[en] The present paper reports spontaneous steam explosions observed in fuel coolant interaction experiments using prototypic reactor materials. Pure ZrO₂ and a mixture of UO₂ and ZrO₂ are used. A high temperature molten material in the form of a jet is poured into a subcooled water pool located in a pressure vessel. An induction skull melting technique is used for the melting of the reactor material. In both tests using pure ZrO₂ and a mixture of UO₂ and ZrO₂, either a quenching or a spontaneous steam explosion was observed. The morphology of debris and pressure profile clearly indicate the differences between the qunching cases and explosion cases. The dynamic pressure, dynamic impulse, water temperature, melt temperature, and static pressure inside the containment chamber were measured. As the spontaneous steam explosion for the reactor material is firstly observed in the present experiments, the results of present experiments could be a significant step toward the understanding the explosivity of the reactor material

[en] Abundant information about analyses of single steam generator tube rupture (SGTR) events is available because of its importance in terms of safety. However, there are few literatures available on analyses of multiple steam generator tube rupture (MSGTR) events. In addition, knowledge of transients and consequences following a MSGTR event are very limited as there has been no occurrence of MSGTR event in the commercial operation of nuclear reactors. In this study, a postulated MSGTR event in an APR1400 is analyzed using thermal-hydraulic system code, MARS1.4. The present study aims to examine the effects of affected steam generator selection. The main steam safety valve (MSSV) lift time for four cases are compared in order to examine how long operator response time is allowed depending on which steam generator (S/G) is affected . The comparison shows that the cases where two steam generators are simultaneously affected allow longer time for operator action compared with the cases where a single steam generator is affected. Furthermore, the tube ruptures in the steam generator where a pressurizer is connected leads to the shortest operator response time

[en] The electrode potential characteristics of a YSZ based membrane metal oxide electrode have been studied in molten LiCl at 700 .deg. C by the potentiometric method. The electrode exhibited a good potential response to log[O²] and data reproducibility. The calibration plot (potential vs. log[O²] was found to be linear, obeying the nernst equation. The electrode potential showed a good reversibility corresponding to increase/decrease of the oxide ion present in the molten LiCl. The physical and chemical durability appeared to be sound after several repeated uses, resulting in reproducible results. However, 'the proposed electrode' failed when metallic Li was present in the melt

[en] Two approximate methods for a cosmic radiation shielding calculation in low earth orbits were developed and assessed. Those are a sectoring method and a chord-length distribution method. In order to simulate a change in cosmic radiation environments along the satellite mission trajectory, IGRF model and AP(E)-8 model were used. When the approximate methods were applied, the geometrical model of satellite structure was approximated as one-dimensional slabs, and a pre-calculated dose-depth conversion function was introduced to simplify the dose calculation process. Verification was performed with mission data of KITSAT-1 and the calculated results were also compared with detailed 3-dimensional calculation results using Monte Carlo calculation. Dose results from the approximate methods were conservatively higher than Monte Carlo results, but were lower than experimental data in total dose rate. Differences between calculation and experimental data seem to come from the AP-8 model, for which it is reported that fluxes of proton are underestimated. We confirmed that the developed approximate method can be applied to commercial satellite shielding calculations. It is also found that commercial products of semi-conductors can be damaged due to total ionizing dose under LEO radiation environment. An intensive shielding analysis should be taken into account when commercial devices are used

[en] In order to analyze the hydrogen distribution during a severe accident in the APR1400 containment, GASFLOW II was used. For the APR1400 NPP, a hydrogen mitigation system is considered from the design stage, but a fully time-dependent, three-dimensional analysis has not been performed yet. In this study GASFLOW code II is used for the three-dimensional analysis. The first step to analysis involving hydrogen behavior in a full containment with the GASLOW code is to generate a realistic geometry model, which includes nodalization and modeling of the internal structures such as walls, ceilings and equipment. Geometry modeling of the APR1400 is conducted using GUI program by overlapping the containment cut drawings in a graphical file format on the mesh view. The total number of mesh cells generated is 49,476. And the calculated free volume of the APR1400 containment by GASFLOW is almost the same as the value from the GOTHIC modeling. A hypothetical SB-LOCA scenario beyond design base accident was selected to analyze the hydrogen behavior with the hydrogen mitigation system. The source of hydrogen and steam for the GASFLOW II analysis is obtained from a MAAP calculation. Combustion pressure and temperature load possibilities within the compartments used in the GOTHIC analysis are studied based on the Sigma-Lambda criteria. Finally the effectiveness of HMS installed in the APR1400 containment is evaluated from the point of severe accident management

