• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.253-258
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• 2018

A microcell $UO_2$ pellet, as an accident-tolerant fuel pellet, is being developed to enhance the accident tolerance of nuclear fuels under accident conditions as well as the fuel performance under normal operation conditions. Improved capture-ability for highly radioactive and corrosive fission product (Cs and I) is the distinct feature of a ceramic microcell $UO_2$ pellet, and the enhanced pellet thermal conductivity is that of a metallic microcell $UO_2$ pellet. The fuel temperature can be effectively decreased by enhanced thermal conductivity. In this study, the material concepts of metallic and ceramic microcell $UO_2$ pellets were designed, and the fabrication process of microcell $UO_2$ pellets embodying the designed concept was developed. We successfully implemented the microcell $UO_2$ pellets and produced microcell $UO_2$ pellets. In addition, an assessment of the out-of-pile properties of a microcell $UO_2$ pellet was performed, and the in-reactor performance and behavior of the developed microcell pellets were evaluated through a Halden irradiation test. According to the expectations, the excellent performance of the microcell $UO_2$ pellets was confirmed by the online measurement data of the Halden irradiation test.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.1503-1512
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• 2013

In this study, we proposed an indentation evaluation method for fracture toughness using cohesive finite element simulations. First, we examined the effect of material properties (yield strain, Poisson's ratio, and elastic modulus) on crack size during Vickers indentation and then generated a regression formula that explains the relations among fracture toughness, indentation load, and crack size. We also proposed another indentation formula for fracture toughness evaluation using the contact size a and E/H (H: hardness). Finally, we examined the relation between the crack size and the indenter shapes. Based on this, we can generate from the formula obtained using the Vickers indenter a formula for an indenter of different shapes. Using the proposed method, fracture toughness is directly estimated from indentation data.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.674-679
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• 1998

Small water leak experiment was carried out in liquid sodium atmosphere using a specimen of ferrite steel, which will be expected to be a material of the heat transfer tube of liquid metal fast breeder reactor. Self-plugging phenomena of leak path could be explained by the products of reaction and corrosion by sodium-water reaction. Also, re-opening mechanism of self-plugged path could be explained by the thermal transient and vibration of heat transfer tube. As a result, perfect re-opening time of self-plugged leak path was observed to be 129 minutes after water leak initiation. Re-opening shape of a specimen was appeared with double layer of circular type, and re-opening size of this specimen surface was about 2 mm diameter on sodium side.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.189-199
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• 2019

This study addresses the biorefinery feedstock from Pinus densiflora. This raw material is a major tree species in the Republic of Korea; it is renewable, has cost-effective, and is readily available. In this study, steam explosion of P. densiflora was performed in a reactor at $225^{\circ}C$ and with 1 to 13 min reaction times with or without previous water impregnation. The combined severity factor (Ro), which is an expression relating the reaction temperature and reaction time used in the steam explosion treatment, ranged from 3.68 to 4.79. The influence of both impregnation and steam explosion conditions were investigated by examining color variations, chemical composition, and mass balance on the pretreated solids. The results showed that steam-exploded P. densiflora that was not impregnated with water exhibited significantly darker color (chroma 28.8-41.4) than water-impregnated and steam-exploded P. densiflora (chroma 18.8-37.3). The increased ${\alpha}$-cellulose and lignin contents were detected as the severity factor increased. Furthermore, the ${\alpha}$-cellulose and lignin contents in the non-impregnated/steam-exploded P. densiflora were higher than those in the water-impregnated/steam-exploded P. densiflora. However, the decreased holocellulose content was detected as the severity factor increased. In mass balance, the holocellulose yield from water-impregnated/steam-exploded P. densiflora was higher than that from the non-impregnated P. densiflora.

• Composites Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.161-174
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• 2022

SiC fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composite is a promising accident-tolerant fuel cladding material to improve the safety of light water nuclear reactors. Compared to the current zirconium alloy fuel cladding as well as metallic accident-tolerant fuel cladding, SiC composite fuel cladding has exceptional accident-tolerance such as excellent structural integrity and extremely low corrosion rate during severe accident of light water nuclear reactors, which reduces reactor core temperature and delays core degradation processes. In this paper, we introduce the concept, technical issues, and properties of SiC composite accident-tolerant fuel cladding during operation and accident scenarios of light water nuclear reactors.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.188-198
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• 2021

A modern approach to nuclear energy involves reprocessing like transmutations of spent nuclear fuel products to reduce their radiotoxicity and time needed for their storage. For this purpose, they are immobilized in inert matrices made of zirconia and can be "burned" in fast neutron reactor or Accelerator Driven System. These matrices in spherical form can be obtained by sol-gel process. The paper presents a method of microspheres fabrication based on the combined Complex Sol-Gel Process and double extraction process consisting in the preparation of zirconium-ascorbate sol and simultaneous extraction of water and nitrates. The procedure allows obtaining gel microspheres with a diameter of 50 ㎛, which after heat treatment are processed into the final product. The synthesis of zirconia microspheres with Yttrium by internal gelation process is well known for over a decade now. However, the explanation and characterization of synthesis of such material by extraction of water process is rarely found. Parameters such as: pH, viscosity, shape, sphericity and crystal structure have been determined for synthesized products and semi-products. In addition, preliminary research consisting in irradiation of the obtained materials in fast and thermal neutron flux was carried out. The obtained results are presented and described in this work.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.3080-3087
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• 2023

