• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Background: The use of radiation and radioisotopes in Korea has been increasing each year, and its impact on economy and industry is expected to be increasing progressively following the development of industrial technology and the expansion of their usage. To establish and supporting policies for industries using radiation and radioisotopes, it is necessary to check the status of related industries accurately, as well as to gather data required to establish plans for industrial development by studying both revenues and economic scale (contributing to revenue). Materials and Methods: To analyze the status of utilization, surveys were carried out on 6,621 organizations engaged in nuclear operations handling radiation and radioisotopes pursuant to the Nuclear Safety Act as of end 2014, on 33,471 medical institutions using radiation generators for medical and diagnostic purposes pursuant to the Medical Service Act, and on 2,218 organizations using radiation generators for animal diagnostics pursuant to the Veterinary License Act. Results and discussion: The overall status of the domestic radiation market including the number of user organizations, that of employees, and the size of distributions (imports, productions, and exports) with which the scale of domestic radiation market can be judged showed a growth trend compared to the previous year, though the number of employees for radiation operation in industrial sector, research sector, education sector, military sector, and power plants (nuclear power plants) and the size of imports was reduced somewhat. Conclusion: It is expected that data acquired through periodic surveys on the status of utilization would be utilized practically in establishing governmental policies related to the promotion of usage of radiation and radioisotopes, and also be utilized widely in cultivating and developing the industry efficiently to invigorate the related industries.

• 방사성폐기물학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.115-147
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• 2023

The Fukushima accident in 2011 revealed some major flaws in traditional nuclear fuel materials under accidental conditions. Thus, the focus of research has shifted toward "accident tolerant fuel" (ATF). The aim of this approach is to develop fuel material solutions that lead to improved reactor safety. The application of protective coatings on the surface of nuclear fuel cladding has been proposed as a near-term solution within the ATF framework. Many coating materials are being developed and evaluated. In this article, an overview of different zirconium-based alloys currently in use in the nuclear industry is provided, and their performances in normal and accidental conditions are discussed. Coating materials proposed by different institutions and organizations, their performances under different conditions simulating nuclear reactor environments are reviewed. The strengths and weaknesses of these coatings are highlighted, and the challenges addressed by different studies are summarized, providing a basis for future research. Finally, technologies and methods used to synthesize thin-film coatings are outlined.

• 산업공학
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.213-220
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• 2010

As the market becomes increasingly globalized and competition among companies increases in severity, various specialized organizations are participating across the process plant lifecycle, including the stages of design, construction, operation and maintenance, and dismantlement, in order to ensure efficiency and elevate competitiveness. In this regard, it is an important technical issue to develop services or information systems for sharing process plant data among participating organizations. ISO 15926 is an international standard for integration of lifecycle data for process plants including oil and gas facilities. ISO 15926 Part 7, a part of the ISO 15926 standard, specifies an implementation method called a facade that uses Web Services and ontology technologies for constructing plant data repositories and related services, with the aim of sharing lifecycle data of process plants. This paper discusses the ISO 15926-based prototype facade implemented for storing equipment data of nuclear power plants and servicing the data to interested organizations.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.634-648
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• 2005

Performed here is a comparative assessment study for the probabilistic fracture mechanics approach of the pressurized thermal shock of the reactor pressure vessel. A round robin consisting of one prerequisite deterministic study and five cases for probabilistic approaches is proposed, and all organizations interested are invited. The problems are solved by the participants and their results are compared to issue some recommendation of best practices and to assure an understanding of the key parameters in this type of approach, like transient description and frequency, material properties, defect type and distribution, fracture mechanics methodology etc., which will be useful in the justification through a probabilistic approach for the case of a plant over-passing the screening criteria. Six participants from 3 organizations responded to the problem and their results are compiled and analyzed in this study.

