• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제48권5호
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• pp.1071-1082
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• 2016

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute has been developing a pool-type sodium-cooled fast reactor of the Prototype Gen-IV Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (PGSFR). To assess the effectiveness of the inherent safety features of the PGSFR, the system transients during design basis accidents and design extended conditions are analyzed with MARS-LMR and the subchannel blockage events are analyzed with MATRA-LMR-FB. In addition, the invessel source term is calculated based on the super-safe, small, and simple reactor methodology. The results show that the PGSFR meets safety acceptance criteria with a sufficient margin during the events and keeps accidents from deteriorating into more severe accidents.

• 한국압력기기공학회 논문집
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.70-77
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• 2016

In this paper, the structural design and integrity evaluations for a reactor vessel of PGSFR sodium-cooled fast reactor(150MWe) are carried out in compliance with ASME BPV III, Division 5 Subsection HB. The reactor vessel is designed with a direct contact of primary sodium coolant to its inner surface and has a double vessel concept enclosing by containment vessel. To assure the structural integrity for 60 years design lifetime and elevated operating temperature of $545^{\circ}C$, which can invoke creep and creep-fatigue damage, the structural integrity evaluations are carried out in compliance with the ASME code rules. The design loads considered in this evaluations are primary loads and operation thermal cycling loads of normal heat-up and cool-down. From the evaluations, the PGSFR reactor vessel satisfies the ASME code limits but it was found that there is a little design margin of creep damage for inner surface at the region of cold pool free surface.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.1528-1539
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• 2023

Since the leakage of sodium in an SFR (sodium-cooled fast reactor) causes an explosion upon reaction with air and water, sodium leakages represent an important safety issue. In this study, a novel technique for improving the reliability of sodium leakage detection applying DDVR (dynamic data validation and reconciliation) is proposed and verified to resolve this technical issue. DDVR is an approach that aims to improve the accuracy of a target system in a dynamic state by minimizing random errors, such as from the uncertainty of instruments and the surrounding environment, and by eliminating gross errors, such as instrument failure, miscalibration, or aging, using the spatial redundancy of measurements in a physical model and the reliability information of the instruments. DDVR also makes it possible to estimate the state of unmeasured points. To validate this approach for supporting sodium leakage detection, this study applies experimental data from a sodium leakage detection experiment performed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. The validation results show that the reliability of sodium leakage detection is improved by cooperation between DDVR and hardware measurements. Based on these findings, technology integrating software and hardware approaches is suggested to improve the reliability of sodium leakage detection by presenting the expected true state of the system.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권6호
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• pp.2262-2275
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• 2022

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) studied the sodium-water reaction (SWR) minimized steam generator for the safety of the sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), and selected the copper bonded steam generator (CBSG) as the optimal concept. This paper introduces the conceptual design of the CBSG and the development of the CBSG sizing analyzer (CBSGSA). The CBSG consists of multiple heat transfer modules with a crossflow heat transfer configuration where sodium flows horizontally and water flows vertically. The heat transfer modules are stacked along a vertical direction to achieve the targeted large heat transfer capacity. The CBSGSA code was developed for the thermal-hydraulic analysis of the CBSG in a multi-pass crossflow heat transfer configuration. Finally, we conducted a preliminary sizing and rating analysis of the CBSG for the trans-uranium (TRU) core system using the CBSGSA code proposed by KAERI.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제51권1호
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• pp.284-292
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• 2019

For the continuous operation of a nuclear reactor, burnt fuel needs to be replaced with fresh fuel, where appropriate (ex-vessel) fuel handling is required. Particularly for the Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) refueling, its process has unique challenges due to liquid sodium coolant. The ex-vessel spent fuel transportation should concern several design features such as the radiation shielding, decay-heat removal, and inert space separated from air. This paper proposes a new design optimization methodology of cask shielding to transport the spent fuel assembly in a prototype SFR for the first time. The Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm had been applied to design trade-offs between shielding and cask weight. The cask is designed as a double-cylinder structure to block an inert sodium region from the air-cooling space. The PSO process yielded the optimum shielding thickness of 26 cm, considering the weight as well. To confirm the shielding performance, the radiation dose of spent fuel removed at its peak burnup and after 1-year cooling was calculated. Two different fuel positions located during transportation were also investigated to consider a functional disorder in a cask drive system. This study concludes the current cask design in normal operations is satisfactory in accordance with regulatory rules.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• 제57권1호
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• pp.28-41
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• 2019

