• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1999년도 추계학술발표회요약집
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• pp.259.2-259
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• 1999

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제48권5호
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• pp.1109-1119
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• 2016

Although, the direct use of spent pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel in CANda Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactors (DUPIC) cycle is still under investigation, DUPIC cycle is a promising method for uranium utilization improvement, for reduction of high level nuclear waste, and for high degree of proliferation resistance. This paper focuses on the effect of DUPIC cycle on CANDU reactor safety parameters. MCNP6 was used for lattice cell simulation of a typical 3,411 MWth PWR fueled by $UO_2$ enriched to 4.5w/o U-235 to calculate the spent fuel inventories after a burnup of 51.7 MWd/kgU. The code was also used to simulate the lattice cell of CANDU-6 reactor fueled with spent fuel after its fabrication into the standard 37-element fuel bundle. It is assumed a 5-year cooling time between the spent fuel discharges from the PWR to the loading into the CANDU-6. The simulation was carried out to calculate the burnup and the effect of DUPIC fuel on: (1) the power distribution amongst the fuel elements of the bundle; (2) the coolant void reactivity; and (3) the reactor point-kinetics parameters.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.141-154
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• 2015

경수로 사용후핵연료 수송/저장용기의 핵임계 해석은 사용후핵연료내의 악티나이드핵종 및 핵분열생성물 함유량에 대한 불확실성을 이유로 신연료로 가정된 가상의 연료를 선정하여 평가해오고 있다. 그러나 이러한 평가방법은 용기 설계 시 과도한 임계여유도를 유도하여 경제적 손실을 유발할 수 있는 단점이있다. 이와 같은 단점을 극복하기 위하여 최근 연소도이득효과(burnup credit, BUC)를 반영한 수송저장용기의 설계 및 상용화를 위한 연구가 추진되었다. 이에 본 연구에서는 한국원자력환경공단에서 개발중인 금속겸용용기를 대상으로 연소도 이득효과적용 시 핵임계 안전성(criticality safety)에 영향을 미칠 것으로 예상되는 '노심 운전인자', '축방향 연소도 분포', '오장전 사고상황'에 대하여 핵임계 평가를 수행하였다. 그 결과 노심운전인자 중 저농축, 고연소도일 때 비출력에 따른 핵임계 변화가 크게 평가되었으며, 고연소도 사용후핵연료에서 End effect가 양의 값을 나타내었다. 특히 오장전에 의한 유효증배계수는 최대 0.18467증가하였으므로, 연소도이득효과를 적용 할 경우 필수고려사항임을 확인하였다. 본 연구결과는 국내모델(금속겸용용기)의 연소도 이득효과 적용기술 개발 및 사용 후핵연료 장전 시 일어날 수 있는 오장전 사고를 방지하기 위한 운영절차 개발에 참고자료로 활용될 수 있다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.21-36
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• 2008

High bum-up fuel technology has been developed through a national R&D program, which covers key technology areas such as claddings, $UO_2$ pellets, spacer grids, performance code, and fuel assembly tests. New cladding alloys were developed through alloy designs, tube fabrication, out-of-pile test and in-reactor test. The new Zr-Nb tubes are found to be much better in their corrosion resistance and creep strength than the Zircaloy-4 tube, owing to an optimized composition and heat treatment of the new Zr-Nb alloys. A new fabrication technology for large grain $UO_2$ pellets was developed using various uranium oxide seeds and a micro-doping of Al. The uranium oxide seeds, which were added to $UO_2$ powder, were prepared by oxidizing and heat-treating scrap $UO_2$ pellets. A $UO_2$ pellet containing tungsten channels was fabricated for a thermal conductivity enhancement. For the fuel performance analysis, new high burnup models were developed and implemented in a code. This code was verified by an international database and our own database. The developed spacer grid has two features of contoured contact spring and hybrid mixing vanes. Mechanical and hydraulic tests showed that the spacer grid is superior in its rodsupporting, wear resistance and CHF performance. Finally, fuel assembly test technology was also developed. Facilities for mechanical and thermal hydraulic tests were constructed and are now in operation. Several achievements are to be utilized soon by the Korea Nuclear Fuel and thereby contribute to the economy and safety of PWR fuel in Korea

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권1호
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• pp.34-41
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• 2024

This work presents experimental data and modelling of the release of Mo from high-burnup spent nuclear fuel (63 MWd/kgU) at two different pH values, 8.4 and 13.2 in air. The release of Mo from SF to the solution is around two orders of magnitude higher at pH = 13.2 than at pH = 8.4. The high Mo release at high pH would indicate that Mo would not be congruently released with uranium and would have an important contribution to the Instant Release Fraction, with a value of 5.3%. Parallel experiments with pure non irradiated Mo(s) and XPS determinations indicated that the faster dissolution at pH = 13.2 could be the consequence of the higher releases from metallic Mo in the fuel through a surface complexation mechanism promoted by the OH^- and the oxidation of the metal to Mo(VI) via the formation of intermediate Mo(IV) and Mo(V) species.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.87-93
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• 2006

