• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.304-317
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• 2016

An accelerator-driven system consists of a subcritical reactor and a controllable external neutron source. The reactor in an accelerator-driven system can sustain fission reactions in a subcritical state using an external neutron source, which is an intrinsic safety feature of the system. The system can provide efficient transmutations of nuclear wastes such as minor actinides and long-lived fission products and generate electricity. Recently at Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute (KURRI; Kyoto, Japan), a series of reactor physics experiments was conducted with the Kyoto University Critical Assembly and a Cockcrofte-Walton type accelerator, which generates the external neutron source by deuteriu-metritium reactions. In this paper, neutronic analyses of a series of experiments have been re-estimated by using the latest Monte Carlo code and nuclear data libraries. This feasibility study is presented through the comparison of Monte Carlo simulation results with measurements.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1997년도 춘계학술발표회논문집(1)
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• pp.484-488
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• 1997

Fission product release (FPR) assessment for 100% reactor outlet header (ROH) break in CANDU reactor loaded with CANFLEX-NU fuel bundles has been performed. The predicted results are compared with those for the reactor loaded with standard 37-element bundles. The fuel failure thresholds for the CANFLEX and standard bundle elements are very similar. All the sheaths at the corresponding fuel failure thresholds for the CANFLEX and standard bundles fail due to the significant cracks in the surface oxide, except those for the CANFLEX inner element at burnups of 220 to 240 MW.h/kg(U), which fail due to the excessive diametral strain. The fuel failure analysis predicts that the number of failed fuel elements for the CANFLEX bundle case is none, while that for the standard bundle case is 1827. The total (gap plus bound) I-131 releases for the CANFLEX and standard bundles are none and 5889 TBq, respectively The significant reduction of the number of failed fuel elements and FPR for the CABFKEX fuel bundle is attributed to the lower linear power of the CANFLEX fuel bundle compared with the standard fuel bundle.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제30권6호
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• pp.518-530
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• 1998

A natural analogue study has been performed for the Koongarra uranium ore deposit in Australia as an international agreement of the Analogue Studies in the Alligator Rivers Region (ASARR). Rocks obtained from the Koongarra deposit, Northern Territory of Australia, were examined in order to understand uranium migration processes of primary and secondary ore-body in both weathered and unweathered zones. Total alpha activities of rock samples were measured to compare the relative amount of uranium in the sample. Uranium distributions have been investigated by means of both the alpha-autoradiography and the fission track registration technique after irradiation in a flux of thermal neutrons (~10$\times$$10^{13}$nㆍ$cm^{-2}$ㆍs$^{-1}$) for 2 minutes. The mineral phases corresponding to the registered alpha-tracks and fission tracks were identified by petrological observation with optical microscope as well as X-ray diffraction and electron microprobe analysis (EPMA). Uranium was found mostly inside of the fracture of the quartzite and its mineral phase was identified as sklodowskite. The mineral phase associated with high uranium concentration was found as illeminite by petrological observation with optical microscope as well as EPMA.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.255-266
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• 2021

Solid-state mechanochemical reduction combined with subsequent melting consolidation was suggested as a technical option for the oxide reduction in pyroprocessing. Ni ingot was produced from NiO as a starting material through this technique while Li metal was used as a reducing agent. To determine the technical feasibility of this approach for pyroprocessing, which handles spent nuclear fuels, thermodynamic calculations of the phase stabilities of various metal oxides of U and other fission elements were made when several alkaline and alkali-earth metals were used as reducing agents. This technique is expected to be beneficial, not only for oxide reduction but also for other unit processes involved in pyroprocessing.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.565-572
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• 2013

The fabrication methods and requirements of the fiber, interphase, and matrix of nuclear grade $SiC_f/SiC$ composites are briefly reviewed. A CVI-processed $SiC_f/SiC$ composite with a PyC or $(PyC-SiC)_n$ interphase utilizing Hi-Nicalon Type S or Tyranno SA3 fiber is currently the best combination in terms of the irradiation performance. We also describe important material issues for the application of SiC composites to LWR fuel cladding. The kinetics of the SiC corrosion under LWR conditions needs to be clarified to confirm the possibility of a burn-up extension and the cost-benefit effect of the SiC composite cladding. In addition, the development of end-plug joining technology and fission products retention capability of the ceramic composite tube would be key challenges for the successful application of SiC composite cladding.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.40-51
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• 1992

