• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.9
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• pp.3423-3440
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• 2023

In this work, a multivariate time-series machine learning meta-model is developed to predict the transient response of a typical nuclear power plant (NPP) undergoing a steam generator tube rupture (SGTR). The model employs Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), including the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), and a hybrid CNN-LSTM model. To address the uncertainty inherent in such predictions, a Bayesian Neural Network (BNN) was implemented. The models were trained using a database generated by the Best Estimate Plus Uncertainty (BEPU) methodology; coupling the thermal hydraulics code, RELAP5/SCDAP/MOD3.4 to the statistical tool, DAKOTA, to predict the variation in system response under various operational and phenomenological uncertainties. The RNN models successfully captures the underlying characteristics of the data with reasonable accuracy, and the BNN-LSTM approach offers an additional layer of insight into the level of uncertainty associated with the predictions. The results demonstrate that LSTM outperforms GRU, while the hybrid CNN-LSTM model is computationally the most efficient. This study aims to gain a better understanding of the capabilities and limitations of machine learning models in the context of nuclear safety. By expanding the application of ML models to more severe accident scenarios, where operators are under extreme stress and prone to errors, ML models can provide valuable support and act as expert systems to assist in decision-making while minimizing the chances of human error.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.829-841
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• 2018

An experiment was conducted for the OECD/NEA ROSA-2 Project using the large-scale test facility (LSTF), which simulated a 17% hot leg intermediate-break loss-of-coolant accident in a pressurized water reactor (PWR). In the LSTF test, core uncovery started simultaneously with liquid level drop in crossover leg downflow-side before loop seal clearing, and water remaining occurred on the upper core plate in the upper plenum. Results of the uncertainty analysis with RELAP5/MOD3.3 code clarified the influences of the combination of multiple uncertain parameters on peak cladding temperature within the defined uncertain ranges. For studying the scaling problems to extrapolate thermal-hydraulic phenomena observed in scaled-down facilities, an experiment was performed for the OECD/NEA PKL-3 Project with the Primarkreislaufe Versuchsanlage (PKL), as a counterpart to a previous LSTF test. The LSTF test simulated a PWR 1% hot leg small-break loss-of-coolant accident with steam generator secondary-side depressurization as an accident management measure and nitrogen gas inflow. Some discrepancies appeared between the LSTF and PKL test results for the primary pressure, the core collapsed liquid level, and the cladding surface temperature probably due to effects of differences between the LSTF and the PKL in configuration, geometry, and volumetric size.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.84-91
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• 2016

The transport and deposition of corrosion products in pressurized water nuclear reactor (PWR) steam generators have led to corrosion (SCC, denting etc.) problems. Lancing, mechanical cleaning and chemical cleaning have been used to reduce these problems. The methods of lancing and mechanical cleaning have limitations in removing corrosion products due to the structure of steam generator tubes. But high temperature chemical cleaning (HTCC) with EDTA is the most effective method to remove corrosion products regardless of the structure. However, EDTA in chemical cleaning aqueous solution and chemical cleaning environments affects the integrity of materials used in steam generators. The nuclear power plants have to perform the pre-test (also called as qualification test (QT)) that confirms the effect on the integrity of materials after HTCC. This is one of the series studies that assess the effect, and this study determines the effects of 20 % EDTA aqueous solution on defective tubes in high temperature chemical cleaning environments. The depth and magnitude of defects in steam generator (SG) tubes were measured by eddy current test (ECT) signals. Surface analysis and magnitude of defects were performed by using SEM/EDS. Corrosion rate was assessed by weight loss of specimens. The ECT signals (potential and depth %) of defective tubes increased marginally. But the lengths of defects, oxides on the surface and weights of specimens did not change. The average corrosion rate of standard corrosion specimens was negligible. But the surfaces on specimens showed traces of etching. The depth of etching showed a range on the nanometer. After comprehensive evaluation of all the results, it is concluded that 20 % EDTA aqueous solution in high temperature chemical cleaning environments does not have a negative effect on defective tubes.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.126-131
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• 2009

