• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.885-892
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• 2009

This manuscript will discuss a numerical method where the six equations of two-phase flow, the solid heat conduction equations, and the two equations that describe neutron diffusion and precursor concentration are solved together in a tightly coupled, nonlinear fashion for a simplified model of a nuclear reactor core. This approach has two important advantages. The first advantage is a higher level of accuracy. Because the equations are solved together in a single nonlinear system, the solution is more accurate than the traditional "operator split" approach where the two-phase flow equations are solved first, the heat conduction is solved second and the neutron diffusion is solved third, limiting the temporal accuracy to $1^{st}$ order because the nonlinear coupling between the physics is handled explicitly. The second advantage of the method described in this manuscript is that the time step control in the fully implicit system can be based on the timescale of the solution rather than a stability-based time step restriction like the material Courant limit required of operator-split methods. In this work, a pilot code was used which employs this tightly coupled, fully implicit method to simulate a reactor core. Results are presented from a simulated control rod movement which show $2^{nd}$ order accuracy in time. Also described in this paper is a simulated rod ejection demonstrating how the fastest timescale of the problem can change between the state variables of neutronics, conduction and two-phase flow during the course of a transient.

• Journal of Drive and Control
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.19-25
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• 2012

This paper explains how eliminating contamination from the manufacturing processes will lead to better product quality and hence the need for reworking, a trouble free commissioning period and greatly improved production efficiency. All of these will reduce costs and energy usage. It will also ensure that the product is delivered to the customer in a condition that will ensure improved reliability and longer life, again reducing both energy and other operating costs. Correctly designing the contamination control measures will achieve and maintain the level of fluid cleanliness that is required by the end user. The filter is critical to cleanliness management and should be selected with the same degree of thought and consideration as for other major components. This paper explains the role that Cleanliness Management plays in the reducing the carbon footprint of systems and processes by making them perform more efficiently for longer periods. It also examines two differing ways of selecting filters to incorporate the features of newer designs, and shows how significant savings in the costs of ownership can be achieved using these approaches.

• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.11-17
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• 2003

This paper present a method of meter-out flow control for overload protection valve in full-scale airframe test. Emergency stop, which results in dump state, can be happened during full-scale airframe test by several causes. Because servo valve can't control hydraulics actuator in the dump state, pressure in cylinder chamber may rise abruptly and overload can be acted to the test article. In this paper, the procedure and technology of orifice setting are investigated to protect the test article from unexpected loads by dump. The test results show that the presented methods decrease peak loads and improve unloading characteristics of hydraulic actuators in the dump state.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.2315-2324
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• 2023

Space nuclear reactors are becoming popular in deep space exploration owing to their advantages of high-power density and stability. Following the fourth-generation nuclear reactor technology, a conceptual design of the dual drum-controlled space molten salt reactor (D²-SMSR) is proposed. The reactor concept uses molten salt as fuel and heat pipes for cooling. A new reactivity control strategy that combines control drums and safety drums was adopted. Critical physical characteristics such as neutron energy spectrum, neutron flux distribution, power distribution and burnup depth were calculated. Flow and heat transfer characteristics such as natural convection, velocity and temperature distribution of the D²-SMSR under low gravity conditions were analyzed. The reactivity control effect of the dual-drums strategy was evaluated. Results showed that the D²-SMSR with a fast spectrum could operate for 10 years at the full power of 40 kWth. The D²-SMSR has a high heat transfer coefficient between molten salt and heat pipe, which means that the core has a good heat-exchange performance. The new reactivity control strategy can achieve shutdown with one safety drum or three control drums, ensuring high-security standards. The present study can provide a theoretical reference for the design of space nuclear reactors.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.775-796
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• 2022

In this study, a new type of energy absorbers with a functionally graded thickness is investigated, these type of absorbers absorb energy through expanding-folding processes. The expanding-folding absorbers are composed of two sections: a thin-walled aluminum matrix and a thin-walled steel mandrel. Previous studies have shown higher efficiency of the mentioned absorbers compared to the conventional ones. In this study, the effect of thickness which has been functionally-graded on the aluminum matrix (in which expansion occurs) was investigated. To this end, initial functions were considered for the matrix thickness, which was ascending/descending along the axis. The study was done experimentally and numerically. Comparing the experimental data with the numerical results showed high consistency between the numerical and experimental results. In the final section of this study, the best energy absorber functionally graded thickness was introduced by optimization using a third-order genetic algorithm. The optimization results showed that by choosing a minimum thickness of 1.6 mm and the exponential coefficient of 3.25, the most optimal condition can be obtained for descending thickness absorbers.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.103-111
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• 2012

Works for dam heightening plan have dual purposes: flood disaster prevention by securing additional storage volume and river ecosystem conservation by supplying stream maintenance flow. Now, the dam heightening project is in progress and there are 93 dam heightened reservoir. After the dam heightening project, 2.2 hundred million ton of flood control volume in reservoirs will be secured. Thus it is necessary to evaluate the effects of the dam heightening project on watershed hydrology and stream hydraulics, and resulting flood damages. This study was aimed to assess the impact of outflow from the dam heightened reservoir group on the Whangryong river design flood. The HEC-HMS (Hydrologic Engineering Center-Hydrologic Modeling System) model was used for estimating flood discharge, while HEC-5 (Hydrologic Engineering Center-5) was used for reservoir routing. This study analysed flood reduction effect on 100yr and 200yr return periods about the before and after heightening of agricultural dams. Based on the results of this study, the reduction of flood peak discharge at downstream of the reservoir group was estimated to be about 41% and 53% for 100yr and 200yr frequencies, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Systems Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.18-31
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• 2023

