• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.915-922
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• 2018

Metallic fuel has been considered for sodium-cooled fast reactors because it can maximize the uranium resources. It generates rare earth elements as fission products, where it is reported by aggravating the fuel-cladding chemical interaction at the operating temperature. Rare earth elements form a multicomponent alloy (Ce-Nd-Pr-La-Sm-etc.) during reactor operation, where it shows a higher reaction thickness than a single element. Experiments have been carried out by simplifying multicomponent alloys for mono or binary systems because complex alloys have difficulty in the analysis. In previous experiments, xCe-yNd was fabricated with two elements, Ce and Nd, which have a major effect on the fuel-cladding chemical interaction, and the thickness of the reaction layer reached maximum when the rare earth elements ratio was 1:1. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect and relationship of rare earth elements on such synergistic behavior. Single and binary rare earth model alloys were prepared by selecting five rare earth elements (Ce, Nd, Pr, La, and Sm). In the single system, Nd and Pr behaviors were close to diffusion, and Ce showed a eutectic reaction. In the binary system, Ce and Sm further increased the reaction layer, and La showed a non-synergy effect.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Mechanical Technology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.145-153
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• 2011

The irradiation tests of materials in HANARO have been performed usually at temperatures below $300^{\circ}C$ at which the RPV(Reactor Pressure Vessel) materials of the commercial reactors such as the light water reactor and CANDU are operated. As VHTR(Very High Temperature Reactor) and SFR(Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor) projects are being carried as a part of the present Gen-IV program in Korea, the requirements for irradiation of materials at temperatures higher than $500^{\circ}C$ are recently being gradually increased. To overcome the restriction in the use at high temperature of the existing Al thermal media, a new capsule with double thermal media composed of two kinds of materials such as Al-Ti and Al-graphite was designed and fabricated more advanced than the single thermal media capsule. At the irradiation test of the capsule, the temperature of the specimens successfully reached $700^{\circ}C$ and the integrity of Al, Ti and graphite material was maintained.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.571-576
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• 2023

The initial development plans for the six reactor designs, soon after the release of Generation IV International Forum (GIF) TRM in 2002, were characterized by high ambition [1]. Specifically, the sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) and very-high temperature reactor (VHTR) gained significant attention and were expected to reach the validation stage by the 2020s, with commercial viability projected for the 2030s. However, these projections have been unrealized because of various factors. The development of reactor designs by the GIF was supposed to be influenced by events such as the 2008 global financial crisis, 2011 Fukushima accident [2, 3], discovery of extensive shale oil reserves in the United States, and overly ambitious technological targets. Consequently, the momentum for VHTR development reduced significantly. In this context, the aims of this study were to compare and analyze the development progress of the six Gen IV reactor designs over the past 20 years, based on the GIF roadmaps published in 2002 and 2014. The primary focus was to examine the prospects for the reactor designs in relation to spent nuclear fuel burning in conjunction with small modular reactor (SMR), including molten salt reactor (MSR), which is expected to have spent nuclear fuel management potential.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.581-591
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• 2017

Influences of hold time and stress ratio on cyclic creep properties of Grade 91 steel were systemically investigated using a wide range of cyclic creep tests, which were performed with hold times (HTs) of 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, and 30 minutes and stress ratios (R) of 0.5, 0.8, 0.85, 0.90, and 0.95 under tension loading cycles at $600^{\circ}C$. Under the influence of HT, the rupture time increased to HT = 5 minutes at R = 0.90 and R = 0.95, but there was no influence at R = 0.50, 0.80, and 0.85. The creep rate was constant regardless of an increase in the HT, except for the case of HT = 5 minutes at R = 0.90 and R = 0.95. Under the influence of stress ratio, the rupture time increased with an increase in the stress ratio, but the creep rate decreased. The cyclic creep led to a reduction in the rupture time and an acceleration in the creep rate compared with the case of monotonic creep. Cyclic creep was found to depend dominantly on the stress ratio rather than on the HT. Fracture surfaces displayed transgranular fractures resulting from microvoid coalescence, and the amount of microvoids increased with an increase in the stress ratio. Enhanced coarsening of the precipitates in the cyclic creep test specimens was found under all conditions.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.12
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• pp.937-944
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• 2011