The interaction between wear and corrosion can significantly increase total material losses in water chemistry environment. The corrosive wear tests of a PWR steam generator tube material (Alloy 690) against the anti vibration bar material (409 SS) were performed at room temperature. The tests were performed in alkaline water chemistry conditions. NaOH solution was selected for test condition to investigate the corrosive wear effect of steam generator tube material in alkaline pH condition without other factors. The flow induced vibration can caused tube damage and the corrosion can be occurred by water chemistry. The test results showed that, in the alkaline solution at pH 13.9, the corrosion current density was increased about ten times than that in the distilled water. And wear rate at pH 13.9 was increased about ten times from that at neutral condition. However, the wear rate was decreased with time. The decrease would be attributed to the change in roughness of specimen or sub-layer of the worn surface with time. From microstructure observation, severe abrasive shape and several wear debris were found. From those results, it could infer that the oxide film on Alloy 690 changed to easily breakable one in the alkaline water, and then abrasion with corrosion became the main wear mechanism.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.405-412
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• 2014

As a major type of heat exchanger, the steam generator (SG) produces steam from heat energy of a nuclear power plant reactor. The steam produced by the steam generator flows into a turbine, and plays an important role in electric power generation. The heat transfer tubes in the steam generator consist of approximately 10,000 U-shaped tubes, which perform a structural role and act as thermal boundaries. The heat transfer tubes conduct the thermal energy between the primary coolant (about $320^{\circ}C$, $157kgf/cm^2$) obtained from the reactor and the secondary coolant (about $260^{\circ}C$, $60kgf/cm^2$) as part of the secondary system. Recently, the heat transfer tubes in the steam generator of the pressurized water reactor (PWR) are primarily produced from Alloy 600 and Alloy 690 seamless tubes. As a pilot study to find process parameters for the cold U-bending process using rotary draw bending, numerical and experimental investigations were conducted to produce U-shaped tubes from long straight SUS304L seamless tubes. 3D finite element simulations were run using ABAQUS Explicit with consideration of the elastic recovery. The process parameters studied were the angular speed, the operation period and the bending angle. Experimental verifications were conducted to insure the suitability of the final U-shaped configurations with respect to both ovality and wall thickness.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.12
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• pp.4571-4584
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• 2022

The analysis of rapid flow transients in Reactor Coolant Pumps (RCP) is essential for a reactor safety study. An accurate and precise analysis of the RCP coastdown is necessary for the reactor design. The coastdown of RCP affects the coolant temperature and the colloidal crud in the primary coolant. A realistic and kinetic model has been used to investigate the behavior of activated colloidal crud in the primary coolant and steam generator that solves the pump speed analytically. The analytic solution of the non-dimensional flow rate has been determined by the energy ratio β. The kinetic energy of the coolant fluid and the kinetic energy stored in the rotating parts of a pump are two essential parameters in the form of β. Under normal operation, the pump's speed and moment of inertia are constant. However, in a coastdown situation, kinetic damping in the interval has been implemented. A dynamic model ACCP-SMART has been developed for System Integrated Modular and Advanced Reactor (SMART) to investigate the corrosion due to activated colloidal crud. The Fickian diffusion model has been implemented as the reference corrosion model for the constituent component of the primary loop of the SMART reactor. The activated colloidal crud activity in the primary coolant and steam generator of the SMART reactor has been studied for different equilibrium corrosion rates, linear increase in corrosion rate, and dynamic RCP coastdown situation energy ratio b. The coolant specific activity of SMART reactor equilibrium corrosion (4.0 mg s^-1) has been found 9.63×10^-3 µCi cm^-3, 3.53×10^-3 µC cm^-3, 2.39×10^-2 µC cm^-3, 8.10×10^-3 µC cm^-3, 6.77× 10^-3 µC cm^-3, 4.95×10^-4 µC cm^-3, 1.19×10^-3 µC cm^-3, and 7.87×10^-4 µC cm^-3 for ²⁴Na, ⁵⁴Mn, ⁵⁶Mn, ⁵⁹Fe, ⁵⁸Co, ⁶⁰Co, ⁹⁹Mo, and ⁵¹Cr which are 14.95%, 5.48%, 37.08%, 12.57%, 10.51%, 0.77%, 18.50%, and 0.12% respectively. For linear and exponential coastdown with a constant corrosion rate, the total coolant and steam generator activity approaches a higher saturation value than the normal values. The coolant and steam generator activity changes considerably with kinetic corrosion rate, equilibrium corrosion, growth of corrosion rate (ΔC/Δt), and RCP coastdown situations. The effect of the RCP coastdown on the specific activity of the steam generators is smeared by linearly rising corrosion rates, equilibrium corrosion, and rapid coasting down of the RCP. However, the time taken to reach the saturation activity is also influenced by the slope of corrosion rate, coastdown situation, equilibrium corrosion rate, and energy ratio β.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.655-666
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• 2014