• 기술사
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.40-44
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• 2011

Nuclear energy in Korea began in 1958, when the Korea's atomic energy act was formulated and the relevant organizations were founded. Since then, notwithstanding the two catastrophe like TMI and Chernobyl accident, Korea made a wise decision to expand the peaceful uses of the nuclear energy as well as to localize the essential nuclear design technology of fuel and nuclear steam supply system. This decision resulted in the success of export of nuclear power plants as well as research reactor in 2010s. The Korea's nuclear policy, which well utilized 'international crisis in nuclear business' as 'opportunity of Korea to get. nuclear technology', is believed nice policy as a role model of nuclear new-comer countries. Based upon the success story of localization of nuclear technology, Korea had an eye for a niche market, which was a basis of development of SMART, Korea-made integral PWR. The operation of a SMART plant can sufficiently provide not only electricity but also fresh water for 100,000 residents. Last two years, Korea's nuclear industry team led by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute completed the standard design of SMART and applied to the Korea's regulatory body for standard design approval. Now the Korea's licensing authority is reviewing the design with the relevant documents, and the design team is doing its best to realize its hope to get the approval by the end of this year. From next year, the SMART business including construction and export will be explored by the KEPCO consortium.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.263-275
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• 2016

Objective: This paper introduces the regulatory oversight approaches and issues to consider in the course of safety culture oversight model development in the nuclear field. Common understanding on regulatory oversight and present practices of international communities are briefly reviewed. The nuclear safety culture oversight model of Korea is explained focusing on the development of safety culture definition and components, and their basic meanings. Oversight components are identified to represent the multiple human and organizational elements which can affect and reinforce elements of defense in depth system for nuclear safety. Result of validation study on safety culture components is briefly introduced too. Finally, the results of the application of the model are presented to show its effectiveness and feasibility. Background: The oversight of nuclear licensee's safety culture has been an important regulatory issue in the international community of nuclear safety regulation. Concurrent with the significant events that started to occur in the early 2000s and that had implications about safety culture of the operating organizations, it has been natural for regulators to pay attention to appropriate methods and even philosophy for intervening the licensee's safety culture. Although safety culture has been emphasized for last 30 years as a prerequisite to ensure high level of nuclear safety, it has not been of regulatory scope and has a unique dilemma between external oversight and the voluntary nature of culture. Safety culture oversight is a new regulatory challenge that needs to be approached taking into consideration of the uncontrollable aspects of cultural changes and the impacts on licensee's safety culture. Although researchers and industrial practitioners still struggle with measuring, evaluating, managing and changing safety culture, it was recognized that efforts to observe and influence licensees' safety culture should not be delayed. Method: Safety culture components which regulatory oversight will have to focus on are developed by benchmarking the concept of physical barriers and introducing the defense in depth philosophy into organizational system. Therefore, this paper begins with review of international regulatory oversight approaches and issues associated with the regulatory oversight of safety culture, followed by the development of oversight model. The validity of the model was verified by statistical analysis with the survey result obtained from survey administration to NPP employees in Korea. The developed safety culture oversight model and components were used in the "safety culture inspection" activities of the Korean regulatory body. Results: The developed safety culture model was confirmed to be valid in terms of content, construct and criterion validity. And the actual applicability in the nuclear operating organization was verified after series of pilot "safety culture inspection" activities. Conclusion: The application of the nuclear safety culture oversight model to operating organization of NPPs showed promising results for regulatory tools required for the organizations to improve their safety culture. Application: The developed oversight model and components might be used in the inspection activities and regulatory oversight of NPP operating organization's safety culture.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제51권7호
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• pp.1791-1798
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• 2019

Instrumentation and Control (I&C) systems of nuclear power plants (NPPs) have been continuously digitalized. These systems have a critical role in the operation of nuclear facilities by functioning as the brain of NPPs. In recent years, as cyber security threats to NPP systems have increased, regulatory and policy-related organizations around the world, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Korea Institute of Nuclear Nonproliferation and Control (KINAC), have emphasized the importance of nuclear cyber security by publishing cyber security guidelines and recommending cyber security requirements for NPP facilities. As described in NRC Regulatory Guide (Reg) 5.71 and KINAC RS015, challenge response authentication should be applied to the critical digital I&C system of NPPs to satisfy the cyber security requirements. There have been no cases in which the most robust response authentication technology like challenge response has been developed and applied to nuclear I&C systems. This paper presents a challenge response authentication mechanism for a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system used as a control system in the safety system of the Advanced Power Reactor (APR) 1400 NPP.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권2호
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• pp.749-763
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• 2022

