• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.74-80
• /
• 2021

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has been operating an integral effects test facility, the Advanced Thermal-Hydraulic Test Loop for Accident Simulation (ATLAS), according to APR1400 for transient experimental and design basis accident simulation. Moreover, based on the experimental data, the domestic standard problem (DSP) program has been conducted in Korea to validate system codes. Recently, through DSP-05, the performance of the passive auxiliary feedwater system (PAFS) in the event of multiple steam generator tube rupture (MSGTR) has been analyzed. However, some errors exist in the reference input model distributed for DSP-05. Furthermore, the calculation results of the heat loss correlation for the secondary system presented in the technical report of the reference indicate that a large difference is present in heat loss from the target value. Thus, in this study, the reference model is corrected using the geometric information from the design report and drawings of ATLAS. Additionally, a new heat loss correlation is suggested by fitting the results of the heat loss tests. Herein, MSGTR-PAFS accident analysis is performed using MARS-KS 1.5 with the improved model. The steady-state calculation results do not significantly differ from the experimental values, and the overall physical behavior of the transient state is properly predicted. Particularly, the predicted operating time of PAFS is similar to the experimental results obtained by the modified model. Furthermore, the operating time of PAFS varies according to the heat loss of the secondary system, and the sensitivity analysis results for the heat loss of the secondary system are presented.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.3
• /
• pp.1066-1080
• /
• 2024

SMART100 has a containment pressure and radioactivity suppression system (CPRSS) for passive containment cooling system (PCCS). This prevents overheating and over-pressurization of a containment through direct contact condensation in an in-containment refueling water storage tank (IRWST) and wall condensation in a CPRSS heat exchanger (CHX) in an emergency cool-down tank (ECT). The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) constructed scaled-down test facilities, SISTA1 and SISTA2, for the thermal-hydraulic validation of the SMART100 CPRSS. Three separate effect tests were performed using SISTA1 to confirm the heat removal characteristics of SMART100 CPRSS. When the low mass flux steam with or without non-condensable gas is released into an IRWST, the conditions for mitigation of the chugging phenomenon were identified, and the physical variables were quantified by the 3D reconstruction method. The local behavior of the non-condensable gas was measured after condensation inside heat exchanger using a traverse system. Stratification of non-condensable gas occurred in large tank of the natural circulation loop. SISTA2 was used to simulate a small break loss-of-coolant accident (SBLCOA) transient. Since the test apparatus was a metal tank, compensations of initial heat transfer to the material and effect of heat loss during long-term operation were important for simulating cooling performance of SMART100 CPRSS. The pressure of SMART100 CPRSS was maintained below the design limit for 3 days even under sufficiently conservative conditions of an SBLOCA transient.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
• /
• v.21 no.12
• /
• pp.715-732
• /
• 2009

This article reviews the papers published in the Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering during 2008. It is intended to understand the status of current research in the areas of heating, cooling, ventilation, sanitation, and indoor environments of buildings and plant facilities. Conclusions are as follows. (1) Research trends in thermal and fluid engineering have been surveyed in the categories of general fluid flow, fluid machinery and piping, new and renewable energy, and fire. Well-developed CFD technologies were widely applied in developing facilities and their systems. New research topics include fire, fuel cell, and solar energy. Research was mainly focused on flow distribution and optimization in the fields of fluid machinery and piping. Topics related to the development of fans and compressors had been popular, but were no longer investigated widely. Research papers on micro heat exchangers using nanofluids and micro pumps were also not presented during this period. There were some studies on thermal reliability and performance in the fields of new and renewable energy. Numerical simulations of smoke ventilation and the spread of fire were the main topics in the field of fire. (2) Research works on heat transfer presented in 2008 have been reviewed in the categories of heat transfer characteristics, industrial heat exchangers, and ground heat exchangers. Research on heat transfer characteristics included thermal transport in cryogenic vessels, dish solar collectors, radiative thermal reflectors, variable conductance heat pipes, and flow condensation and evaporation of refrigerants. In the area of industrial heat exchangers, examined are research on micro-channel plate heat exchangers, liquid cooled cold plates, fin-tube heat exchangers, and frost behavior of heat exchanger fins. Measurements on ground thermal conductivity and on the thermal diffusion characteristics of ground heat exchangers were reported. (3) In the field of refrigeration, many studies were presented on simultaneous heating and cooling heat pump systems. Switching between various operation modes and optimizing the refrigerant charge were considered in this research. Studies of heat pump systems using unutilized energy sources such as sewage water and river water were reported. Evaporative cooling was studied both theoretically and experimentally as a potential alternative to the conventional methods. (4) Research papers on building facilities have been reviewed and divided into studies on heat and cold sources, air conditioning and air cleaning, ventilation, automatic control of heat sources with piping systems, and sound reduction in hydraulic turbine dynamo rooms. In particular, considered were efficient and effective uses of energy resulting in reduced environmental pollution and operating costs. (5) In the field of building environments, many studies focused on health and comfort. Ventilation. system performance was considered to be important in improving indoor air conditions. Due to high oil prices, various tests were planned to examine building energy consumption and to cut life cycle costs.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.419-426
• /
• 2012

