• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.831-840
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• 2009

In order to evaluate the start-up behavior and to identify, through abnormal operation occurrences, the transient behaviors of the Sulfur Iodine(SI) process, which is a nuclear hydrogen process that is coupled to a Very High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor (VHTR) through an Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX), a dynamic simulation of the process is necessary. Perturbation of the flow rate or temperature in the inlet streams may result in various transient states. An understanding of the dynamic behavior due to these factors is able to support the conceptual design of the secondary helium loop system associated with a hydrogen production plant. Based on the mass and energy balance sheets of an electrodialysis-embedded SI process equivalent to a 200 $MW_{th}$ VHTR and a considerable thermal pathway between the SI process and the VHTR system, a dynamic simulation of the SI process was carried out for a sulfuric acid decomposition process (Second Section) that is composed of a sulfuric acid vaporizer, a sulfuric acid decomposer, and a sulfur trioxide decomposer. The dynamic behaviors of these integrated reactors according to several anticipated scenarios are evaluated and the dominant and mild factors are observed. As for the results of the simulation, all the reactors in the sulfuric acid decomposition process approach a steady state at the same time. Temperature control of the inlet helium is strictly required rather than the flow rate control of the inlet helium to keep the steady state condition in the Second Section. On the other hand, it was revealed that the changes of the inlet helium operation conditions make a great impact on the performances of $SO_3$ and $H_2SO_4$ decomposers, but no effect on the performance of the $H_2SO_4$ vaporizer.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.1095-1101
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• 2012

A process heat exchanger (PHE) in a nuclear hydrogen system is a key component that transfers the large amount of heat generated in a very high temperature reactor (VHTR) to a chemical reaction that yields a large quantity of hydrogen. A performance test on a small-scale and a medium-scale PHE prototype made of Hastelloy$^{(R)}$-X is being conducted on in a small-scale nitrogen gas loop at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. Previous research on the macroscopic high-temperature structural analysis of PHE prototypes had been performed using base material properties owing to a lack of weld material properties. In this study, macroscopic high-temperature structural analyses considering the weld material properties were performed and the results were compared with those of a previous study.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.477-483
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• 1998

Hysteresis loop, Barkhausen noise(BN), and hardness were measured in the neutron irradiated RPV steel for various fluence, irradiated dose up to $10^{18}n/cm^2$. The coercivity, remanence and maximum induction of neutron irradiated samples did not change significantly, but the BNA and BNE were decreased as the neutron irradiation increased. The changes of BNE and BNA were characterized by three stages with respect to neutron dose. The BNA and BNE were decreased with an increase of neutron dose to $10^{12}n/cm^2$, and remained nearly constant up to $10^{16}n/cm^2$, then were decreased rapidly with an increase of the neutron dose above $10^{16}n/cm^2$. On the other hand, the hardness was observed revesely with the change of BNA and BNE.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.26-33
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• 2019

A comparison of CL 13% and 17% IBLOCA counterpart tests(CPTs) between the ATLAS and LSTF facilities was carried out and the behavior of peak cladding temperatures(PCTs) and related thermal hydraulic phenomena were investigated and discussed. There appeared quite a big difference in PCT behavior between the two CPTs and a further comparison of reactor coolant system design between the two facilities was performed. As a result, there was a difference in fuel alignment plate (FAP) design, e.g., one FAP in ATLAS, a combination of upper core plate and upper end box in LSTF, respectively. The FAP design mainly affects the reflux condensate behavior in IBLOCA tests and any difference in FAP design can be a possible reason for different PCT behavior between the two facilities. It should be a further study to find the reason of different PCT behvior between the two facilites.

• 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.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1113-1122
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• 2009

In order to find the way to solve the problem of sewage sludge discharge into the ocean, the sludge solubilization by ultrasonic and the improvement methods of wastewater treatment process were studied. In the membrane bioreactor the sludge retention time was stepwise increased from 5.1 day to 442 days where the biomass average concentration has been increased from $c_B$=3.4 $gTSSL^{-1}$ to $c_B$=14.5 $gTSSL^{-1}$ respectively. At the same time, the biomass yield coefficients were reduced from 0.5-0.7 at SRT=5.1 day to 0.005-0.007 at SRT=442 days which means the reduction of sludge production. Oxygen mass transfer coefficients and ${\alpha}$-factor were investigated with changing stirrer speed to find the relation between the high biomass concentration and aeration efficiency in the propeller loop reactor. As a result of sludge solubilization, the solubilization of sludge by ultrasound was increased with increasing energy input and it led to improved anaerobic digestion rate with more biogas production than that of nonsolubilized sewage sludge.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.227-232
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• 2012