Studies have been carried out in order to reduce fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) behavior of metallic fuel in sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFR) using an electroplating technique. A $20{\mu}m$ thick Cr layer has been plated by the electrochemical method in the Sargent bath over the HT9 (12Cr-1Mo) clad material and diffusion couple tests of the U-10Zr metallic fuel as well as the rare earth alloy (70Ce-29La) have been conducted. The results show that the Cr plating can prevent FCCI behavior along the fuel-clad interface. However, cracks developed through the thickness during plating, which resulted in the migration of some fuel constituents. Variation of bath temperature, application of pulse current, and post heat treatment have been conducted to control such cracks. We found out that some conditions like the pulse current and the post heat treatment enhanced the layer property by reducing the internal cracks and improving the diffusion couple test.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.549-556
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• 2011

This study aimed to evaluate the performance of diffusion barriers in order to prevent fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) between the metallic fuels and the cladding materials, a potential hazard for nuclear fuel in sodium-cooled fast reactors. In order to prevent FCCI, Zr or V metal is deposited on the ferritic-martensitic stainless steel surface by physical vapor deposition with a thickness up to $5{\mu}m$. The diffusion couple tests using uranium alloy (U-10Zr) and a rare earth metal such as Ce-La alloy and Nd were performed at temperatures between 660~800$^{\circ}C$. Microstructural analysis using SEM was carried out over the coupled specimen. The results show that significant interdiffusion and an associated eutectic reaction ocurred in the specimen without a diffusion barrier. However, with the exception of the local dissolution of the Zr layer in the Ce-La alloy, the specimens deposited with Zr and V exhibited superior eutectic resistance to the uranium alloy and rare earth metal.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.9
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• pp.3501-3511
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• 2024

Titanium alloys play a vital role in optimizing the effectiveness and security of nuclear reactors, strengthening structural durability, and facilitating the effective handling of nuclear waste. The aim of this study is to investigate the gamma-ray, neutron, and transmission properties of four common titanium alloys through the examination of the deposited energy amount in the liquid sodium coolant material, in relation to the mechanical properties of these alloys. MCNP (version 6.3) is utilized for designing the titanium pipes. Next, the pipes were re-designed considering the elemental mass fractions and densities of the investigated titanium alloys. Grade 26 sample is reported with the highest values of mass attenuation coefficients and the lowest HVL values among those investigated alloys. Grade 26 is reported to have the lowest TF value, whereas Grade 12 demonstrated the highest TF value. The highest Effective Removal Cross Section (Σ_R, 1/cm) value against fast neutrons is reported for Grade 26. The utilization of Grade 26 sample as pipe material resulted in the lowest deposited energy amount (MeV/g) and subsequent lowest contamination in the coolant material. Out of the alloys that were chosen for analysis, it has been determined that Grade 26 exhibits the highest level of strength. It can be concluded that the Grade 26 alloy exhibits desirable characteristics for applications in nuclear technologies that require superior gamma-ray and neutron absorption properties, as well as exceptional mechanical properties. Nevertheless, it is essential to emphasize the importance for ongoing studies to enhance the existing material properties of Grade 26, with the aim of achieving improved safety and efficacy in nuclear applications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1996.05b
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• pp.233-240
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• 1996

Analyses of the viscous and end effects on electromagnetic (EM) pumps of annular linear induction type for the sodium coolant circulation in Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactors have been carried out based on the MHD laminar flow analysis and the electromagnetic field theory. A one-dimensional MHD analysis for the liquid metal flowing through an annular channel has been performed on the basis of a simplified model of equivalent current sheets instead of three-phase currents in the discrete primary windings. The calculations show that the developed pressure difference resulted from electromagnetic and viscous forces in the liquid metal is expressed in terms of the slip, and that the viscous loss effects are negligible compared with electromagnetic driving forces except in the low-slip region where the pumps operate with very high flow velocities comparable with the synchronous velocity of the electromagnetic fields, which is not applicable to the practical EM pumps. A two-dimensional electromagnetic field analysis based on an equivalent current sheet model has found the vector potentials in closed form by means of the Fourier transform method. The resultant magnetic fields and driving forces exerted on the liquid metal reveal that the end effects due to finiteness of the pump length are formidable. In addition, a two-dimensional numerical analysis for vector potentials has been performed by the SOR iterative method on a realistic EM pump model with discretely-distributed currents in the primary windings. The numerical computations for the distributions of magnetic fields and developed pressure differences along the pump axial length also show considerable end effects at both inlet and outlet ends, especially at high flow velocities. Calculations of each magnetic force contribution indicate that the end effects are originated from the magnetic force caused by the induced current ( u x B ) generated by the liquid metal movement across the magnetic field rather than the one (E) produced by externally applied magnetic fields by three-phase winding currents. It is concluded that since the influences of the end effects in addition to viscous losses are extensive particularly in high-velocity operations of the EM pumps, it is necessary to find ways to suppress them, such as proper selection of the pump parameters and compensation of the end effects.