Exploring artificial intelligence and machine learning for nuclear safety has witnessed increased interest in recent years. To contribute to this area of research, a machine learning model capable of accurately predicting nuclear power plant response with minimal computational cost is proposed. To develop a robust machine learning model, the Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty (BEPU) approach was used to generate a database to train three models and select the best of the three. The BEPU analysis was performed by coupling Dakota platform with the best estimate thermal hydraulics code RELAP/SCDAPSIM/MOD 3.4. The Code Scaling Applicability and Uncertainty approach was adopted, along with Wilks' theorem to obtain a statistically representative sample that satisfies the USNRC 95/95 rule with 95% probability and 95% confidence level. The generated database was used to train three models based on Recurrent Neural Networks; specifically, Long Short-Term Memory, Gated Recurrent Unit, and a hybrid model with Long Short-Term Memory coupled to Convolutional Neural Network. In this paper, the System Engineering approach was utilized to identify requirements, stakeholders, and functional and physical architecture to develop this project and ensure success in verification and validation activities necessary to ensure the efficient development of ML meta-models capable of predicting of the nuclear power plant response.

• The Journal of Korean Institute for Practical Engineering Education
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 2013

The counter balancing is a technique to control a load which is acting to actuator when the load changes from a resistance state to over running state according to the structural change of the load for the case of lifting or carrying a heavy load in industrial site. Even though this technique is frequently used in industrial site, there is no widely known design procedure and educational equipment in home and abroad. Therefore, in this study a new idea was presented to develop an counter balancing educational equipment. The idea was realized through the process of system modeling and simulation, drawing out of design parameters, manufacturing of a prototype. Finally the usefulness of this developed educational equipment was demonstrated by experiments. It is expected that by using this equipment a big help would be given to students who should understand the counter balancing equipment which is frequently encountered in industrial site.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2000.07a
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• pp.249-252
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• 2000

원자력 교육원 #2(KNPEC-2) 시뮬레이터는 1980년도 중반에 웨스팅하우스에 의해 공급되어 계속 사용되어 오다가 현재 성능개선 연구가 진행 중이다. 이번 성능개선을 통해 기존의 컴퓨터 시스템(Gould MPX)와 소프트웨어의 전면 교체가 이루어지고 있으며 최적 계산 코드를 이용한 실시간 열수력 모델 (ARTS; Advanced Real-Time Thermal-Hydraulics Simulation) 개발 , 2-Group 3D 실시간 노심모델(REMARK ; REal Time Multigroup Advanced Reactor Kinetics)를 이용한 노심 주기개선 (Cycle Update) 가상현실 기술 등을 이용한 컴퓨터 교육지원 시스템(CATS: Computer Assister Training System)등 새로운 시도가 이루어지고 있으며 본 논문은 이러한 새로운 시도가 이루어지고 있으며 본 논문은 이러한 새로운 시도들 및 그 결과에 대해 기술하고 있다. 기준발전소(Reference Plant)인 영광 1호기 12주기의 노심모델로 주기개선(Cycle Update)을 위한 REMARK의 입력자료 생성을 위해 핵설계 전산체계인 APA(ALPHA-PHOENIX-ANC) 시스템의 출력으로부터 자동으로 REMARK 입력데이타를 생성하기 위한 GUI툴 개발하였다. 또 이를 이용하여 개발된 노심모델은 최적계산코드(RETRAn 3D) 의 열수력 해법을 이용하여 개발된 NSSS 열수력코드(ARTS) 와 결합(Integration) 되어 안정 및 과도 상태 시험에 사용되었으며 원자로 냉각재 펌프 정지등의 몇 가지 과도 시험 계산결과 기존 해석 결과와 잘 일치하였다 중앙제어실(MCR; Main Control Room)내의 운전원 행동만 훈련하도록 되어있는 기존시뮬레이터의 한계를 극복하기 위해 가상현실 (VR) 저작도구를 이용한 발전소 현장 내부를 표현하는 가상발전소 (Virtual Plant) 발전소 현장에 소재하여 기존 시뮬레이터의 모의한계 밖에 있던 패널을 표현한 가상판넬(Virtual Panel)등과 강의실에서 발전소 모의 훈련을 가능케 하기 위해 가상현실 기술을 이용한 컴퓨터 지원 교육훈력 시스템(CATS ; Computer Assister Training System)을 개발 중이며 일부 개발부분을 소개하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Systems Engineering
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.75-93
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• 2022

Machine learning (ML) data-driven meta-model is proposed as a surrogate model to reduce the excessive computational cost of the physics-based model and facilitate the real-time prediction of a nuclear power plant's transient response. To forecast the transient response three machine learning (ML) meta-models based on recurrent neural networks (RNNs); specifically, Long Short Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), and a sequence combination of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and LSTM are developed. The chosen accident scenario is a control element assembly withdrawal at power concurrent with the Loss Of Offsite Power (LOOP). The transient response was obtained using the best estimate thermal hydraulics code, MARS-KS, and cross-validated against the Design and control document (DCD). DAKOTA software is loosely coupled with MARS-KS code via a python interface to perform the Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty Quantification (BEPU) analysis and generate a time series database of the system response to train, test and validate the ML meta-models. Key uncertain parameters identified as required by the CASU methodology were propagated using the non-parametric Monte-Carlo (MC) random propagation and Latin Hypercube Sampling technique until a statistically significant database (181 samples) as required by Wilk's fifth order is achieved with 95% probability and 95% confidence level. The three ML RNN models were built and optimized with the help of the Talos tool and demonstrated excellent performance in forecasting the most probable NPP transient response. This research was guided by the Systems Engineering (SE) approach for the systematic and efficient planning and execution of the research.