본 연구는 소듐냉각고속로 원형로 소듐-물 반응 압력완화계통의 성능 해석을 목적으로 한다. 증기발생기의 전열관 파단에 의한 대규모 물 누출 사고 발생 시, 증기발생기 전열관 내측의 물을 급수덤프탱크로 배출하고 전열관 외측의 소듐 및 반응생성물을 소듐덤프탱크로 배출 할 때 유체의 거동을 해석하여 계통 설계요건의 적절성을 평가하였다. 증기발생기 쉘 측의 액체와 중간열전달계통 내 소듐이 모두 배출되는데 소요되는 시간은 약 50초이고, 증기발생기 전열관 측의 급수가 모두 배출되는데 소요되는 시간은 약 2.5초로 계산되었다. 증기발생기와 중간열전달계통 내 유체가 덤프탱크로 배출되는 동안 전열관 측의 압력은 쉘 측의 압력보다 높게 유지되어 쉘 측의 소듐이 전열관 측으로 역류하는 현상은 없는 것으로 해석되었다. 본 연구의 결과는 SFR 원형로 소듐-물반응압력완화계통의 성능 평가에 대한 기초자료로 활용할 예정이다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권2호
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• pp.565-578
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• 2022

Among Generation IV reactors, the sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) is attracting attention as a system having great potential for commercial use. Gas entrainment is a thermal-hydraulic issue related to the safety problem of the reactor core in the SFR. Typically, a dipped plate or baffles are installed under the free surface to suppress gas entrainment. However, these approaches can cause gas entrainment in other locations and require many trial-and-error and verifications. In this study, a new strategy using magnetohydrodynamics to suppress gas entrainment in the SFR is proposed. In a counter-flow model, a judgment criterion of gas entrainment occurrence was developed for both water and liquid metal. Moreover, the gas entrainment can be completely suppressed by applying a magnetic field.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.475-502
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• 2012

In this paper, the seismic analysis modeling technologies for sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) are presented with detailed descriptions for each structure, system and component (SSC) model. The complicated reactor system of pool type SFR, which is composed of the reactor vessel, internal structures, intermediate heat exchangers, primary pumps, core assemblies, and core support structures, is mathematically described with simple stick models which can represent fundamental frequencies of SSC. To do this, detailed finite element analyses were carried out to identify fundamental beam frequencies with consideration of fluid added mass effects caused by primary sodium coolant contained in the reactor vessel. The calculation of fluid added masses is performed by detailed finite element analyses using FAMD computer program and the results are discussed in terms of the ways to be considered in a seismic modeling. Based on the results of seismic time history analyses for both seismic isolation and non-isolation design, the functional requirements for relative deflections are discussed, and the design floor response spectra are proposed that can be used for subsystem seismic design.

• 비파괴검사학회지
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.338-344
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• 2010

웨이브가이드 초음파센서를 적용하여 소듐냉각 고속로 KALIMER-600의 원자로 노심과 내부구조물의 소듐내부가시화를 수행하는 이중회전 구동 C-스캔 시스템과 소프트웨어 프로그램 Under-Sodium MultiVIEW를 개발하였다. 이중회전 구동 C-스캔 시스템은 KALIMER-600 원자로 헤드의 이중회전 플러그를 모사하여 설계 제작하였으며 웨이브가이드 초음파센서에 초음파 펄스를 송수신할 수 있는 고출력 초음파 시스템과 스캐너 구동 제어 장치를 구축하였다. Under-Sodium MultiVIEW 프로그램은 이중회전 스캐너의 구동을 제어하면서 웨이브가이드 초음파센서에 초음파 신호를 송수신하여 영상 처리를 수행하는 소듐내부가시화 프로그램으로서 LabVIEW 그래픽 프로그램 언어를 기반으로 개발되었다. 이중회전 구동에 의한 수중 C-스캔 성능시험을 수행하여 Under-Sodium MultiVIEW 프로그램의 가시화 성능을 실험적으로 검증하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.260-266
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• 2015

Twenty sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs) have provided valuable experience in design, licensing, and operation. This paper summarizes the important safety criteria and safety guidelines of intermediate sodium systems, steam generators, decay heat removal systems and associated construction materials and in-service inspection. The safety criteria and guidelines provide a sufficient framework for design and licensing, in particular by new entrants in SFRs.