[en] The robust controller for the nuclear reactor power control system is designed. Since the reactor model is not exact, it is necessary to design the robust controller that can work in the real situations of perturbations. The reactor model is described in the form of transfer function and the bound of each coefficient is determined to set up the linear interval system. By the Kharitonov and the edge theorem, a frequency based design template is made and applied to the determination of the controller. The controller designed by this method is simpler than that obtained by the H_∞. Although the controller is designed with the basis of high power, it could be used even at low power

[en] Radioactive Corrosion Products (CRUD) which are generated by the neutron activation of general corrosion products at the nuclear power plant are the major source of occupational radiation exposure. Most of the CRUD has a characteristic of showing strong ferrimagnetisms. Along with the new development and production of permanent magnet (rare earth magnet) which generates much stronger magnetic field than the conventional magnet, new type of magnetic filter that can separate CRUD efficiently and eventually reduce radiation exposure of personnel at nuclear power plant is suggested. This separator consists of inner and outer magnet assemblies, coolant channel and container surrounding the outer magnet assembly. The rotational motion of the inner and outer permanent magnet assemblies surrounding the coolant channel by driving motor system produces moving alternating magnetic fields in the coolant channel. The CRUD can be separated from the coolant by the moving alternating magnetic field. This study describes the results of preliminary experiment performed with the different flow rates of coolant and rotation velocities of magnet assemblies. This new magnetic filter shows better performance results of filtering the magnetite at coolant (water). Flow rates, rotating velocities of magnet assemblies and particle sizes turn out to be very important design parameters

[en] The microstructural characteristics and its related mechanical properties of RPV cladding have been investigated using Small Punch(SP) tests. SA508 C1.3 RPV steel plates were overlay cladded with the type ER309L welding consumables by submerged arc welding process. Although the RPV clad material had a small portion of δ ferrite phase, it still showed the ductile to brittle transition behavior. The transition temperature was determined by the SP test and it depended on the content of σ phase, specimen size, and determination methods. The fracture appearance of SP specimen was changed from circumferential to radial cracking as test temperature became low, and below the transition temperature region, ER309L cladding usually fractured along the δ ferrite by the low temperature failure of ferrite phase

[en] The neutron induced nuclear data for Eu-153, Gd-155 and Gd-157 are calculated and evaluated in the high energy region. The evaluation procedure for deformed nuclei is setup by using Ecis-Empire codes. The energy dependent optical model potential parameters are searched based on the recent experimental data and applied up to 20 MeV. Optical model, full featured Hauser-Feshbach model and multistep direct and multistep compound model are used in the calculation. The direct-semidirect capture model and the direct coupled-channels contribution to discrete levels are introduced to improve the capture and inelastic scattering cross sections. The theoretically calculated cross sections are compared with the experimental data and the evaluated files. The model-calculated total and capture cross sections are in good agreement with the reference experimental data. The evaluated cross section results are compiled to ENDF-6 format and are expected to improve the ENDF/B-VI

[en] In assessing the long term post closure radiological safety assessment of a potential HLW repository in Korea, three categories of uncertainties exist. The first one is the scenario uncertainty where series of different natural events are translated into written statements. The second one is the modeling uncertainty where different mathematical models are applied for an identical scenario. The last one is the data uncertainty which can be expressed in terms of probabilistic density functions. In this analysis, three different scenarios are selected; a small well scenario, a radiolysis scenario, and a naturally discharged scenario. The MASCOT-K and the AMBER, probabilistic safety assessment codes based on connection of sub-modules and a compartment theory respectively, are applied to assess annual individual doses for a generic biosphere. Results illustrate that for a given scenario, predictions from two different codes fairly match well each other. But the discrepancies for the different scenarios are significant. However, total doses are still well below the guideline of 2 mRem/yr. Detailed analyses with model and data uncertainties are underway to further assure the safety of a Korean reference disposal concept