Thermoelectric (TE) materials working in radioisotope thermoelectric generators are irradiated by neutrons throughout its service; thus, investigating the neutron irradiation stability of TE devices is necessary. Herein, the influence of neutron irradiation with fluences of 4.56 × 10¹⁰ and 1 × 10¹³ n/cm² by pulsed neutron reactor on the electrical and thermal transport properties of n-type Bi₂Te_2.7Se_0.3 and p-type Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃ thermoelectric alloys prepared by cold-pressing and molding is investigated. After neutron irradiation, the properties of thermoelectric materials fluctuate, which is related to the material type and irradiation fluence. Different from p-type thermoelectric materials, neutron irradiation has a positive effect on n-type Bi₂Te_2.7Se_0.3 materials. This result might be due to the increase of carrier mobility and the optimization of electrical conductivity. Afterward, the effects of p-type and n-type TE devices with different treatments on the output performance of TE devices are further discussed. The positive and negative effects caused by irradiation can cancel each other to a certain extent. For TE devices paired with p-type Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃ and n-type Bi₂Te_2.7Se_0.3 thermoelectric legs, the generated power and conversion efficiency are stable after neutron irradiation.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.123-131
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• 2023

Background: As a restorative material used to treat dental caries, the light-curing type resin is widely used, but it has the disadvantage of polymerization shrinkage. The Bulk-Fill composite resin was developed to solve these shortcomings, but the existing research mainly focused on comparing the physical properties of a composite resin and a Bulk-Fill resin. A study on the light curing time and distance of the Bulk-Fill resin itself tend to be lacking. Methods: This study compares the surface microhardness of specimens prepared by varying the light curing time and distance of smart dentin replacement (SDR) as a flowable Bulk-Fill resin and Tetric N-ceram as a packable Bulk-Fill resin, and confirms the polymerization time and distance that becomes the optimum hardness. To determine the hardness of the specimen, it was measured using the Vickers Hardness Number (Matsuzawa MMT-X, Japan). Results: In SDR, the surface microhardness decreased as the distance increased in all time groups in the change distance from the curing tip. In the change of light curing time with respect to the distance from curing tip, the surface microhardness increased as the time increased. In Tetric N-ceram, the surface microharness showed no significant difference in the change of the distance of curing tip in the group of 20 and 60 second. But in the group of 10 and 40 seconds, decreased as the distance increased. The surface microharness increased as the light curing time increased in all distance groups. Conclusion: When using SDR and Tetric N-ceram in clinical practice, it is considered that as the distance from the polymerization reactor tip increases, a longer light curing time than the polymerization time recommended by the manufacturer is required.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.783-791
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• 2015

A fluidized-bed reactor with an inside diameter of 0.1 m and a height of 1.2 m was used to study the effect of steam and catalyst additions to air-blown biomass gasification on the production of producer gas. The equipment consisted of a fluidized bed reactor, a fuel supply system, a cyclone, a condenser, two receivers, steam generator and gas analyzer. Silica sand with a mean particle diameter of $380{\mu}m$ was used as a bed material and calcined dolomite ($356{\mu}m$), which is effective in tar reduction and producer gas purification, was used as the catalyst. Both of Korea wood pellet (KWP) and a pellet form of EFB (empty fruit bunch) which is the byproduct of Southeast Asia palm oil extraction were examined as biomass feeds. In all the experiments, the feeding rates were 50 g/min for EFB and 38 g/min for KWP, respectively at the reaction temperature of $800^{\circ}C$ and an ER (equivalence ratio) of 0.25. The mixing ratio (0~100 wt%) of catalyst was applied to the bed material. Air or an air-steam mixture was used as the injection gas. The SBR (steam to biomass ratio) was 0.3. The composition, tar content, and lower heating value of the generated producer gas were measured. The addition of calcined dolomite decreased tar content in the producer gas with maximum reduction of 67.3 wt%. The addition of calcined dolomite in the air gasification reduced lower heating value of the producer gas. However The addition of calcined dolomite in the air-steam gasification slightly increased its lower heating value.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2015

The material properties of crack growth models at an elevated temperature were derived from the results of numerous crack growth tests for Mod.9Cr-1Mo (ASME Grade 91) steel specimens under fatigue loading and creep loading at an elevated temperature. These crack growth models were needed for defect assessment under creep-fatigue loading. The mathematical crack growth rate models for fatigue crack growth (FCG) and creep crack growth (CCG) were determined based on the test results, and the models were compared with those of the French design code RCC-MRx to investigate the conservatism of the code. The French design code RCC-MRx provides an FCG model and a CCG model for Grade 91 steel in Section III Tome 6. It was shown that the FCG model of RCC-MRx is conservative, while the CCG model is non-conservative compared with the present test data. Thus, it was shown that further validation of the property was required. Mechanical strength tests and creep tests were also conducted, and the test results were compared with those of RCC-MRx.