A transient, three-dimensional, two-phase flow analysis code, CUPID, has been developed in KAERI. In this work, we performed a preliminary analysis using the CUPID code to investigate the thermal-hydraulic behavior of the moderator in the Calandria vessel of a CANDU reactor. At first, we validated the CUPID code using the three experiments that were performed at Stern Laboratories Inc. To avoid the complexity to generate computational mesh around the Calandria tube bundles, a porous media approach was applied for the region. The pressure drop in the porous media zone was modeled by an empirical correlation. The results of the calculations showed that the CUPID code can predict the mixed flow pattern of forced and natural convection inside the Calandria vessel very well. Thereafter, the analysis was extended to a two-phase flow condition. Also, the local maximum temperature in the Calandria vessel was plotted as a function of the injection flow rate, which may be utilized to predict the local subcooling margin.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.306-319
• /
• 2020

Characterizations of Excavation Damage Zone (EDZ), which is hydro-mechanical degrading the host rock, are the important issues on the geological repository for the spent nuclear fuel. In the DECOVALEX 2019 project, Task G aimed to model the fractured rock numerically, describe the hydro-mechanical behavior of EDZ, and predict the change of the hydraulic factor during the lifetime of the geological repository. Task G prepared two-dimensional fractured rock model to compare the characteristics of each simulation tools in Work Package 1, validated the extended three-dimensional model using the TAS04 in-situ interference tests from Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory in Work Package 2, and applied the thermal and glacial loads to monitor the long-term hydro-mechanical response on the fractured rock in Work Package 3. Each modelling team adopted both Finite Element Method (FEM) and Discrete Element Method (DEM) to simulate the hydro-mechanical behavior of the fracture rock, and added the various approaches to describe the EDZ and fracture geometry which are appropriate to each simulation method. Therefore, this research can introduce a variety of numerical approaches and considerations to model the geological repository for the spent nuclear fuel in the crystalline fractured rock.

• Explosives and Blasting
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.38-61
• /
• 2023

An Excavation Damaged Zone(EDZ) caused by blasting impact changes rock properties, in situ stress distribution, etc., and its effects are noticeable at around a radioactive waste repository located at deep underground. In particular, the increase in permeability due to the formation of cracks may significantly increase the amount of groundwater inflow and the possibility of radioactive nuclide outflow. In this study, FLAC2D and FLAC3D were used to analyze the mechanical and thermal behaviors for three categories: a)No EDZ, b)Uniform EDZ, and c)Random EDZ. It was found that the tunnel displacement in the Random EDZ case was 423% higher than that in the No EDZ case and was 16% higher than that in the Uniform EDZ case. Tunnel inflow in the Random EDZ was also 17.3% and 10.8% higher than that in the No EDZ and the Uniform EDZ case, respectively. The permeability around the tunnel was increased by up to 10 times in the corner of the tunnel wall and roof due to the stress redistribution after excavation. From the computer simulation, it was found that the permeability around the tunnel wall was partially increased but the overall tunnel inflow was decreased with increase of stress ratio. Mechanical analysis using FLAC 3D showed similar results. Slight difference between 2D and 3D could be explained with the development of plastic zone during the advance of tunnel excavation in 3D.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.587-609
• /
• 2019

