• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.431-437
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• 2003

Metalization yield of uranium oxide to uranium metal from lithium reduction process of spent pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuels was measured using thermogravimetric analyzer. A reduced metal produced in the process was divided into a solid and a powder part, and each metalization yield was measured. Metalization yield of the solid part was 90.7~95.9 wt%, and the powder being 77.8~71.5 wt% individually. Oxidation behaviour of the quartemary alloy was investigated to take data on the thermal oxidation stability necessary for the study on dry storage of the reduced metal. At $600{\sim}700^{\circ}C$, weight increments of alloy of Mo, Ru, Rh and Pd was 0.40~0.55 wt%. Phase change on the surface of the alloy was started at $750^{\circ}C$. In particular, Mo was rapidly oxidized and then the alloy lost 0.76~25.22 wt% in weight.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.528-535
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• 2017

Fuel cells have been spotlighted in the world for being highly efficient and environmentally friendly. A hydrogen which is the fuel of fuel cell can be obtained from a number of sources. Hydrogen source for operating the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) in the current underwater environment, such as a submarine and unmanned underwater vehicles are currently from the metal hydride cylinder. However, metal hydride has many limitations for using hydrogen carrier, such as large volume, long charging time, limited storage capacity. To solve these problems, we suggest diesel reformer for hydrogen supply source. Diesel fuel has many advantages, such as high hydrogen storage density, easy to transport and also well-infra structure. However, conventional diesel reforming system for PEMFC requires a large volume and complex CO removal system for lowering the CO level to less than 10 ppm. In addition, because the preferential oxidation(PROX) reaction is the strong exothermic reaction, cooling load is required. By changing this PROX reactor to hydrogen separation membrane, the problem from PROX reactor can be solved. This is because hydrogen separation membranes are small and permeable to pure hydrogen. In this study, we conducted the pressurized diesel reforming and water-gas shift reaction experiment for the hydrogen separation membrane application. Then, the hydrogen permeation experiments were performed using a Pd alloy membrane for the reformate gas.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2022

This study discusses the effect of using ²³²Th instead of ²³⁸U on the neutronic characteristics and the main operating parameters of the pressurized water reactor (PWR). MCNPX version 2.7 was used to compare the neutronic characteristics of UO₂ with (Th, ²³⁵U)O₂ and (Th, ²³³U) O₂. Firstly, the infinity multiplication factor (K_inf), thermal neutron flux, and power distribution have been studied for the investigated fuel types. Secondly, the effect of Gd₂O₃ and Er₂O₃ on the K_inf and on the radial thermal neutron flux and thermal power has been investigated to distinguish which of them is more suitable than the other in reactivity management. Thirdly, to illustrate the effectiveness of ²³²Th in decreasing the inventory of both the actinides and non-actinides, the concentration of plutonium (Pu) isotopes and minor actinides (MAs) has been simulated with the fuel burnup. Besides, due to their large thermal neutron absorption cross-section, the concentrations of ¹³⁵Xe, ¹⁴⁹Sm, and ¹⁵¹Sm with the fuel burnup have been investigated. Finally, the main safety parameters such as the reactivity worth of the control rods (ρ_CR), the effective delayed neutron fraction β_eff, and the Doppler reactivity coefficient (DRC) were calculated to determine to which extent these fuel types achieve the acceptable limits.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.9
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• pp.3516-3525
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• 2022

The high capture cross-section (𝜎_c) of Gadolinium (Gd-155 and Gd-157) causes reactivity penalty and swing at the initial stage of fuel burnup in Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). The present study is concerned with the feasibility of the combination of mixed burnable poison with both low and high 𝜎_c as an approach to minimize these effects. Two considered reference designs are fuel assemblies with 24 IBA rods of Gd₂O₃ and Er₂O₃ respectively. Models comprise nuclear fuel with a homogeneous mixture of Er₂O₃, AmO₂, SmO₂, and HfO₂ with Gd₂O₃ as well as the coating of PaO₂ and ZrB₂ on the Gd₂O₃ pellet's outer surface. The infinite multiplication factor was determined and reactivity was calculated considering 3% neutron leakage rate. All models except Er₂O₃ and SmO₂ showed expected results namely higher values of these parameters than the reference design of Gd₂O₃ at the early burnup period. The highest value was found for the model of PaO₂ and Gd₂O₃ followed by ZrB₂ and HfO₂. The cycle burnup, discharge burnup, and cycle length for three batch refueling were calculated using Linear Reactivity Model (LRM). The pin power distribution, energy-dependent neutron flux and Fuel Temperature Coefficient (FTC) were also studied. An optimization of model 1 was carried out to investigate effects of different isotopic compositions of Gd₂O₃ and absorber coating thickness.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1990

