• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권11호
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• pp.4159-4169
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• 2022

Hydrogen mitigation using Passive Autocatalytic Recombiners (PARs) has been widely accepted methodology inside reactor containment of accident struck Nuclear Power Plants. They reduce hydrogen concentration inside reactor containment by recombining it with oxygen from containment air on catalyst surfaces at ambient temperatures. Exothermic heat of reaction drives the product steam upwards, establishing natural convection around PAR, thus invoking homogenisation inside containment. CFD models resolving individual catalyst plate channels of PAR provide good insight about temperature and hydrogen recombination. But very thin catalyst plates compared to large dimensions of the enclosures involved result in intensive calculations. Hence, empirical correlations specific to PARs being modelled are often used in integral containment studies. In this work, an experimentally validated CFD model of PAR has been employed for developing an empirical correlation for Indian PAR. For this purpose, detailed parametric study involving different gas mixture variables at PAR inlet has been performed. For each case, respective values of gas mixture variables at recombiner outlet have been tabulated. The obtained data matrix has then been processed using regression analysis to obtain a set of correlations between inlet and outlet variables. The empirical correlation thus developed, can be easily plugged into commercially available CFD software.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.1472-1479
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• 2024

Cyber-Physical Energy Systems (CPESs) integrate cyber and hardware components to ensure a reliable and safe physical power production and supply. Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) add uncertainty to energy demand that can be dealt with flexible operation (e.g., load-following) of CPES; at the same time, scenarios that could result in severe consequences due to both component stochastic failures and aging of the cyber system of CPES (commonly overlooked) must be accounted for Operation & Maintenance (O&M) planning. In this paper, we make use of Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) to search for the optimal O&M strategy that, not only considers the actual system hardware components health conditions and their Remaining Useful Life (RUL), but also the possible accident scenarios caused by the failures and the aging of the hardware and the cyber components, respectively. The novelty of the work lies in embedding the cyber aging model into the CPES model of production planning and failure process; this model is used to help the RL agent, trained with Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) and Imitation Learning (IL), finding the proper rejuvenation timing for the cyber system accounting for the uncertainty of the cyber system aging process. An application is provided, with regards to the Advanced Lead-cooled Fast Reactor European Demonstrator (ALFRED).

• 한국가시화정보학회지
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.18-24
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• 2014

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has a scaled-down moderator test program to simulate the CANDU6 moderator circulation phenomena during steady state operation and accident conditions. In the present work a preliminary experiment using a 1/8 scaled-down moderator tank has been performed to identify the potential problems of the flow visualization and measurement in the scaled-down moderator test facility. With a transparent moderator tank model, a velocity field is measured with a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique under an isothermal state. The flow patterns from the inlet nozzles to the top region of the tank are investigated using PIV for a 1/8 scale moderator tank.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권1호
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• pp.43-53
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• 2018

It is important to clarify the characteristics of flow regimes underlying the debris bed formation behavior that might be encountered in core disruptive accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactors. Although in our previous publications, by applying dimensional analysis technique, an empirical model, with its reasonability confirmed over a variety of parametric conditions, has been successfully developed to predict the regime transition and final bed geometry formed, so far this model is restricted to predictions of debris mixtures composed of spherical particles. Focusing on this aspect, in this study a new series of experiments using nonspherical particles have been conducted. Based on the knowledge and data obtained, an extension scheme is suggested with the purpose of extending the base model to cover the particle-shape influence. Through detailed analyses and given our current range of experimental conditions, it is found that, by coupling the base model with this scheme, respectable agreement between experiments and model predictions for the regime transition can be achieved for both spherical and nonspherical particles. Knowledge and evidence from our work might be utilized for the future improvement of design of an in-vessel core catcher as well as the development and verification of sodium-cooled fast reactor severe accident analysis codes in China.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권2호
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• pp.589-600
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• 2022

Investigations on the molten-pool sloshing behavior are of essential value for improving nuclear safety evaluation of Core Disruptive Accidents (CDA) that would be possibly encountered for Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (SFR). This paper is aimed at synthesizing the knowledge from our recent studies on molten-pool sloshing behavior with solid particles conducted at the Sun Yat-sen University. To better visualize and clarify the mechanism and characteristics of sloshing induced by local Fuel-Coolant Interaction (FCI), experiments were performed with various parameters by injecting nitrogen gas into a 2-dimensional liquid pool with accumulated solid particles. It was confirmed that under different particle-bed conditions, three representative flow regimes (i.e. the bubble-impulsion dominant, transitional and bed-inertia dominant regimes) are identifiable. Aimed at predicting the regime transitions during sloshing process, a predictive empirical model along with a regime map was proposed on the basis of experiments using single-sized spherical solid particles, and then was extended for covering more complex particle conditions (e.g. non-spherical, mixed-sized and mixed-density spherical particle conditions). To obtain more comprehensive understandings and verify the applicability and reliability of the predictive model under more realistic conditions (e.g. large-scale 3-dimensional condition), further experimental and modeling studies are also being prepared under other more complicated actual conditions.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.292-309
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• 1987

