• 제목/요약/키워드: nuclear proliferation

검색결과 492건 처리시간 0.03초

Evaluation of neutron attenuation properties using helium-4 scintillation detector for dry cask inspection

  • Jihun Moon;Jisu Kim;Heejun Chung;Sung-Woo Kwak;Kyung Taek Lim
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • 제55권9호
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    • pp.3506-3513
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    • 2023
  • In this paper, we demonstrate the neutron attenuation of dry cask shielding materials using the S670e helium-4 detector manufactured by Arktis Radiation Ltd. In particular, two materials expected to be applied to the TN-32 dry cask manufactured by ORANO Korea and KORAD-21 by the Korea Radioactive Waste Agency (KORAD) were utilized. The measured neutron attenuation was compared with our Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport simulation results, and the difference is given as the root mean square (RMS). For the fast neutron case, a rapid decline in neutron counts was observed as a function of increasing material thickness, exhibiting an exponential relationship. The discrepancy between the experimentally acquired data and simulation results for the fast neutron was maintained within a 2.3% RMS. In contrast, the observed thermal neutron count demonstrated an initial rise, attained a maximum value, and exhibited an exponential decline as a function of increasing thickness. In particular, the discrepancy between the measured and simulated peak locations for thermal neutrons displayed an RMS deviation of approximately 17.3-22.4%. Finally, the results suggest that a minimum thickness of 5 cm for Li-6 is necessary to achieve a sufficiently significant cross-section, effectively capturing incoming thermal neutrons within the dry cask.

An Analysis of Constraints on Pyroprocessing Technology Development in ROK Under the US Nonproliferation Policy

  • Jae Soo Ryu
    • 방사성폐기물학회지
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    • 제21권3호
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    • pp.383-395
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    • 2023
  • Since 1997, the Republic of Korea (ROK) has been developing pyro-processing (Pyro) technology to reduce the disposal burden of high-level radioactive waste by recycling spent nuclear fuel (SNF). Compared to plutonium and uranium extraction process, Korean Pyro technology has relatively excellent proliferation resistance that cannot separate pure plutonium owing to its intrinsic characteristics. Regarding Pyro technology development of ROK, the Bush administration considered that Pyro is not reprocessing under the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, whereas the Obama administration considered that Pyro is subject to reprocessing. However, the Bush and Obama administrations did not allow ROK to conduct full Pyro activities using SNF, even though ROK had faithfully complied with international nonproliferation obligations. This is because the US nuclear nonproliferation policy to prevent the spread of sensitive technologies, such as enrichment and reprocessing, has a strong effect on ROK, unlike Japan, on a bilateral level beyond the NPT regime for non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Comparison of proliferation resistance among natural uranium, thorium-uranium, and thorium-plutonium fuels used in CANada Deuterium Uranium in deep geological repository by combining multiattribute utility analysis with transport model

  • Nagasaki, Shinya;Wang, Xiaopan;Buijs, Adriaan
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • 제50권5호
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    • pp.794-800
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    • 2018
  • The proliferation resistance (PR) of Th/U and Th/Pu fuels used in CANada Deuterium Uranium for the deep geological repository was assessed by combining the multiattribute utility analysis proposed by Chirayath et al., 2015 with the transport model of radionuclides in the repository and comparing with that of the used natural U fuel case. It was found that there was no significant advantage for Th/U and Th/Pu fuels from the viewpoint of the PR in the repository. It was also found that the PR values for used nuclear fuels in the repository of Th/U, Th/Pu, and natural U was comparable with those for enrichment and reprocessing facilities in the pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear fuel cycle. On the other hand, the PR values considering the transport of radionuclides in the repository were found to be slightly smaller than those without their transport after the used nuclear fuels started dissolving after 1,000 years.

Ginsenosides Promote Proliferation of Cultured Ovarian Germ Cells Involving Protein Kinase C-mediated System in Embryonic Chickens

  • Liu, Hongyun;Zhang, Caiqiao
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • 제19권7호
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    • pp.958-963
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    • 2006
  • The effect of ginsenosides (GS) on germ cell proliferation was evaluated with a chicken ovarian germ-somatic cell coculture model and the mechanism involving protein kinase C (PKC) pathway was investigated. Ovarian cells were cultured in serum-free McCoy's 5A medium and challenged with GS alone or in combinations with PKC activator (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, PMA) or inhibitor ($H_7$) for 48 h. The number of germ cells was counted and the proliferating cells were identified by immunocytochemistry of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Results showed that GS significantly increased germ cell proliferation and this stimulating effect was further increased by PMA, but inhibited by H7, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, GS-elevated PCNA expression and the PCNA -labeling index of germ cells displayed similar changes with the increased numbers of germ cells. These results indicated that GS stimulated proliferation of ovarian germ cells with involvement of the PKC-mediated system.