Heavy water is used as a moderator and a coolant in the pressurized heavy water reactor Because of the high cost of heavy water, downgraded heavy water generated in the reactor system is recycled to the reactor after being concentrated up to 99.8% or more in heavy water upgraders. This study investigates the process of upgraders and then suggests a theoretical model. The relations between process variables are derived from tower packing characteristics, vapour-liquid equilibria, and mass-heat balance equations at a steady state operation of the upgrader h computer program UPGR is developed, using the algorithm that solves the nonlinear equations step by step. It shows that the results of computer simulation are in good agreement with the operating data of the Wolsung upgrader. Thus, this computer code offers the optimum operating guide and is now applied to manage the performance of upgraders for the effective operation of the heavy water upgraders.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.435-440
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• 2004

The nonlinear impacts between the Control Element Drive Mechanisms (CEDMs) seismic cap plates installed on the CEDM top of a pressurized water reactor are studied with the dynamically reduced models of the CEDM and Integrated Head Assembly (IHA). It is important to develope nonlinear models considering the gap effects between the plates. In order to simulate impacts, reduced models for the primary structures, such as CEDM and IHA, are developed through simplifying detailed models, and the nonlinear structural analysis is performed under seismic loading conditions. The responses are examined in various gap sizes depending on the reactor operating conditions.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• v.43
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• pp.67-69
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• 2004

The fuel assemblies as the nuclear fuel for the pressurized water reactor(PWR) are loaded in the reactor core throughout the residence time of three to five years. The spacer grid assembly, which is an interconnected array of slotted grid straps and is welded at the intersections to form an egg crate structure, is one of the main structural components of the fuel assembly. The spacer grid assembly is structurally required to have enough buckling strength under various kinds of lateral load acting on the fuel assembly so as to keep the fuel assembly straight. To meet the requirement, integrity on the spacer grid welding parts should be carefully checked. In this study, welding quality of the spacer grid assembly welded by several welding companies are examined and compared.

• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.921-930
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• 2001

A new theoretical critical heat flux (CHF) model was developed for the forced convective flow boiling at high pressure, high mass velocity, and low quality. The present model for an intermittent vapor blanket was basically derived from the sublayer dryout theory without including any empirical constant. The vapor blanket velocity was estimated by an axial force balance, and the thickness of vapor blanket was determined by a radial force balance for the Marangoni force and lift force. Based on the comparison of the predicted CHF with the experimental data taken from previous studies, the present CHF model showed satisfactory results with reasonable accuracy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1998.05b
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• pp.795-801
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• 1998

Metallic fatigue of Pressurized Water Reactor(PWR) materials is a generic safety issue for commercial nuclear power plants. It is very important to obtain the fatigue usage factor for component integrity and life extension. In this paper, fatigue usage was obtained at the inside surface of Kori unit 2, 3 and 4 RCP casing weld, based on the design transient. And it was intended to establish the procedure and the detailed method of fatigue evaluation in accordance with ASME Section III Code. According to this code rule, two methods to determine the stress cycle and the number of cycles could be applied. One method is the superposition of cycles of various design transients and the other is based on the assumption that a stress cycle correspond to only one design transient. Both method showed almost same fatigue usage in the RCP casing weld.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.129-133
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• 2003

The work described in this paper deals with the proposed application of an Artificial Neural Network Model for the Advanced Pressurized Water Reactor APR-1400 transient identification. The approach adopted for testing the network take note of the expectation which should be fulfilled by a network for real-time application, like testing with data in on-line mode and use of actual or real-life patterns for training. The recall test performed demonstrates that use of neural network for transient identification is indeed an attractive preposition.