연구용 원자로의 분산형 핵연료에 대한 노내 조사 거동의 주요 특성중의 하나는 핵연료심 팽윤에 기인된 핵연료봉 직경 증가이다. 본 논문에서는 분산형 우라늄실리사이드 핵연료에 대한 노내 조사거 동과 실험 증거들을 분석함으로써 그 핵연료의 팽윤에 대한 물리적 해석 모형인, DFSWELL 전산 모형을 개발하였다. 문헌에 보고된 실험 증거들로부터 노내에서 U$_3$Si-Al 핵연료심의 부피변화는 온도와 핵분열율에 따라 크게 영향을 받는 것으로 나타났다. 분산형 우라늄 실리사이드 핵연료에 대한 정량적 팽윤량은 주어진 온도, 핵분열율, 핵분열고체생성물 측적 및 핵분열기체 기포거동을 고려함으로써 평가될 수 있다. 연구로의 분산형 우라늄실리사이드 핵연료의 팽윤 현상은 다음과 같은 세 가지 현상으로 귀결된다. i ) 핵분열기체생성물 기포 생성/축적에 치한 부피변화 ii ) 고체 핵분열생성물의 축적 및 상 변화에 의한 부피변화 iii ) 핵연료 입자와 기지 사이의 공유층에 대한 부피변화 상기 세 가지의 물리 적 현상을 고려하는 본 DFSWELL 전산 모형의 출력이력 조건에 따른 절대 예측치들은 실행 결과와 비교할 때 분산형 우라윰실리 사이드 핵연료의 조사추 팽윤 실측치와 잘 일치한다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제34권6호
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• pp.533-544
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• 2002

The neutron induced nuclear data for Mo-95, Tc-99, Ru-101 and Rh-103 was calculated and evaluated in the fast energy region. The energy dependent optical model potential parameters were extracted based on the recent experimental data and applied up to 20 MeV. The s-wave strength function was calculated from the parameters. Spherical optical model, statistical model in equilibrium energy, multistep direct and multistep compound model in pre-equilibrium energy and direct capture model were used in the calculation. The theoretically calculated cross sections were compared with the experimental data and the evaluated files The model- calculated total and capture cross sections were in good agreement with the reference experimental data. The direct capture contribution improved the capture cross sections in pre- equilibrium region. The evaluated cross section results were compiled to ENDF-6 format and will improve the ENDF/B-Vl.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.228-235
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• 1992

처분된 폐기물에서 용해도가 큰 핵종이 침출될 때, 그 핵종의 용해도에 의해 조절되거나 조화 용해하지 않는 경우가 있다. 예를 들면 원자로 운영시 핵분열 생성물의 일부는 그레인 경계나 핵연료와 피복재 사이의 틈새에 축적될 수가 있다. 사용후 핵연료 처분장에서 이와 같이 축적된 핵분열 생성물중 세슘이나 요오드와 같이 용해도가 큰 핵종은 용기가 부식되면 지하수내에 급격하게 녹게된다. 이와 같이 틈새에 녹아있는 용해도가 큰 핵종의 이동현상을 시간 및 공간의 함수로 모사하고 그 수치 결과를 제시하였다. 전구간에서 유효한 근사해를 제시하고 이를 초기 및 후기 접근해와 Laplace 변환을 수치 재변환으로 얻은 해들과 비교함으로 검증하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권7호
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• pp.2556-2566
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• 2023

A first-principle approach within the framework of density functional theory was employed to study the effect of vacancy defects and fission products (FPs) doping on the mechanical, electronic, and thermodynamic properties of uranium monocarbide (UC). Firstly, the calculated vacancy formation energies confirm that the C vacancy is more stable than the U vacancy. The solution energies indicate that FPs prefer to occupying in U site rather than in C site. Zr, Mo, Th, and Pu atoms tend to directly replace U atom and dissolve into the UC lattice. Besides, the results of the mechanical properties show that U vacancy reduces the compressive and deformation resistance of UC while C vacancy has little effect. The doping of all FPs except He has a repairing effect on the mechanical properties of U_1-xC. In addition, significant modifications are observed in the phonon dispersion curves and partial phonon density of states (PhDOS) of UC_1-x, Zr_xU_1-xC, Mo_xU_1-xC, and Rh_xU_1-xC, including narrow frequency gaps and overlapping phonon modes, which increase the phonon scattering and lead to deterioration of thermal expansion coefficient (α_V) and heat capacity (C_p) of UC predicted by the quasi harmonic approximation (QHA) method.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.183-192
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• 2010

An electrochemical reduction of a mixture of metal oxides was conducted in a LiCl molten salt containing 3 wt% $Li_2O$ at $650^{\circ}C$. The oxide reduction was carried out by applying a current to an electrolysis cell, and the $Li_2O$ concentration was analyzed during each run. The concentration of $Li_2O$ in the electrolyte bulk phase gradually decreases according to Faraday's law due to a slow diffusion of the $O^{2-}$ ions. A hindrance effect of the unreduced metal oxides was observed for the reduction of the uranium oxide. Cs, Sr, and Ba of high heat-load fission products were diffused into and accumulated in the salt phase as predicted with thermodynamic consideration.