• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.1533-1540
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• 2023

Self-Powered Neutron Detectors(SPNDs) are used to calculate core power distributions, an essential factor in the safe operation of nuclear power plants. Some detectors may fail during normal operation, and signals from failed detectors are isolated from intact signals. The calculated detailed power distribution accuracy depends on the number of available detector signals. Failed detectors decrease the operating margin by enlarging the power distribution measurement error. Therefore, a thorough reconstruction of the failed detector signals is critical. This note suggests a compressive sensing based methodology that rationally reconstructs the readings of failed detectors. The methodology significantly improves reconstruction accuracy by sorting signals and removing high-frequency components from conventional compressive sensing methodology.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.528-539
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• 2004

It is essential in commercial reactors that the safety limits imposed on the fuel pellets and fuel clad barriers, such as the linear power density (LPD) and the departure from nucleate boiling ratio (DNBR), are not violated during reactor operations. In order to accurately monitor the safety limits of current reactor states, a detailed three-dimensional (3D) core power distribution should be estimated from the in-core detector signals. In this paper, we propose a calculation methodology for detailed 3D core power distribution, using in-core detector signals and core monitoring constants such as the 3D Coupling Coefficients (3DCC), node power fraction, and pin-to-node factors. Also, the calculation method for several core safety parameters is introduced. The core monitoring constants for the real core state are promptly provided by the core design code and on-line MASTER (Multi-purpose Analyzer for Static and Transient Effects of Reactors), coupled with the core monitoring program. through the plant computer, core state variables, which include reactor thermal power, control rod bank position, boron concentration, inlet moderator temperature, and flow rate, are supplied as input data for MASTER. MASTER performs the core calculation based on the neutron balance equation and generates several core monitoring constants corresponding to the real core state in addition to the expected core power distribution. The accuracy of the developed method is verified through a comparison with the current CECOR method. Because in all the verification calculation cases the proposed method shows a more conservative value than the best estimated value and a less conservative one than the current CECOR and COLSS methods, it is also confirmed that this method secures a greater operating margin through the simulation of the YGN-3 Cycle-1 core from the viewpoint of the power peaking factor for the LPD and the pseudo hot pin axial power distribution for the DNBR calculation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.58-63
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• 1997

This paper is concerned with an algorithm based on neural networks to calculate the axial power distribution using excore defector signals in the nuclear reactor core. The fundamental basis of the algorithm is that the detector response can be fairly accurately estimated using computational codes. In other words, the training set, which represents relationship between detector signals and axial power distributions, for the neural network can be obtained through calculations instead of measurements. Application of the new method to the Yonggwang nuclear power plant unit 3 (YGN-3) shows that it is superior to the current algorithm in place.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.294-301
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• 1989

The Axial Power Distribution Monitoring System(APDMS) program was developed to calculate a detailed axial power distribution using two-level excore detector, cold leg temperature and control rod position signals. The unnormalized two-level excore detector signals were corrected for the rod shadowing factor determined by control rod position and for the temperature shadowing factor calculated based on cold leg temperature. A shape annealing matrix was then applied to the corrected excore detector response to yield peripheral power. After the core average power was obtained using linear relationship bet-ween core average and peripheral power, the boundary point power correction coefficient was applied to core average power in order to obtain boundary power for both upper and lower core axial boundaries. Then, the axial power distribution was synthesized by spline approximation. In spite of burnup, power level, control rod postion and axial offset changes, the comparisons of axial power distributions between BOXER simulation program and APDMS results showed good agreements within 5% root mean square error for Kori Unit 3 Cycle 4.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.97-102
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• 1997

A new method based on the alternating conditional expectation (ACE) algorithm is developed to calculate axial shape index (ASI) for the 3-level excore detector. The ACE algorithm, a type of non-parametric regression algorithms, yields an optimal relationship between a dependent variable and multiple independent variables. In this study, the simple correlation between ASI and excore detector signals is developed using the Younggwang nuclear power plant unit 3 (YGN-3) data without any preprocessing on the relationships between independent variables and dependent variable. The numerical results show that simple correlations exist between the three excore signals and ASI of the core. The accuracy of the new method is much better than those of the current CPC and COLSS algorithms.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.141-147
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• 2017

Mechanical shim is an advanced technology for reactor power and axial offset control with control rod assemblies. To address the adverse accuracy impact on the ex-core power range neutron flux measurements-based axial offset control resulting from the variable positions of control rod assemblies, the lead-lag-compensated in-core self-powered vanadium detector signals are utilized. The prompt ${\gamma}$ current of self-powered detector is ignored normally due to its weakness compared with the delayed ${\beta}$ current, although it promptly reflects the flux change of the core. Based on the features of the prompt ${\gamma}$ current, a method for configuration of the lead-lag dynamic compensator is proposed. The simulations indicate that the method can improve dynamic response significantly with negligible adverse effects on the steady response. The robustness of the design implies that the method is of great value for engineering applications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2000.06a
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• pp.679-686
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• 2000

Reactor Noise is defined as the fluctuations of measured instrumentation signals during full-power operation of reactor which have informations on reactor system dynamics such as neutron kinetics, thermal-hydraulics, and structural dynamics. Reactor noise analyses of ex-core neutron detector signals have been performed to monitor the vibration modes of reactor internals such as fuel assembly and Core Support Barrel in Yonggwang 3&4 Nuclear Power Plant. A real time mode separation technique have been developed and applied for the analyses. It has been found that the first vibration mode frequency of the fuel assembly was around 2.5 Hz, the beam and shell mode frequencies of CSB(Core Support Barrel) 8 Hz and 14.5 Hz, respectively. Also the analyses data base have been constructed for the continuous monitoring and diagnose of the reactor internals.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.36.1-36.1
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• 2017

A major goal of the proposed Korean Neutrino Detector and Telescope is to detect neutrino burst from core-collapse supernova (SN) explosions in the Milky Way, which will provide an unprecedented opportunity to look into the core of an exploding massive star. Detection with high statistics would give important information for the explosion physics. It can also detect neutrino signals from SN events in the Local Group and trigger alert of the event for the astronomical community. In this talk, I will review the SN rates of the Milky Way and the Local Group, and will discuss the implications for the proposed neutrino telescope.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.148-153
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• 1993

A fifth-order Fourier series technique is applied in Core Operating Limit Supervisory System (COLSS) to construct the on-line core average axial power shape from in-core detector signals because of its simplicity and fast computation. Such a synthesizing accuracy depends on number of Fourier series modes and axial boundary conditions. COLSS currently uses the five-mode Fourier series technique which utilizes the five axially located fixed in-core detector signals and a constant axial boundary condition. Therefore, the constant axial boundary condition should be appropriately chosen based on the evaluation of its effect on the accuracy of the on-line calculations. The four cases of axial buckling (0.75, 0.8, 0.9 and 1.0) were examined for Yonggwang Nuclear Units 3&4 as the axial boundary conditions in this paper. The core average axial power shapes and the operating margins were compared for each case to determine the optimal constant axial buckling. The axial buckling of 0.9 was found to be the optimal value.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.05b
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• pp.170-174
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to design the digital surge counter for lightning arresters. The used detecting method for surges is using the signal of both ends of ZnO varistor. The electronic detecting parts of the digital counter are arranged in outside of main processer for protecting it from noise. The detecting parts change detected signals into small signals. The countermeasures for noises are (1) Shielding (2) Reinforcement of power circuits (3) Cables & Circ1e core (4) Watch-doc & control of input signals.