• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.501-512
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• 2014

HANARO is a multipurpose research reactor located at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). Since the commencement of its operation in 1995, various neutron irradiation facilities, such as rabbit irradiation facilities, fuel test loop (FTL) facilities, capsule irradiation facilities, and neutron transmutation doping (NTD) facilities, have been developed and actively utilized for various nuclear material irradiation tests requested by users from research institutes, universities, and industries. Most irradiation tests have been related to national R&D relevant to present nuclear power reactors such as the ageing management and safety evaluation of the components. Based on the accumulated experience as well as the sophisticated requirements of users, HANARO has recently supported national R&D projects relevant to new nuclear systems including the System-integrated Modular Advanced Reactor (SMART), research reactors, and future nuclear systems. This paper documents the current state and utilization of irradiation facilities in HANARO, and summarizes ongoing research efforts to deploy advanced irradiation technology.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.11-39
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• 2018

Tritium and $^{14}C$ are two most important radionuclides released from nuclear facilities to the environment, and $^{14}C$ contributes dominant radiation dose to the population around nuclear power plants. This paper presents an overview of the production, pathway, species and levels of tritium and $^{14}C$ in nuclear facilities, mainly nuclear power plants. The methods for sampling and collection of different species of tritium and $^{14}C$ in the discharge gas from the stack in the nuclear facilities, atmosphere of the nuclear facilities and environment are presented, and the features of different methods are reviewed. The on-line monitoring methods of gaseous tritium and $^{14}C$ in air and laboratory measurement methods for sensitive determination of tritium and $^{14}C$ in collected samples, water and environmental solid samples are also discussed in detailed. Meanwhile, the challenges in the determination and speciation analysis of tritium and $^{14}C$ are also highlighted.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2005.11b
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• pp.110-112
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• 2005

Recently, the reactor trip in nuclear power plants has mostly occurred by the failure of secondary electrical facilities. Some kinds of technical standards or acceptable criteria are required to regulate those facilities. Therefore, in this paper the failures of secondary electrical facilities which cause reactor trip are analyzed, and the inspection technologies including guidelines for secondary electrical facilities are developed.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.52-57
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• 2023

Background: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) operates several nuclear research facilities licensed by Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC). The emergency preparedness requirements, GSR Part 7, by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) request protection strategy based on the hazard assessment that is not applied in Korea. Materials and Methods: In developing the protection strategy, it is important to consider an accident scenario and its consequence. KAERI has tried the hazard assessment based on a hypothesis accident scenario for the major nuclear facilities. During the assessment, the safety analysis report of the related facilities was reviewed, the simulation using MELCOR, MACCS2 code was implemented based on a considered accident scenario of each facility, and the international guidance was considered. Results and Discussion: The results of the optimized protective actions were 300 m evacuation and 800 m sheltering for the High-Flux Advanced Neutron Application Reactor (HANARO), the evacuation to radius 50 m, the sheltering 400 m for post-irradiation examination facility (PIEF), 100 m evacuation or sheltering for HANARO fuel fabrication plant (HFFP) facility. Conclusion: The results of the optimized protective actions and its distances for the KAERI facilities for the maximum postulated accidents were considered in establishing the emergency plan and procedures and implementing an emergency exercise for the KAERI facilities.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.792-799
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• 2023

Non-reactor nuclear facilities are increasing remarkably in Korea combined with advanced technologies such as life and space engineering, and the diversification of the nuclear industry. However, the absence of a basic classification guideline related to the design of non-reactor nuclear facilities has created confusion whenever related projects are carried out. In this paper, related domestic and international technical guidelines are reviewed to present the classification criteria of non-reactor nuclear facilities in Korea. Based on these criteria, the classification of structures, systems and components (SSCs) for safety controls is presented. Using the presented classification criteria, classification of a hot cell facility, a representative non-reactor nuclear facility, was performed. As a result of the classification, the hot cell facility is classified as the hazard category 3, accordingly, the safety class was classified as non-nuclear safety, the seismic category as non-seismic (RW-IIb), and the quality class as manufacturers' standards (S).