The CUPID code has been developed at KAERI for a transient, three-dimensional analysis of a two-phase flow in light water nuclear reactor components. It can provide both a component-scale and a CFD-scale simulation by using a porous media or an open media model for a two-phase flow. In this paper, recent advances in the CUPID code are presented in three sections. First, the domain decomposition parallel method implemented in the CUPID code is described with the parallel efficiency test for multiple processors. Then, the coupling of CUPID-MARS via heat structure is introduced, where CUPID has been coupled with a system-scale thermal-hydraulics code, MARS, through the heat structure. The coupled code has been applied to a multi-scale thermal-hydraulic analysis of a pool mixing test. Finally, CUPID-SG is developed for analyzing two-phase flows in PWR steam generators. Physical models and validation results of CUPID-SG are discussed.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2002.08a
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• pp.835-838
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• 2002

An experiment has been performed using a facility, which simulates the safety depressurization system (SDS) and in-containment refueling water storage tank (IRWST) of APR1400, an advanced PWR being developed in Korea, to investigate the dynamic load resulting from the blowdown of steam from a steam generator through a sparser. The influence of the key parameters, such as air mass, steam pressure, submergence, valve opening time, and pool temperature, on frequency and peak toads was investigated. The blowdown phenomenon was analyzed to find out the real cause of the initiation of bubble oscillation and discrepancy in frequencies between the experiment and calculation by conventional equation for bubble oscillation. The cause of significant damping was discussed and is presumed to be the highly tortuous flow path around bubble. The Rayleigh-Plesset equation, which is modified by introducing method of image, reasonably reproduces the bubble oscillation in a confined tank. Right after the completion of air discharge the steam discharge immediately follows and it condenses abruptly to provide low-pressure pocket. It may contribute to the negative maximum being greater than positive maximum. The subsequently discharging steam does not play as at the driving force anymore.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.1173-1183
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• 2018

Transient fluid velocity and pressure fields in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) steam generator (SG) secondary side during the blowdown period of a feedwater line break (FWLB) accident were numerically simulated employing the saturated water flashing model. This model is based on the assumption that compressed water in the SG is saturated at the beginning and decompresses into the two-phase region where saturated vapor forms, creating a mixture of steam bubbles in water by bulk boiling. The numerical calculations were performed for two cases of which the outflow boundary conditions are different from each other; one is specified as the direct blowdown discharge to the atmosphere and the other is specified as the blowdown discharge to an extended calculation domain with atmospheric pressure on its boundary. The present simulation results obtained using the two different outflow boundary conditions were discussed through a comparison with the predictions using a simple non-flashing model neglecting the effects of phase change. In addition, the applicability of each of the non-flashing water discharge and saturated water flashing models for the confirmatory assessments of new SG designs was examined.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.431-438
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• 2014

The effect of various pH agents on the corrosion behavior of carbon steel was investigated under a simulated secondary water chemistry condition of a pressurized water reactor (PWR) in a laboratory, and the steel's corrosion performance was compared with the field data obtained from Uljin NPP unit 2 reactor. All tests were carried out at temperatures of $50^{\circ}C-250^{\circ}C$and pH of 8.5 - 10. The pH at a given temperature was controlled by adding different agents. Laboratory data indicate that the corrosion rate of carbon steel decreased as the pH increased under the test conditions and the highest corrosion rate was measured at $150^{\circ}C$. This high corrosion rate may be related to high dissolution and instability of Fe oxide ($Fe_3O_4$) at $150^{\circ}C$. It was also found that an addition of ethanolamine (ETA) to ammonia was more effectivefor anticorrosion than ammonia alone, and that mixed treatment reduced 50% of iron or more at pHs of 9.5 or higher, especially in the steam generator (SG) and the moisture separator & re-heater (MSR).