Short-and long-term stabilities of bentonite, favored material as buffer in geological repositories for high-level waste were reviewed in this paper in addition to alternative design concepts of buffer to mitigate the thermal load from decay heat of SF (Spent Fuel) and further increase the disposal efficiency. It is generally reported that the irreversible changes in structure, hydraulic behavior, and swelling capacity are produced due to temperature increase and vapor flow between $150{\sim}250^{\circ}C$. Provided that the maximum temperature of bentonite is less than $150^{\circ}C$, however, the effects of temperature on the material, structural, and mineralogical stability seems to be minor. The maximum temperature in disposal system will constrain and determine the amount of waste to be disposed per unit area and be regarded as an important design parameter influencing the availability of disposal site. Thus, it is necessary to identify the effects of high temperature on the performance of buffer and allow for the thermal constraint greater than $100^{\circ}C$. In addition, the development of high-performance EBS (Engineered Barrier System) such as composite bentonite buffer mixed with graphite or silica and multi-layered buffer (i.e., highly thermal-conductive layer or insulating layer) should be taken into account to enhance the disposal efficiency in parallel with the development of multilayer repository. This will contribute to increase of reliability and securing the acceptance of the people with regard to a high-level waste disposal.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.124-132
• /
• 2016

In order to estimate the effect of flow distributors connected to an upper nozzle of CMT(Core Makeup Tank) on the thermal-hydraulic characteristics in the tank, a simplified 2 inch Small Break Loss of Coolant Accident(SBLOCA) was simulated by skipping the decay power and Passive Residual Heat Removal System(PRHRS) actuation. The CMT is a part of safety injection systems in the SMART (System Integrated Modular Advanced Reactor). Each test was performed with reliable boundary conditions. It means that the pressure distribution is provided with repeatable and reproducible behavior during SBLOCA simulations. The maximum flow rates were achieved at around 350 seconds after the initial opening of the isolation valve installed in CMT. After a short period of decreased flow rate, it attained a steady injection flow rate after about 1,250 seconds. This unstable injection period of the CMT coolant is due to the condensation of steam injected into the upper part of CMT. The steady injection flow rate was about 8.4% higher with B-type distributor than that with A-type distributor. The gravity injection during hot condition tests were in good agreement with that during cold condition tests except for the early stages.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.125-135
• /
• 1993

The safe and efficient operation of nuclear plants is recognized to be accomplished through the application of plant automation using digital technology, which is one of main targets of the next generation nuclear plants. For plant level automation, it is first required that each major subsystem be digitalized, and the steam generator water level control system is discussed in this study. The transfer functions between inputs and the level are derived by employing the thermal hydraulic model of the steam generator and are applied to the analysis of the current three-element control system. Since the control scheme in this study includes the steam generator itself as a process plant, the system order is high and the numerical instability arises in digitalizing. Together with this, the unreliability of the feedwater feedback signal at low power level leads to the proposal of a two-element control system with a proper digital controller. The digital PI controller developed for this system has the initial power adaptive gain and integration time constant. And it makes the overall system response satisfy the stability and other necessary control specifications simultaneously. Since the two-element control system using this controller depends on the initial power only, it is simple to define and it shows a similar level response behavior to that of its corresponding analog system.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.27-35
• /
• 2018

The passive containment cooling system (PCCS) has been designed to remove the released decay heat during the accident by means of the condensation heat transfer phenomenon to guarantee the safety of the nuclear power plant. The heat removal performance of the PCCS is mainly governed by the condensation heat transfer of the steam-air mixture. In this study, the heat removal performance of the PCCS was evaluated by using the MARS-KS code with a new empirical correlation for steam condensation in the presence of a noncondensable gas. A new empirical correlation implemented into the MARS-KS code was developed as a function of parameters that affect the condensation heat transfer coefficient, such as the pressure, the wall subcooling, the noncondensable gas mass fraction and the aspect ratio of the condenser tube. The empirical correlation was applied to the MARS-KS code to replace the default Colburn-Hougen model. The various thermal-hydraulic parameters during the operation of the PCCS follonwing a large-break loss-of-coolant-accident were analyzed. The transient pressure behavior inside the containment from the MARS-KS with the empirical correlation was compared with calculated with the Colburn-Hougen model.