핵테러/방사능테러 탐지 기술 현황 및 국내 탐지체계 구축 방안에 관한 연구 (A Study on Current Status of Detection Technology and Establishment of National Detection Regime against Nuclear/Radiological Terrorism)

  • 곽성우;장성순;이정훈;유호식
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • 제34권3호
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    • pp.115-120
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    • 2009
  • 1990년대 이후부터 현재까지 일련의 사건들은 - 1995년 러시아 국립공원에서 매설된 오염폭탄발견, 2001년 9/11 테러, 2003년 알카에다 오염폭탄 실험 증거 발견등 - 방사성물질 (본 논문에서 언급한 "방사성물질"은 "핵물질 사용후핵연료 방사성동위원소"를 말함)을 이용한 핵테러 및 방사능테러 (본 논문에서는 "핵테러 및 방사능테러"를 간단히 "핵테러/방사능테러"로 표시함)가 공상과학소설이 아닌 실제적으로 발생가능할 심각한 위협임을 보여준다. 이에 따라 세계는 새롭게 대두된 위협에 효과적으로 대응하기 위해 방사성물질에 대한 보안(security)과 물리적방호(physical protection)를 강화하고 방사성물질 불법거래 예방 및 대응체제를 구축하도록 요구하고 있다. 우리나라는 이러한 국제적 추세에 부응하기 위해, 관련 법 체제를 제 개정하고 국제협약 혹은 기구에 합의하거나 가입하였다. 본 논문에서는 핵테러/방사능테러 예방의 일환으로 방사성동위원소에 비해 상대적으로 복잡한 붕괴 과정을 가진 핵물질의 물리적 특성을 살펴보고, 현재 운영되고 있는 핵테러/방사능테러 탐지 장비들의 특성을 파악한다. 검토된 장비들의 특성과 함께 국외에서 국내로 불법 유입된 방사성물질이 목표 지점까지 도달되는 과정, 국내 지형적 특정 그리고 다중 방어적 개념을 고려하여 핵테러/방사능테러 탐지체계 구축 방안을 제안한다. 본 논문은 핵테러/방사능테러로부터 국민의 건강, 안전 그리고 환경을 보호하는데 중요한 기여를 할 것으로 판단된다.

CORE DESIGN FOR HETEROGENEOUS THORIUM FUEL ASSEMBLIES FOR PWR(1)-NUCLEAR DESIGN AND FUEL CYCLE ECONOMY

  • BAE KANG-MOK;KIM MYUNG-HYUN
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • 제37권1호
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    • pp.91-100
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    • 2005
  • Kyung-hee Thorium Fuel (KTF), a heterogeneous thorium-based seed and blanket design concept for pressurized light water reactors, is being studied as an alternative to enhance proliferation resistance and fuel cycle economics of PWRs. The proliferation resistance characteristics of the KTF assembly design were evaluated through parametric studies using neutronic performance indices such as Bare Critical Mass (BCM), Spontaneous Neutron Source rate (SNS), Thermal Generation rate (TG), and Radio-Toxicity. Also, Fissile Economic Index (FEI), a new index for gauging fuel cycle economy, was suggested and applied to optimize the KTF design. A core loaded with optimized KTF assemblies with a seed-to-blanket ratio of 1: 1 was tested at the Korea Next Generation Reactor (KNGR), ARP-1400. Core design characteristics for cycle length, power distribution, and power peaking were evaluated by HELIOS and MASTER code systems for nine reload cycles. The core calculation results show that the KTF assembly design has nearly the same neutronic performance as those of a conventional $UO_2$ fuel assembly. However, the power peaking factor is relatively higher than that of conventional PWRs as the maximum Fq is 2.69 at the M$9^{th}$ equilibrium cycle while the design limit is 2.58. In order to assess the economic potential of a heterogeneous thorium fuel core, the front-end fuel cycle costs as well as the spent fuel disposal costs were compared with those of a reference PWR fueled with $UO_2$. In the case of comprising back-end fuel cycle cost, the fuel cycle cost of APR-1400 with a KTF assembly is 4.99 mills/KWe-yr, which is lower than that (5.23 mills/KWe-yr) of a conventional PWR. Proliferation resistance potential, BCM, SNS, and TG of a heterogeneous thorium-fueled core are much higher than those of the $UO_2$ core. The once-through fuel cycle application of heterogeneous thorium fuel assemblies demonstrated good competitiveness relative to $UO_2$ in terms of economics.