• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.279-286
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• 2016

To enhance the safety of nuclear reactors after the Fukushima accident, researchers are developing various types of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) to increase the coping time and reduce the generation of hydrogen by oxidation. Coated cladding, an ATF concept, can be a promising technology in view of its commercialization. We applied 3D printing technology to the fabrication of coated cladding as well as of coated pellets. Direct metal tooling (DMT) in 3D printing technologies can create a coated layer on the tubular cladding surface, which maintains stability during corrosion, creep, and wear in the reactor. A 3D laser coating apparatus was built, and parameter studies were carried out. To coat pellets with erbium using this apparatus, we undertook preliminary experiments involving metal pellets. The adhesion test showed that the coated layer can be maintained at near fracture strength.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.37 no.10
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• pp.42-50
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• 2000

We show that both cross and bar states with high extinction ratios larger than 30dB can be achieved at eh same ends of ultra-short fused vertical directional coupler switches with two sections by changing the refractive indices of cores and inner cladding layers less than 1%. Based on the calculation of extinction ratios of cross state and bar state for various refractive index and thickness of inner cladding layer and core using the improved coupled mode theory and beam propagation method, the guidelines for design to achieve large tolerances in refractive indices of core and inner cladding layer in fused vertical directional coupler switches are presented.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.2054-2063
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• 2020

The high-temperature oxidation behavior of ZrSi₂ used as a coating material for nuclear fuel cladding was investigated for developing accident-tolerant fuel cladding of light water reactors. Bulk ZrSi₂ samples were prepared by spark plasma sintering. In situ X-ray diffraction was conducted in air at 900, 1000, and 1100 ℃ for 20 h. The microstructures of the samples before and after oxidation were examined by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the oxide layer of zirconium silicide exhibited a layer-by-layer structure of crystalline ZrO₂ and amorphous SiO₂, and the high-temperature oxidation resistance was superior to that of Zircaloy-4 owing to the SiO₂ layer formed. ZrSi₂ was coated on the Zircaloy-4 tube surface using laser 3D printing, and the coated tube was oxidized for 2000 s at 1200 ℃ under a vapor/argon mixture atmosphere. The outer surface of the coated tube was hardly oxidized (10-30 ㎛), while the inner surface of the uncoated tube was significantly oxidized to approximately 300 ㎛.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1995.05a
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• pp.680-686
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• 1995

It has been known that water-side corrosion of fuel rods in nuclear reactor is accompanied with the loss of metallic wall thickness and pickup of hydrogen. This corrosion is one of the important limiting factors ill the operating life of fuel rods. In connection with the fuel cladding corrosion, a device to measure the water-side oxide layer thickness by means of the eddy-current method without destructing the fuel rod was developed by KAERI. The device was installed on the multi-function testing bench in the nondestructive test hot-cell and its calibration was carried out successfully for the standard rod attached with plastic thin films whose thicknesses are predetermined. It shows good precision within about 10% error. And a PWR fuel rod, one of the J-44 assembly discharged from Kori nuclear power plant Unit-2, has been selected for oxide layer thickness measurements. With the result of data analysis, it appeared that the oxide layer thicknesses of Zircaloy cladding vary with the length of the fuel rod, and their thicknesses were compared with those of the destructive test results to confirm the real thicknesses.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2002.10b
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• pp.185-186
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• 2002

Fretting of fuel rod cladding material, Zircaloy-4 tube, in PWR nuclear power plants must be reduced and avoided. Nowadays the introduction of surface treatments or coatings is expected to be an ideal solution to fretting damage since fretting is closely related to wear. corrosion and fatigue. Therefore. in this study the fretting wear experiment was performed using TiAlN coated Zircaloy-4 tube as the fuel rod cladding and uncoated Zircaloy-4 as on of grids, especially concentrating on the sliding component. Fretting wear resistance of TiAlN coated Zircaloy-4 tubes was improved compared with that of TiN coated tubes and uncoated tubes and fretting wear mechanisms were brittle fracture and plastic flow at lower slip amplitude but severe oxidation and spallation of oxidative layer at higher ship amplitude.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.88-95
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• 2002

Fretting of fuel rod cladding material, Zircaloy-4 Tube, in PWR nuclear power plants must be reduced and avoided. Nowadays the introduction of surface treatments or coatings is expected to bean ideal solution to fretting damage since fretting is closely related to wear, corrosion and fatigue. Therefore, in this study the fretting wear experiment was peformed using TiAIN coated Zircaloy-4 tube as the fuel rod cladding and uncoated Zircaioy-4 tube as one of grids, especially concentrating on the sliding component. Fretting wear resistance of TiAIN coated Zircaloy-4 tubes was improved compared with that of TiN coated tubes and uncoated tubes and the fretting wear mechanisms were delamination and plastic flow following by brittle fracture at lower slip amplitude but severe oxidation and spallation of oxidative layer at higher slip amplitude.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.279-288
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• 2004

This paper describes a three-dimensional transient finite element model for a laser cladding process. In the model, an adaptive finite element technique is used for dilution control. Using the proposed finite element model, the effects of process parameters such as scanning speed, laser's power, and preheating on the dilution of clad layer, the shape of melting pool, and the temperature distribution are calculated. It is also shown that the optimal process parameters for the required dilution can be determined from the proposed finite element model. An experiment is performed to validate the proposed model. The numerical results are compared with experimental ones.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.190-195
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• 2019

SA508 low-alloy steel for a reactor vessel was exposed to primary water in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) plant because the cladding layer of type 309 stainless steel for the RPV was removed, due to an accident in which the detachment of the thermal sleeve occurred. The major advantage of the electrochemical deposition (ECD) Ni plating technique is that the reactor pressure vessel can be repaired without significant thermal effects, and Ni has solid corrosion resistance that can withstand boric acid. The corrosion rate assessment of the damaged part was performed, and its trend was analyzed. Essential variables of the Ni plating for repair of the damaged part were derived. These conditions are applicable variables for the repair plating device, and have been carefully adjusted using the repair plating device. The process for establishing ASME technical standards called Code Case N-840 is described. The process of developing Ni-plating devices, and the electroplating procedure specification (EPS) are described.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 2022

We propose a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with a slotted porous core and elliptical-hole cladding, for high birefringence in the terahertz regime. Asymmetry in the guided mode is obtained mainly by using arrays of elliptical air holes in the TOPAS^® polymer cladding. We investigate the tradeoff between several structural parameters and find optimized values that can have a high birefringence while satisfying the single-mode condition. The optical properties in the terahertz regime are thoroughly analyzed in numerical simulations, using a full-vector finite-element method with the perfectly-matched-layer condition. In an optimal design, the proposed photonic crystal fiber shows a high birefringence of 8.80 × 10^-2 and an effective material loss of 0.07 cm^-1 at a frequency of 1 THz, satisfying the single-mode-guidance condition at the same time. The proposed PCF would be useful for various polarization-management applications in the terahertz range.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.327-330
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• 2004

Laser aided direct metal deposition (LADMD) process offers the ability to make a metal component directly from 3-D CAD dimensions. A 3-D object can be formed by repeating laser cladding layer by layer. The key of the build-up mechanism is the effective control of powder delivery and laser power to be irradiated into the melt-pool. A feedback control system using optical sensors is introduced to control laser power and powder mass flow rate. Using H13 tool steel and $CO_2$ laser system, comprehensive analysis are executed to test the efficiency of the system. In addition, the dimensional characteristics of directed deposited material are investigated with the parameters of deposition thickness, laser power, traverse speed and powder mass flow rate.