• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.18-27
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• 2021

This study aims to develop an improved evaluation technology for assessing CANDU-6 safety. For this purpose, the multiple steam generator tube rupture (mSGTR) followed by an unmitigated station blackout (SBO) in a CANDU-6 plant was selected as a hypothetical event scenario and the analysis model to evaluate the plant responses was envisioned into the MARS-KS input model. The model includes logic models for controlling the pressure and inventory of the primary heat transport system (PHTS) decreasing due to the u-tubes' rupture, as well as the main features of PHTS with a simplified model for the horizontal fuel channels, the secondary heat transport system including the shell side of steam generators, feedwater and main steam line, and moderator system. A steady state condition was successfully achieved to confirm the stable convergence of the key parameters. Until the turbine trip, the fuel channels were adequately cooled by forced circulation of coolant and supply of main feedwater. However, due to the continuous reduction of PHTS pressure and inventory, the reactor and turbine were shut down and the thermal-hydraulic behaviors between intact and broken loops got asymmetric. Furthermore, as the conditions of low-flow coolant and high void fraction in the broken loop persisted, leading to degradation of decay heat removal, it was evaluated that the peak cladding temperature (PCT) exceeded the limit criteria for ensuring nuclear fuel integrity. This study is expected to provide the technical bases to the accident management strategy for transient conditions with multiple events.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.37-42
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• 2022

An influence analysis on multiple steam generator tube rupture (mSGTR) followed by an unmitigated station blackout is performed to compare the plant responses according to the number of ruptured u-tubes under the assumption of a total of 10 ruptured u-tubes. In all calculation cases, the transient behaviour of major thermal-hydraulic parameters, such as the discharge flow rate through the ruptured u-tubes, reactor header pressure, and void fraction in the fuel channels is found to be overall similar to that of the base case having a single SG with 10 u-tubes ruptured. Additionally, as the conditions of low-flow coolant with high void fraction in the broken loop continued, causing the degradation of decay heat removal, the peak cladding temperature (PCT) would be expected to exceed the limit criteria for ensuring nuclear fuel integrity. However, despite the same total number of ruptured u-tubes, because of the different connection configuration between the SG and pressurizer, a difference is foud in time between the pressurizer low-level signal and reactor header low-pressure signal, affecting the time to trip the reactor and to reach the PCT limit. The present study is expected to provide the technical basis for the accident management strategy for mSGTR transient conditions of CANDU-6 plants.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2024

Crud is a corrosion deposit that forms in equipments and piping of nuclear reactor's primary systems. When crud circulates through the reactor's primary system coolant and adheres to the surface of the nuclear fuel cladding tube, it can lead to the Axial Offset Anomaly (AOA) phenomenon. This occurrence is known to potentially reduce the output of a nuclear power plant or to necessitate an early shutdown. Consequently, worldwide nuclear power plants have employed ultrasonic cleaning methods since 2000 to mitigate crud deposition, ensuring stable operation and economic efficiency. This paper details the system configuration of ultrasonic nuclear fuel cleaning equipment, outlining the function of each component. The objective is to contribute to the local domestic production of ultrasonic nuclear fuel cleaning equipment. Additionally, the paper introduces a method for accurately measuring the weight of removed crud, a crucial factor in assessing cleaning effectiveness and providing input data for the BOA code used in core safety evaluations. Accurate measurement of highly radioactive filters containing crud is essential, and weighing them underwater is a common practice. However, the buoyancy effect during underwater weighing may lead to an overestimation of the collected crud's weight. To address this issue, the paper proposes a formula correcting for buoyancy errors, enhancing measurement accuracy. This improved weight measurement method, accounting for buoyancy effects in water, is expected to facilitate the quantitative assessment of filter weights generated during chemical decontamination and system operations in nuclear power plants.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2015

The production of nuclear fuel cladding tube is expected to increase with the nuclear power plant expansion. Zirconium(Zr) scrap that is generated during manufacturing is also expected to increase. Zr electrorefining experiment was carried out in the fluoride salt of LiF-KF-ZrF₄ using multiple electrode for scale up and improving throughput Zr electrorefiner develop-ment. The Zr reduction peak observed at-0.8 V(vs.Ni). Polarization behavior showed that the amount of applied current increases because of decreasing cell resistance as the number of cathode increases. Experimental results showed the highest recovery rate about 98% at lowest current density of 25.64 mA/cm² using 6 electrodes. XRD and TG analysis result show that pure Zr was recovered 99.92% and ICP analysis shows that lower impurity content than conventional impurity content of the Anode(97.8%). Electrorefining consumes energy about 7.15 kWh/kg less than 39.7% compared to the Kroll process using 6 electrode width of 20 mm and height of 65 mm. Because of increasing cell efficiency and recovery rate, using multiple cathode is determined as an efficient technique for scale up electrorefining Zr scrap.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.211-215
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• 1985

The effects of temperature and strain rate on the I-SCC behaviors of Zircaloy-4 were investigated by constant load test at 30$0^{\circ}C$ and constant elongation rate test at 300, 350 and 40$0^{\circ}C$ in 3.34mg $I_2$/㎤. The results showed that I-SCC susceptibility increased as the strain rate decreased or the temperature increased. The empirical relation between the stress and the time to failure at 30$0^{\circ}C$ was given by 1/ $t_{f}$∝exp (0.3$\sigma$/$\sigma$$_{UTS}$-31.5) When the I-SCC susceptibility was expressed by the ratio of fracture energy in iodine atmosphere to that in the inert atmosphere, severe I-SCC susceptibility was found near 7.6$\times$10$^{-6}$ sec at 30$0^{\circ}C$ and the maximum point of I-SCC susceptibility tended to shift to the higher strain rate with increasing the temperature. The quasi-cleavage fracture was observed in I-SCC fracture surface. From these results, it was certain that the film repture step was involved as an important process in the I-SCC mechanism of Zircaloy-4.4.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.29-37
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• 2017

Nuclear fuel cladding tube is fabricated by pilgering and annealing process. In order to remove impurity and oxygen layer on the surface, pickling process is carried out. When Zirconium(Zr) is dissolved and saturated in acid solution during the pickling process, all the waste acid including Zr is disposed. Therefore, $BaF_2$ is added into the waste acid to extract Zr and $Ba_2ZrF_8$ is subsequently formed. To recycle Zr by electrowinning process, $Ba_2ZrF_8$ is used as electrolyte, but it has high melting point ($1053^{\circ}C$). $ZrF_4$ should be added into $Ba_2ZrF_8$ to decrease the melting point. In this paper, it was investigated that $Ba_2ZrF_8$ was separated to $BaF_2$ and $ZrF_4$ by vacuum distillation. Firstly, $BaF_2$ with different particle size ($1{\mu}m$, $35{\mu}m$, $110{\mu}m$) was added into the waste acid and the respective precipitation property was estimated. $BaF_2$ obtained by vacuum distillation was shattered by ball-milling with different time. The precipitation efficiency was compared with $1{\mu}m$ of ${BaF_2}^{\prime}s$ one, which was not used as precipitation agent.