• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.58-63
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• 2019

This paper presents preliminary analysis and results on IASCC sensitivity of a core shroud in the reactor pressure vessel. First, neutron irradiation flux distribution of the reactor internals was calculated by using the Monte Carlo simulation code, MCNP6.1 and the nuclear data library, ENDF/B-VII.1. Second, based on the neutron irradiation flux distribution, temperature and stress distributions of the core shroud during normal operation were determined by performing finite element analysis using the commercial finite element analysis program, ABAQUS, considering irradiation aging-related degradation mechanisms. Last, IASCC sensitivity of the core shroud was assessed by using the IASCC sensitivity definition of EPRI MRP-211 and the finite element analysis results. As a result of the preliminary analysis, it was found that the point at which the maximum IASCC sensitivity is derived varies over operating time, initially moving from the shroud plate located in the center of the core to the top shroud plate-ring connection brace over operating time. In addition, it was concluded that IASCC will not occur on the core shroud even after 60 years of operation (40EFPYs) because the maximum IASCC sensitivity is less than 0.5.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.102-115
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• 2012

The purpose of this paper is to review several different methods calculating gas hydrate saturations. There are three methods using downhole log data, core data (including pressure core), and seismic velocity data. Archie's equation using electrical resistivity of downhole log data is widely used for saturation calculation. In this case, Archie's parameters should be defined accurately. And the occurrence types of gas hydrate significantly affect to saturation calculation. Thus saturation calculation should be carefully conducted. The methods using chlorinity and pressure core data are directly calculated from core sample. So far, the saturation calculated from pressure core gives accurate and quantitative values. But this method is needed much more time and cost. Thus acquisition of the continuous data with sediment depth is realistically hard. The recent several results show that the saturation calculated from resistivity data is the highest values, while the value calculated from pressure core is the lowest. But this trend is not always absolutely. Thus, to estimate accurate gas hydrate saturation, the values calculated from several methods should be compared.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.423-429
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• 2014

Development of a reservoir pressure core sampler (PCS) with a built-in data logging system (DLS) for recording real-time temperature and pressure observations is critical in domestic hydrocarbon production to accurately measure and monitor reserves of shale gas, coalbed methane, and gas-hydrate. Another purpose of this new technology is to minimize the loss of gas from the core as the drill core is collected. This is accomplished by maintaining the pressure of the sample from the moment the drill core is obtained at depth, thus allowing an accurate analysis of shale gas, coalbed methane gas, and gashydrate within the core. Currently, the United States and European countries have monopolized the development and marketability of PCS technologies. We are thus developing a reservoir PCS by analyzing the operating principle and mechanisms of the existing PCS, and by conducting tests on the existing PCS. We further aim to develop a PCS with a maximum operating pressure of 100 bar, a maximum operating temperature of $-20^{\circ}C$ to $40^{\circ}C$, and a pressure loss rate of 10%.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.39 no.9
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• pp.973-980
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• 2015

With their wide geographical distribution, unconventional resources are continuously compared against conventional resources, but their development is expanding because TRRs (Technical Recoverable Resources) are similar to conventional resources. In particular, there is active development of unconventional gas resources such as shale gas, tight gas, CBM (coalbed methane) and gas hydrate. However, it is difficult to calculate the material properties of unconventional resources, especially the gas content, with current geophysical logging technology. Additionally, some overseas companies have monopolies on related equipment and materials. Therefore, this study developed a reservoir PCS (Pressure Core Sampler). It can collect core samples without gaseous loss by maintaining high pressure from the moment the core is sampled and record pressure and temperature in real time. Successful performance testing was also carried out for official verification of the manufactured PCS. The reservoir PCS will contribute to the acquisition of geophysical well logging data as well as accurate and reliable cores.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.656-661
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• 2010

Lead-alloys are very attractive nuclear coolants due to their thermo-hydraulic, chemical, and neutronic properties. By utilizing the HELIOS (Heavy Eutectic liquid metal Loop for Integral test of Operability and Safety of PEACER$^2$) facility, a thermal hydraulic benchmarking study has been conducted for the prediction of pressure loss in lead-alloy cooled advanced nuclear energy systems (LACANES). The loop has several complex components that cannot be readily characterized with available pressure loss correlations. Among these components is the core, composed of a vessel, a barrel, heaters separated by complex spacers, and the plenum. Due to the complex shape of the core, its pressure loss is comparable to that of the rest of the loop. Detailed CFD simulations employing different CFD codes are used to determine the pressure loss, and it is found that the spacers contribute to nearly 90 percent of the total pressure loss. In the system codes, spacers are usually accounted for; however, due to the lack of correlations for the exact spacer geometry, the accuracy of models relies strongly on assumptions used for modeling spacers. CFD can be used to determine an appropriate correlation. However, application of CFD also requires careful choice of turbulence models and numerical meshes, which are selected based on extensive experience with liquid metal flow simulations for the KALLA lab. In this paper consistent results of CFX and Star-CD are obtained and compared to measured data. Measured data of the pressure loss of the core are obtained with a differential pressure transducer located between the core inlet and outlet at a flow rate of 13.57kg/s.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.441-456
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• 2001

ABB-CE＇s regionalization methodology for the core inlet flow distribution map is reviewed. This methodology merges the test data of fuel assembly locations which are either in symmetry or strongly correlated with others. It increases the number of available test data for each regional flow factor It makes up effectively for the deficiency due to limited number of test data. It also contributes to making the core inlet flow distribution smoother not only locally but also over the entire core, and to relieving the impacts of test errors that may happen due to some do- calibrated local pressure measurement taps. As a result, the core inlet How distribution data becomes more statistically useful and thus the conservatism involved in handling the core inlet flow factors for the thermal margin analysis is expected to be reduced. Meanwhile, the regionalized map may lose the unique local characteristics in core inlet flow distribution too much. By an alternative approach introduced in the present work, it is shown that such a disadvantage can be mitigated somewhat if the engineering judgement is made more

