mean $L_{Br{\alpha}}/L_{IR}$ ratio in LINERs or Seyferts is significantly lower (~50%) than that in H $\small{II}$ galaxies. This result indicates that active galactic nuclei contribute significantly (~50%) to $L_{IR}$ in LINERs, as well as Seyferts. We also estimate the absolute contribution of starburst to $L_{IR}$ using the ratio of star formation rates (SFRs) derived from $L_{Br{\alpha}}$ ($SFR_{Br{\alpha}}$) and those needed to explain $L_{IR}$ ($SFR_{IR}$). The mean $SFR_{Br{\alpha}}/SFR_{IR}$ ratio is only 0.33 even in H $\small{II}$ galaxies, where starburst is supposed to dominate the luminosity. We attribute this apparently low $SFR_{Br{\alpha}}/SFR_{IR}$ ratio to the absorption of ionizing photons by dust within H $\small{II}$ regions.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1195-1201
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• 2008

Enhancing with non-metallic elemental nitrogen(N) is one of several methods that have been proposed to modify the electronic properties of bulk titanium dioxide($TiO_2$), in order to make $TiO_2$ effective under visible-light irradiation. Accordingly, current study evaluated the feasibility of applying visible-light-induced $TiO_2$ enhanced with N element to cleanse aromatic compounds, focusing on xylene isomers at indoor air quality(IAQ) levels. The N-enhanced $TiO_2$ was prepared by applying two popular processes, and they were coated by applying two well-known methods. For three o-, m-, and p-xylene, the two coating methods exhibited different photocatalytic oxidation(PCO) efficiencies. Similarly, the two N-doping processes showed different PCO efficiencies. For all three stream flow rates(SFRs), the degradation efficiencies were similar between o-xylene and m,p-xylene. The degradation efficiencies of all target compounds increased as the SFR decreased. The degradation efficiencies determined via a PCO system with N-enhanced visible-light induced $TiO_2$ was somewhat lower than that with ultraviolet(UV)-light induced unmodified $TiO_2$, which was reported by previous studies. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that PCO efficiencies increased up to 94% for o-xylene and 97% for the m,p-xylene under lower SFR(0.5 L $min^{-1}$). Consequently, it is suggested that with appropriate SFR conditions, the visible-light-assisted photocatalytic systems could also become important tools for improving IAQ.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1321-1331
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• 2012

To date, carbon and nitrogen co-doped photocatalysts (CN-$TiO_2$) for environmental application focused mainly on the aqueous phase to investigate the decomposition of water pollutants. Accordingly, the present study explored the photocatalytic performance of CN-$TiO_2$ photocatalysts for the purification of indoor-level gas-phase aromatic species under different operational conditions. The characteristics of prepared photocatalysts were investigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning emission microscope, diffuse reflectance UV-VIS-NIR analysis, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. In most cases, the decomposition efficiency for the target compounds exhibited a decreasing trend as input concentration (IC) increased. Specifically, the average decomposition efficiencies for benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene (BTEX) over a 3-h process decreased from 29% to close to zero, 80 to 5%, 95 to 19%, and 99 to 32%, respectively, as the IC increased from 0.1 to 2.0 ppm. The decomposition efficiencies obtained from the CN-$TiO_2$ photocatalytic system were higher than those of the $TiO_2$ system. As relative humidity (RH) increased from 20 to 95%, the decomposition efficiencies for BTEX decreased from 39 to 5%, 97 to 59%, 100 to 87%, and 100 to 92%, respectively. In addition, as the stream flow rates (SFRs) decreased from 3.0 to 1.0 L $min^{-1}$, the average efficiencies for BTEX increased from 0 to 58%, 63 to 100%, 69 to 100%, and 68 to 100%, respectively. Taken together, these findings suggest that three (IC, RH, and SFR) should be considered for better BTEX decomposition efficiencies when applying CN-$TiO_2$ photocatalytic technology to purification of indoor air BTEX.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.427-446
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• 2009

In order to meet the increasing demand for electricity, Korea has to rely on nuclear energy due to its poor natural resources. In order for nuclear energy to be expanded in its utilization, issues with uranium supply and waste management issues have to be addressed. Fast reactor system is one of the most promising options for electricity generation with its efficient utilization of uranium resources and reduction of radioactive waste, thus contributing to sustainable development. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has been performing R&Ds on Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (SFRs) under the national nuclear R&D program. Based on the experiences gained from the development of KALIMER conceptual designs of a pool-type U-TRU-10%Zr metal fuel loaded reactor, KAERI is currently developing Advanced SFR design concepts that can better meet the Generation IV technology goals. This also includes developing, Advanced SFR technologies necessary for its commercialization and basic key technologies, aiming at the conceptual design of an Advanced SFR by 2011. KAERI is making R&D efforts to develop advanced design concepts including a passive decay heat removal system and a supercritical $CO_2$ Brayton cycle energy conversion system, as well as developing design methodologies, computational tools, and sodium technology. The long-term Advanced SFR development plan will be carried out toward the construction of an Advanced SFR demonstration plant by 2028.

• Magazine of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.125-133
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• 1998

In this study, an experiment in the field was performed to analyze the influence of steel fiber and silica fume on the rebound ratios of shotcrete. The experimental parameters which are the reinforcing methods(steel fiber, wire mesh), steel fiber contents(0.0%, 0.5%. 0.75%, 1.0%), silica fume contents(0.0%, 10.0%), and the three placing parts(side wall, shoulder, crown) were chosun. According to the results for the side wall in this test, the larger the fiber contents are in case of steel fiber reinforced shotcrete, the less the rebound ratios are within the range of 20~35%, compared to the wire mesh reinforced shotcrte. And also, the reduced rebound ratios were vary larger in using steel fiber reinforced shotcrete with silica fume content of 10%, and these results are true of the shoulder and the crown, respectively. In addition, the four-stage phenomenon for the rebound of the SFRS were estimated in the view of the co-action between steel fiber and coarse aggregate based upon the existing two-stage analysis method.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2011

The Application of Steel Fiber Shotcrete in tunneling construction has become part of tunneling practice at least since the 1970s because of its high bending and tensile properties. Over the past 3 decades, researcher from all over the world have been significantly developing the associated technologies for improved performance of SFRS. But still it has some major drawbacks in terms of durability, damage of pumping hose, wastage due to rebound concrete, corrosion and it costs high. To overcome this situation researcher has to look for some alternative material. Therefore, this part study deals with the three types of fiber in order to find good alternative for steel fiber. Polyamide and Polypropylene fiber were used in this study with 0.6, 0.5% mixing ratio. To evaluate its fresh and harden properties air content, slump, compressive, split tensile and bending strength were measured. After comparing the results of all three types of fiber reinforced concrete with its different mixing proportion this study propose that polyamide fiber with addition ratio of 0.6 % for field use.