제2차 전력수급기본계획에 의거 2017년까지 계획된 원자로만을 대상으로 심지층 처분시스템 설계 시 필요한 국내 사용후핵연료의 발생량, 제원적 특징, 초기농축도 및 방출연소도 등에 대하여 현재 및 미래 현황을 파악하고 예측하였다. 2057년까지 PWR 및 CANDU 사용후핵연료 발생량은 각각 20,500 및 14,800 MTU로 나타났다. 초기 농축도에 대해서는 4.5 wt.% 이하를 갖는 사용후핵연료가 96.5%를 차지하는 것으로 나타났다. 사용후핵연료의 평균 방출연소도는 90년대 후반에는 36 GWD/MUT 전도, 2000년대 초반에는 40 GWD/MTU를 나타냈으며, 2000년대 중 후반부터는 45 GWD/MTU가 될 것으로 나타났다. 광범위한 분석 및 예측 결과, 총 처분물량을 대표할 수 있는 가상적인 기준 사용후핵 연료는 16 6 한국표준형연료, 단면적 $21.4cm\times21.4cm$, 길이 453cm, 무게 672 kg, 초기 농축도 4.5 wt.%, 방출연소도 55 GWD/MTU로 나타났다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.21-25
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• 2010

사용후핵연료의 저장 및 이송시 핵임계 안전성 확보를 위하여 연소도를 정확히 결정할 필요가 있다. 특히, 정확한 연소도 결정을 위해서 핵연료 축방향 연소도 분포를 정확하게 측정할 필요가 있다. 본 연구에서는 사용후핵연료 제어봉 안내관에 삽입하여 축방향 감마선 선량 분포를 측정하기 위하여 이온 챔버를 개발하였다. 이온 챔버는 유도부, 가스주입부, 센서부 세 부분으로 구성되었다. 센서부 전극은 cathode와 anode 두 전극만을 가지도록 설계되었으며, 제어봉 안내관에 원할한 삽입을 위하여 guard 전극은 사용하지 않았다. 이온 챔버 내부에 불활성 기체를 충진하고 누설 전류와 포화곡선을 측정하였다. 한국원자력 연구원의 저준위 조사 시설을 이용하여 선량 변화에 따른 이온 챔버 전류 변화를 측정하여 5% 이내의 선형성을 확보하였다. 제작된 이온 챔버는 추가적인 성능 평가를 통하여 한국원자력연구원내 조사후 시험시설에 있는 사용후핵연료 집합체의 연소도분포 측정에 적용될 예정이다.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제18권spc호
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• pp.37-50
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• 2020

In this paper, an overview of the scoping calculation results is provided with respect to criticality and radiation shielding of two KBS-3V type PWR SNF disposal systems and one NWMO-type CANDU SNF disposal system of the improved KAERI reference disposal system for SNFs (KRS⁺). The results confirmed that the calculated effective multiplication factors (k_eff) of each disposal system comply with the design criteria (< 0.95). Based on a sensitivity study, the bounding conditions for criticality assumed a flooded container, actinide-only fuel composition, and a decay time of tens of thousands of years. The necessity of mixed loading for some PWR SNFs with high enrichment and low discharge burnup was identified from the evaluated preliminary possible loading area. Furthermore, the absorbed dose rate in the bentonite region was confirmed to be considerably lower than the design criterion (< 1 Gy·hr^-1). Entire PWR SNFs with various enrichment and discharge burnup can be deposited in the KRS⁺ system without any shielding issues. The container thickness applied to the current KRS⁺ design was clarified as sufficient considering the minimum thickness of the container to satisfy the shielding criterion. In conclusion, the current KRS⁺ design is suitable in terms of nuclear criticality and radiation shielding.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제43권5호
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• pp.405-412
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• 2011

Used nuclear fuel will likely be stored dry for extended periods of time in the USA. Until a final disposition pathway is chosen, the storage periods will almost definitely be longer than were originally intended. The ability of the important-tosafety structures, systems, and components (SSCs) to continue to meet storage and transport safety functions over extended times must be determined. It must be assured that there is no significant degradation of the fuel or dry cask storage systems. Also, it is projected that the maximum discharge burnups of the used nuclear fuel will increase. Thus, it is necessary to obtain data on high burnup fuel to demonstrate that the used nuclear fuel remains intact after extended storage. An evaluation was performed to determine the conditions that may lead to failure of dry storage SSCs. This paper documents the initial technical gap analysis performed to identify data and modeling needs to develop the desired technical bases to ensure the safety functions of dry stored fuel.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.309-316
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• 2011

Molybdenum is the most abundant fission product since its fission yield is equivalent to that of xenon, and it has a very special role in the chemistry of nuclear fuel because it influences the oxygen potential of $UO_2$ fuel. In this study, the distribution of molybdenum in spent $UO_2$ fuel specimens with 33.3, 41.0 and 57.6 GWd/tU burnup was measured by a LA-ICP-MS system and the reproducibility of the measured data was obtained. The Mo distribution was almost constant along the radius of a fuel except an increase at the periphery of the fuel. It showed a drop in reproducibility with relatively high deviation of measured values for the highest burnup fuel. To explain this, the state of molybdenum in a $UO_2$ matrix and its effect on the oxidation behavior of $UO_2$ were investigated. The low reproducibility was explained by the segregation of molybdenum, and the inhibition of oxidation by the molybdenum was also observed.