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.496-508
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• 2020

This study reviews studies on the core stabilization of respiratory muscle training for the elderly health. Previous research data and presenting basic literature data suggest that respiratory activation is an important mechanism for core strengthening via exercise interventions for the elderly. The review found that first, the mechanism of improving the respiratory muscles weakened by aging to address the loss of core function due to old age sarcopenia among the elderly results entails promoting the autonomic nervous system by focusing on the respiratory muscle activation pattern, the core muscle sensation mobilized for body centering. Second, nerve roots, intraperitoneal pressure, and deep muscles in the trunk of the body can be promoted while controlling respiratory stimulation with cognitive feedback. Effortful inspiration increases the activation of respiratory assistive muscles and effortless exhalation can improve the core muscle mobilization by involving abdominal muscles. Third, through respiratory muscle training, the elderly can increase their awareness of spinal centering and improve the ability to control the deep core muscles that must be mobilized for core stabilization. In conclusion, respiratory muscle training to increase the utilization of the trunk muscles seems to be a useful core stabilization exercise for the elderly with chronic tension and joint degeneration.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.427-439
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• 2012

In this study, an experiment with large-scale model was performed according to raising embankment in order to investigate the behaviour of failure due to overtopping. The pore water pressure, earth pressure and settlement by high water level, a rapid drawdown and overtopping were compared and analyzed. Also, seepage analysis and slope stability analysis were performed for steady state and transient conditions. The pore water pressure and earth pressure for inclined core type showed high value at the base of the core, but they showed no infiltration by leakage. The pore water pressure and earth pressure by overtopping increased at the upstream slope and core, it is considered a useful data that can accurately estimate the possibility of failure of the reservoir. The behavior of failure due to overtopping was gradually enlarged towards the downstream slope from reservoir crest, and the inclined core after the raising embankment was influenced significantly to prevent the reservoir failure. The pore water pressure distribution for steady state and transient condition showed positive (+) pore water pressure on the upstream slope, it was gradually changed negative (-) pore water pressure on the downstream slope. The pore water pressure by overtopping showed a larger than the high water level at the downstream slope, it was likely to be the piping phenomenon because the hydraulic gradients showed largely at the inclined core and reservoir crest. The safety factor showed high at the steady state, and transient conditions did not show differences depending on the rapid drawdown.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2018

It follows from the basic principles of mechanics of deformable solids relating to the strength, stability and propagation of elastic waves that the Earth's inner core cannot exist in the form of a spherical structure in the assumed thermobaric conditions and calculation values of physico-mechanical parameters. Pressure level reaches a value that is significantly greater than the theoretical limit of medium strength in the model approximations at the surface of the sphere of the inner core. On the other hand, equilibrium state of the sphere is unstable on the geometric forming at much lower loads under the influence of the "dead" surface loads. In case of the action of "follower" loads, the assumed pressure value on the surface of the sphere is comparable with the value of the critical load of "internal" instability. In these cases, due to the instability of the equilibrium state, propagation of homogeneous deformations becomes uneven in the sphere. Moreover, the elastic waves with actual velocity cannot propagate in such conditions in solid medium. Violation of these fundamental conditions of mechanics required in determining the physical and mechanical properties of the medium should be taken into account in the integrated interpretations of seismic and laboratory (experimental) data. In this case, application of the linear theory of elasticity and elastic waves does not ensure the reliability of results on the structure and composition of the Earth's core despite compliance with the required integral conditions on the mass, moment of inertia and natural oscillations of the Earth.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.1487-1503
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• 2019

The methods and performance of a pin-level nuclear reactor core thermal-hydraulics (T/H) code ESCOT employing the drift-flux model are presented. This code aims at providing an accurate yet fast core thermal-hydraulics solution capability to high-fidelity multiphysics core analysis systems targeting massively parallel computing platforms. The four equation drift-flux model is adopted for two-phase calculations, and numerical solutions are obtained by applying the Finite Volume Method (FVM) and the Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure-Linked Equation (SIMPLE)-like algorithm in a staggered grid system. Constitutive models involving turbulent mixing, pressure drop, and vapor generation are employed to simulate key phenomena in subchannel-scale analyses. ESCOT is parallelized by a domain decomposition scheme that involves both radial and axial decomposition to enable highly parallelized execution. The ESCOT solutions are validated through the applications to various experiments which include CNEN $4{\times}4$, Weiss et al. two assemblies, PNNL $2{\times}6$, RPI $2{\times}2$ air-water, and PSBT covering single/two-phase and unheated/heated conditions. The parameters of interest for validation include various flow characteristics such as turbulent mixing, spacer grid pressure drop, cross-flow, reverse flow, buoyancy effect, void drift, and bubble generation. For all the validation tests, ESCOT shows good agreements with measured data in the extent comparable to those of other subchannel-scale codes: COBRA-TF, MATRA and/or CUPID. The execution performance is examined with a mini-sized whole core consisting of 89 fuel assemblies and for an OPR1000 core. It turns out that it is about 1.5 times faster than a subchannel code based on the two-fluid three field model and the axial domain decomposition scheme works as well as the radial one yielding a steady-state solution for the OPR1000 core within 30 s with 104 processors.