• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.40-51
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• 1992

One of the important irradiation performance characteristics of the silicide dispersion fuel element in research reactors is the diameteral increase resulting from fuel swelling. This paper, will attempt to develop a physical model for the fuel swelling, DFSWELL, by analyzing the basic irradiation behaviours and some experimental evidences. From the experimental evidences, it was shown that the volume changes in irradiated U$_3$Si-Al were strongly dependent on temperature and fission rate. The quantitative-amount of swelling for silicide fuel is estimated by considering temperature, fission rate, solid fission product build-up and gas bubble behavior. The swelling for the silicide fuel is comprised of three major components : i ) a volume change due to the formation of an interfacial layer between the fuel particle and matrix. ii ) a volume change due to the accumulation of gas bubble nucleation iii ) a volume change due to the accumulation of solid fission products The DFSWELL model which takes into account the above three major physical components predicts well the absolute magnitude of silicide fuel swelling in accordance with the power histories in comparison with the experimental data.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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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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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.228-235
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• 1992

Some soluble species may not be solubility-limited or congruent-released with the matrix species. For example, during the operation of the nuclear reactor, the fission products can be accumulated in the fuel-cladding gap, voids, and grain boundaries of the fuel rods. In the waste package for spent-fuel placed in a geologic repository, the high solubility species of these fission products accumulated in the“gap”, e.g. cesium or iodine are expected to dissolve rapidly when ground water penetrates fuel rods. The time and space dependent mass transport for high solubility nuclides in the gap is analyzed, and its numerical illustrations are demonstrated. The approximate solution that is valid for all times is developed, and validated by comparison with an asymptotic solution and the solution obtained by the numerical inversion of Laplace transform covering the entire time span.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.7
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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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• v.42 no.2
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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.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.101-108
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• 2005

The neutron induced nuclear cross-section data for Pd-105, Ag-109, Xe-131, and Cs-133 were calculated and evaluated from an unresolved energy to 20 MeV. The energy dependent optical model potential parameters were extracted based on recent experimental data and applied up to 20 MeV. A spherical optical model and a statistical model for the equilibrium energy, and a multistep direct and a multistep compound model for the pre-equilibrium energy were used in the calculation. The direct capture model was recently introduced for fast neutron capture. The theoretically calculated cross-sections were compared with the experimental data and the evaluated files. The total and capture cross-sections calculated using the model were in good agreement with the reference experimental data. The evaluated cross-section results were compiled in ENDF-6 format and merged with the resonance component, already adopted in the ENDF/B-VI release 8. New data library files covering from thermal to 20 MeV were created. They are at the preliminary stage of an ENDF/B- VII release.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.180-185
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• 1987

A computer code, KAFEPA, for analysing in-reactor behavior of a PHWR-fuel rod under reactor normal operating condition was developed. This code, KAFEPA, corresponds to the ELESIM code that was developed for the same purpose by AECL. Even though the KAFEPA originated from the ELESIM, it contains more accurate and theoretical models in comparison with the ELESIM, such as fission gas release model, in-reactor densification model and a new database for neutron flux depression across the radial direction in a fuel pellet. The KAFEPA code was verified by comparing the predictions with 22 measurements of fission product gas release. The predictions of the KAFEPA was well agreed with the experimental data.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.370-381
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• 2002

The neutron induced nuclear data for Pr-141, Nd-143, Nd-145, Sm-147 and Sm-149 were calculated and evaluated from 10 keV to 20 MeV. 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. Spherical optical model , statistical model in equilibrium energy, multistep direct and multistep compound model in pre-equilibrium energy and direct capture model were introduced in Empire 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 capture cross sections in pre-equilibrium were enhanced in recent released Empire version. 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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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.2723-2733
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• 2023

Transuranic nuclides (such as ²³⁸Pu, ²⁵²Cf, ²⁴⁹Bk, etc.) have a wide range of application in industry, medicine, agriculture, and other fields. However, due to the complex conversion chain and remarkable fission losses in the process of transuranic nuclides production, the generation amounts are extremely low. High flux reactor with high neutron flux and flexible irradiation channels, is regarded as the promising candidate for producing transuranic nuclides. It is of great significance to increase the conversion ratio of transuranic nuclides, resulting in higher efficiency and better economy. In this paper, we perform an optimization design evaluation of producing transuranic nuclides in high flux reactor, which includes optimization design of irradiation target and influence study of reactor core loading. It is demonstrated that the production rate increases with appropriately determined target material and target structure. The target loading scheme in the irradiation channel also has a significant influence on the production of transuranic nuclides.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Energy Engineering kosee Conference
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• 1998.05a
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• pp.235-242
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• 1998

Aiming at one of decisive alternatives for long term aspect of nuclear power concerns, an integral and closed nuclear system, AMBIDEXTER (Advanced Molten-salt Break-even Inherently-safe Dual-mission Experimental and TEst Reactor) concept is under development. The AMBIDEXTER complex essentially comprises two mutually independent loops of the radiation/material transport and the heat/energy conversion, centered at the integrated reactor assembly, which enables one to utilize maximum benefits of nuclear energy under minimum risks of nuclear radiation. And it provides precious radioisotopes and radiation sources from its waste stream. Also the reactor operates at very low level of fission products inventory throughout its lifetime. The nuclear and thermalhydraulic characteristics of the molten TH/$^{233}$ U fuel salt extend the capability of the self-sustaining AMBIDEXTER fuel cycle to enhance resource security and safeguard transparency. The reactor system is consisted of a single component module of the core, heat exchangers and recirculation pumps with neither pipe connections nor active valves in between, which will significantly improve inherent features of nuclear safety. States of the core technologies associated with designing and developing the AMBIDEXTER concept are mostly available in commercialized form and thus demonstration of integral aspects of the concept should be the prime area in future R＆D programs.