미국 원자력 안전규제위원회(U.S. NRC)의 "원자로 위험도 참고문서(NUREG-1150)"에 입력자료로 제공하기 위해 실시한 Zion발전소 안전성 재평가 작입의 일환으로, 가상적 중대사고에 대한 대형건식 가압경수로 격납용기 반응해석을 수행하였다. 본 연구에서 사용한 방법론들은 Sandia 국립연구소에서 "중대사고 위험도 감소계획"의 일환으로 특히 Surry 발전소에 대한 연구를 위해 개발한 것이며, 이 방법론을 Zion발전소에 외삽법으로 적용하였다. 먹저, 원자력발전소의 위험도를 정량적으로 평가하는 주요절차를 개설하였다. 그리고, Zion발전소의 중대사고에 대한 격납용기 반응해석을 위해 사용한 방법론들을 상세히 기술하였다. 즉, 격납용기 반응해석을 위해 사용한 방법론들을 상세히 기술하였다. 즉, 격납용기 사건수목 해석 전산코드의 주요 특징과 격납용기 사건수목의 정량적 평가절차를 요약하여 높액다. 격납용기 반응해석에 있어서 중요한 발전소 고유의 특성과 본 연구의 불확실성 분석에 포함시킨 격납용기 하중과 성능에 관계되는 문제점들을 아울러 제시하였다. 끝으로, 가상적 증대사고에 대한 대형건식 가압경수로 격납용기의 반응에 대한 전망을 제공하기 위해서 결정적 및 통계학적 격납용기 사건수목 해설결과를 간단히 요약하여 제시하였다.설결과를 간단히 요약하여 제시하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제51권6호
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• pp.1514-1524
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• 2019

Hydrogen-steam gas mixture may be injected into containment with flow regime varying both spatially and transiently due to wall effect and pressure difference between primary loop and containment in severe accidents induced by loss of coolant accident. Preliminary CFD analysis is conducted to gain information about the helium flow regime transition process from jet to buoyancy plume for forthcoming experimental study. Physical models of impinging jet and wall condensation are validated using separated effect experimental data, firstly. Then helium transportation is analyzed with the effect of jet momentum, buoyancy and wall cooling discussed. Result shows that helium distribution is totally dominated by impinging jet in the beginning, high concentration appears near gas source and wall where jet momentum is strong. With the jet weakening, stable light gas layer without recirculating eddy is established by buoyancy. Transient reversed helium distribution appears due to natural convection resulted from wall cooling, which delays the stratification. It is necessary to concern about hydrogen accumulation in lower space under the containment external cooling strategy. From the perspective of experiment design, measurement point should be set at the height of connecting pipe and near the wall for stratification stability criterion and impinging jet modelling validation.

• 한국전산유체공학회지
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.9-18
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• 2005

During a hypothetical severe accident in a nuclear power plant (NPP), hydrogen is generated by the active reaction of fuel-cladding and steam in the reactor pressure vessel and released with steam into the containment. In order to mitigate hydrogen hazards possibly occurred in the NPP containment, hydrogen mitigation system (HMS) is usually adopted. The design of the next generation NPP (APR1400) designed in Korea specifies 26 passive autocatalytic recombiners and 10 igniters installed in the containment for the hydrogen mitigation. in this study, the analysis of the hydrogen and steam behavior during a total lose of feed water (TLOFW) accident in the APR1400 containment has been conducted by using the CFD code GASFLOW. During the accident, a huge amount of hot water, steam, and hydrogen is released in the in-containment refueling water storage tank (IRWST). The current design of the APR1400 includes flap-type dampers at the IRWST vents which are operated depending on the pressure difference between inside and outside of the IRWST. it was found that the flaps strongly affects the flow structure of the steam and hydrogen in the containment. The possibilities of a flame acceleration and transition from deflagration to detonation (DDT) were evaluated by using Sigma-Lambda criteria. Numerical results indicate the DDT possibility could be heavily reduced in the IRWST compartment when the flaps are installed.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.149-156
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• 2016

저장조에 위치한 사용후핵연료는 가혹한 원자로 조건에 의해 구조적 건전성이 와해되므로 외력에 취약하다. 따라서 운반 및 취급 중 사고 상황이 고려되어야 한다. 극단적인 경우, 핵연료 취급 중 사고로 인해 핵연료 저장조에서 핵연료집합체 낙하가 발생할 수 있다. 이러한 사고 상황 하에서 연료봉 파손 등을 평가하기 위해서 수조에 충돌할 때 발생하는 충돌력을 분석할 필요가 있다. 이는 핵연료가 수조 바닥에 충돌할 때의 속도를 입력으로 하여 평가될 수 있다. 연료봉이 핵연료 중량 및 부피의 대부분을 차지하고 있으므로, 연료봉 다발은 수중 항력을 예측하는데 중요한 역할을 한다고 볼 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 $3{\times}3$ 의 짧은 연료봉 다발을 모델로 사용하여 수중에서 낙하할 때 받는 수력을 계산하였고, 이를 전산모사와의 비교를 통하여 검증하였다. 본 방법론을 사용후핵연료 건전성 평가에 적용할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• 대한기계학회논문집 C: 기술과 교육
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.135-143
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• 2017

국내 유일의 연구용원자로인 하나로(Hi-flux Advanced Neutron Application ReactOr)는 다목적으로 중성자를 이용하기 위해 개방형 수조 내 노심이 존재하는 구조이며, 노심에서 발생되는 핵분열 열을 제거하기 위한 일차 냉각계통, 그리고 연결된 유체계통이 구비되어 있다. 원자로 수조 상부 근방에서 진행되는 방사성 작업 시 작업자의 방사능 피폭을 최소화하기 위해 수조고온층계통에 의해 상부에 고온층이 형성되어 있으며, 다소 저온 영역에 있는 방사능 가스 및 이물질이 상부로 올라오는 것을 방지하기 위해 수조수 온도를 $50^{\circ}C$이하로 제한하고 있으며 이를 위해 수조수관리계통이 연결되어 있다. 수조수관리계통의 구비된 판형열교환기의 열용량을 정상운전 조건에서 260 kW가 되도록 설계하여 각 수조에서 발생되는 열원을 제거하는지에 대해 평가하였고, 원자로 운전 모드와 관계없이 정상적으로 유체계통이 운전된다면 각 수조의 수조수 온도는 제한치 이하를 유지하고 있음을 확인하였다.