The fulcrum of economic development is a sustainable supply of electricity. Nigeria is plagued with blackouts, with one of the lowest per capita electricity consumption in the world (circa. 120 kWh per capita). Hence, policies have been instigated to integrate electricity generation from nuclear power plants (NPP) on or before 2027. However, a critical requirement for NPP generation is the implementation of robust human resource development (HRD) programs. This paper presents the perspective of Nigeria in assessing human resources needs over the entire NPP lifecycle following the milestone approach and employing the IAEA's Nuclear Power Human Resource (NPHR) modeling tool. Three workforce organizations are in focus including the owner/operator, regulators, and construction workers following three decades timeframe (2015-2045). The results indicate that for the study period, a maximum of approximately 9045 personnel (73% construction workers, 24% owner/operator, and 3% regulators) should be directly involved in the NPP program just before the commissioning of the third NPP in 2033. However, this number decreases by about 73% (2465 personnel including 94% operator and 6% regulator) at the end of the study timeframe. The results can potentially provide clarity and guidance in HRD decision-making programs.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.409-417
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• 2016

Background: Airborne radioactive particulate in many important nuclear facilities (particularly nuclear power plants) will have a strong impact on the relative public dose if they are released into the corresponding environment traversing the stack or vents. The radiation protection researchers have regarded the relative environment assessing and estimation of public doses. And the model of assessing impact of discharges radioactive substance to the environment have been recommended by many international organizations (e.g. IAEA) with the nuclear energy safety and radiation protection. Materials and Methods: This paper introduced the generic models that were suggested by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), for use in assessing the impact of discharges of radioactive substances to the environment (e.g. IAEA Safety Report Series No.19). Results and Discussion: The writers of this paper, based on the recommend methods, assessed the discharge limits in some airborne radioactive substances discharging standards. The reasons that IAEA method are introduced are mainly the following considerations: IAEA is one of international organizations with some authorities in the nuclear energy safety and radiation protection; and, more important, the recommend modes are operational methods rather than the methods having little operations such as that have used by some researchers. Conclusion: It is wish that the introduced methods in this paper can be referenced in draft or revise of the standards related to discharges of radioactive substances to the environment.

• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.195-207
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• 2024

International organizations such as IAEA and EC recommend graded approach by identifying NORM industries requiring radiation protection. In Korea, single regulation rather than graded regulation for NORM industry is applied. Therefore, it consumes more manpower and costs than necessary for both regulators and workers, and is not optimized. The purpose of this study is to analyze domestic and foreign NORM industry regulatory standards and radiological characteristics for graded approach of NORM industry in Korea. Safety reports and publications such as SRS 49 and ICRP 142 published by international organizations were investigated, and domestic and foreign NORM regulatory guidelines and legislation such as Health Canada and the Act on Protective Action Guidelines Against Radiation in the Natural Environment were investigated to indicate NORM industries and regulatory standards. The radioactivity concentration of raw materials or by-products, radiation dose by industrial process of the NORM industry identified in IAEA and Korea were investigated. Nine NORM industries in Korea were identified based on the NORM industry from IAEA and KINS survey report. Foreign countries such as Canada, UK and Denmark were executing graded approach such as classification of dose level or licensing, registration, notification based on safety assessment. Radioactivity concentration of domestic and foreign NORM industries were widespread up to 200 Bq g^-1 or higher based on industrial process and work type, and numerous NORM industries that exceeded radiation dose of 1 mSv y^-1 were indicated. Therefore, it is necessary to consider handling materials and work types of identified NORM industry when establishing graded approach for NORM industry in Korea considering domestic situation. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data for developing methodology of graded approach for NORM industry in Korea.