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.1176-1180
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• 2021

The current study relates to RADAR (RAdio Detection and Ranging) application for level measurement of vitrified radioactive liquid nuclear waste. The vitrification of radioactive liquid waste is carried out in special equipment called 'Melters'. The study is directed towards the design and frequency modulation used in the level measurement of vitrified waste. More specifically, the RADAR design and frequency used for level measurement in a melter. This level measurement technique can also be used for dynamic vitrification process and can be used to measure the level variations without using any external medium/material and using only electromagnetic waves. Also, this technique is durable and accurate even under the high radioactive environment present inside the melter.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2008.10b
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• pp.209-210
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• 2008

In the case of unauthorized individuals, systems and entities or process threatening the instrumentation and control systems of nuclear facilities using the intrinsic vulnerabilities of digital based technologies, those systems may lose their own required functions. The loss of required functions of the critical systems of nuclear facilities may seriously affect the safety of nuclear facilities. Consequently, digital instrumentation and control systems, which perform functions important to safety, should be designed and operated to respond to cyber threats capitalizing on the vulnerabilities of digital based technologies. To make it possible, the developers and licensees of nuclear facilities should perform appropriate cyber security program throughout the whole life cycle of digital instrumentation and control systems. Under the goal of securing the safety of nuclear facilities, this paper presents the KINS' regulatory position on cyber security program to remove the cyber threats that exploit the vulnerabilities of digital instrumentation and control systems and to mitigate the effect of such threats. Presented regulatory position includes establishing the cyber security policy and plan, analyzing and classifying the cyber threats and cyber security assessment of digital instrumentation and control systems.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.293-300
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• 2022

During the decommissioning of the nuclear facilities, the radioactive gases in pressure vessels may leak due to the demolition operations. The decommissioning site has large space, slow air circulation, and many large nuclear facilities, which increase the difficulty of workers' inhalation exposure assessment. In order to dynamically evaluate the activity distribution of radionuclides and the committed effective dose from inhalation in nuclear decommissioning environment, an inhalation exposure assessment method based on the modified eddy-diffusion model and the inhaled dose conversion factor is proposed in this paper. The method takes into account the influence of building, facilities, exhaust ducts, etc. on the distribution of radioactive gases, and can evaluate the influence of radioactive gases diffusion on workers during the decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.691-696
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• 2007

Nuclear energy programs around the world increasingly find themselves at the nexus of potentially conflicting demands from both domestic and international stakeholders. On one side, the rapid growth in demand for electricity coupled with the goal of reducing carbon emissions calls for a significant expansion of nuclear energy. On the other, stakeholders are seeking ever greater safety, environmental, security, and nonproliferation assurances before consenting to the construction of new nuclear energy facilities. Satisfying the demand for clean energy supplies will require nuclear energy operators to find new and innovative ways to build confidence among stakeholders. This paper discusses two related concepts which can contribute to meeting the needs of key stakeholders in cost effective and efficient ways. Structured processes and tools for assessing stakeholder needs can build trust and confidence while facilitating the "designing-in" of information collection systems for new facilities to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness. Integrated approaches to monitoring facilities and managing the resulting data can provide stakeholders with continued confidence while offering operators additional facility and process information to improve performance.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.2288-2297
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• 2023

Current designs of both large reactor units and small modular reactors utilize a nuclear fuel with increasing enrichment. This increasing demand for better nuclear fuel utilization is a challenge for nuclear fuel handling facilities. The operation with higher enriched fuels leads to reduced reserves to legislative and safety criticality limits of spent fuel transport, storage and final disposal facilities. Design changes in these facilities are restricted due to a boron content in steel and aluminum alloys that are limited by rolling, extrusion, welding and other manufacturing processes. One possible solution for spent fuel pools and casks is the burnup credit method that allows decreasing very high safety margins associated with the fresh fuel assumption in spent fuel facilities. This solution can be supplemented or replaced by an alternative solution based on placing the neutron absorber material directly into the fuel assembly, where its efficiency is higher than between fuel assemblies. A neutron absorber permanently fixed in guide tubes decreases system reactivity more efficiently than absorber sheets between the fuel assemblies. The paper summarizes possibilities of fixed neutron absorbers for various nuclear fuel and fuel handling facilities. Moreover, an absorber material was optimized to propose alternative options to boron. Multiple effective absorbers that do not require steel or aluminum alloy compatibility are discussed because fixed absorbers are placed inside zirconium or steel cladding.