Inconel 617 and Hastelloy X are the most promising candidate materials for the heat exchanger of next generation nuclear reactor. Surface coating and its effects on high temperature properties for the Inconel 617 and Hastelloy X under molten FLiNaK (LiF-NaF-KF) salt environment have been investigated. For TiAlN and $Al_2O_3$ overlay coatings, the two different PVD (physical vapor deposition) methods of an arc discharge and a sputtering were applied, respectively. A study for the thermal stability of the surface modified Ni-Cr alloy substrates has been conducted. To evaluate the corrosion mechanism of Ni-Cr alloys in the molten salt, a ruptured Inconel pipe used for the molten salt transportation has been analyzed. The thermal properties of morphological and structural properties each sample were characterized before and after heat-treatment at $600^{\circ}C$ in molten FLiNaK salt. The results showed that the TiAlN and $Al_2O_3$ overlay coated specimens had the enhanced high temperature stability.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.290-301
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• 1985

600MW(e) CANDU Primary Heat Transport System (PHTS) is composed of the two “figure-of-eight” loops and is designed to operate with the 4% Reactor Outlet Header (ROH) quality at its rated power. This existence of the two compressible regions and the positive flow-qualitly-void feedbacks are the sources of the PHTS flow instability. To ensure the PHTS stability, ROH-ROH interconnect pipes are installed as passive systems. This paper describes the investigation of the PHTS flow instability at its design full power condition. Also studied are the interconnect effect and the inherent system damping effect on the system stability. The time domain stability analyses are accessed by using the ATHER/MOD-I code which is the improved version of the KAERI developed ATHER code. Under the most adverse system modelling, the “figure-of-eight” symmetric loop shows divergent flow oscillations. Under with the interconnect, the PHTS stability is remarkably enhanced so that the system becomes stable. However, even under the conservative pressurizer modelling, the PHTS shows the more convergent flow oscillations. With the interconnect and the pressurizer modelling, its stability is highly credited. Conclusively, the inherent system damping by pressurizer itself can credit the PHTS stability without the interconnect.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.141-154
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• 1984

An analysis is presented of key phenomena and scenario which imply some general trends for beyond design-basis-accident in Kori-1 PWR dry containment. The study covers a wide range of severe accident sequences initiated by small break LOCA. The MARCH computer code, with KAERI modifications was used in this analysis. The major emphasis of the paper are two folds, 1) the phenomenologic understanding of severe accident and 2) a study of H2 combustion and debris/ water interactions in a specific small break LOCA for Kori-1 plant. The sensitivity studies for the specific plant data and thermal interaction modelings used in the SASA were performed. The results show that if hydrogen burning does occur at low concentration, the resulting peak pressure does not exceed the design value, while the lower concentration assumption results in repeated burning due to the continuing H$_2$ generation. For debris/water interaction, the particle size has no effect on the magnitude of peak pressure for the amount of water assumed to be in the reactor cavity. But, the occurrence of peak pressure is considerably delayed in case of using the dryout correlation. The peak containment pressure predicted from the hydrogen combustion and steam pressure spite during full core meltdown scenario does not present a severe threat to the containment integrity.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.140-148
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• 1994

A qualification test was performed for the iron removal chemical cleaning of the secondary side of nuclear steam generators at the selected temperature, 1$25^{\circ}C$, higher than the standard application temperature, 93$^{\circ}C$. The field cleaning condition for a nuclear unit was tested in a bench scale test loop including a SUS 316 stainless steel autoclave with one gallon capacity as a test vessel. The kinetics of sludge dissolution, corrosion of the secondary side materials and change of solvent chemistry were monitored. Test results indicated that more thorough cleaning was accomplished in less than half of the cleaning time required at 93$^{\circ}C$. And the total corrosions of the secondary side materials were found to be less than the values at 93$^{\circ}C$. While the solvent is recirculated and heated by an external chemical cleaning equipment for the conventional 93$^{\circ}C$ process, the secondary side is heated by the lateral heat of the primary coolant without the recirculation of the cleaning solution, and the solvent is mixed by vigorous boiling induced by periodic ventilation for the high temperature process. The requirement that the reactor coolant pumps should be running during the cleaning operation is the major disadvantage of the high temperature process which also should be considered when chemical cleaning is planned for steam generators under operation.