Papers by Author: Kee Nam Song

Abstract: Different microstructures in the weld zone of a metal structure including a fusion zone and a heat affected zone, are formed as compared to the base material. Consequently, the mechanical properties in the weld zone are different from those in the base material to a certain degree owing to different microstructures and residual welding stresses. When a welded structure is loaded, the mechanical behavior of the welded structure might be different from the case of a structure with homogeneous mechanical properties. It is known that obtaining the mechanical properties in the weld is generally difficult owing to the narrow regions of the weld and interfaces. As an alternative way to obtain the weld mechanical properties, the weld mechanical properties of Alloy800HT, SUS316L, and Alloy617, were recently measured using an instrumented indentation technique, and the representative weld mechanical properties of these materials were estimated with a 95% lower confidence level for later structural analyses of the welded structures.

Abstract: The IHX (Intermediate Heat Exchanger) of a VHTR (Very High Temperature Reactor) transfers 950°C heat generated from the VHTR to a hydrogen production plant. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute has manufactured a lab-scale Alloy 800HT PCHE (Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger) prototype under consideration as a candidate of the IHX (Intermediate Heat Exchanger). In this study, as a part of a structural integrity evaluation of the PCHE prototype, an elasto-plastic structural analysis including a thermal analysis was carried out under the designed test conditions of the PCHE prototype in a helium experimental loop (HELP). The analysis results were reflected to re-design the pipeline layout of HELP and to determine the actual test conditions of the PCHE prototype in the re-designed HELP in view of experimental safety.

Abstract: The IHX (Intermediate Heat Exchanger) of a VHTR (Very High Temperature Reactor) transfers 950°C heat generated from the VHTR to a hydrogen production plant. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has manufactured a 70 kW class lab-scale PCHE (Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger) prototype made of SUS316L under consideration as a candidate. In this study, as a part of a structural integrity evaluation of the lab-scale PCHE prototype, an elastic structural analysis including structural analysis modeling and a thermal/elastic structural analysis was carried out under the test conditions of a helium experimental loop (HELP). In addition, a structural integrity evaluation considering the weld material properties was conducted.

Abstract: PHE (Process Heat Exchanger) is a key component for transferring the high-temperature heat generated from a VHTR (Very High Temperature Reactor) to a chemical reaction for massive production of hydrogen. Recently, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has manufactured a medium-scale PHE prototype made of Hastelloy-X of high-temperature alloy and a performance test on the PHE prototype is scheduled in a small-scale nitrogen gas loop established at KAERI. In this study, in order to evaluate the high-temperature structural integrity of the PHE prototype under the steady-state and trip conditions of the gas loop before the performance test on the PHE prototype, elastic and elastic-plastic structural analyses on the PHE prototype were carried out and the analyses results were compared each other.

Abstract: PHE (Process Heat Exchanger) is a key component for transferring the high-temperature heat generated from a VHTR (Very High Temperature Reactor) to a chemical reaction for massive production of hydrogen. Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute has established a small-scale nitrogen gas loop for the performance test on VHTR components and has manufactured a small-scale PHE prototype made of Hastelloy-X of high-temperature alloy. A performance test on the PHE prototype is underway in the gas loop. In this study, in order to evaluate the high-temperature structural integrity of the PHE prototype under the test condition of the gas loop, structural analysis on the PHE prototype was carried out to gauge the stiffness of pipelines connected to the PHE prototype in the gas loop.

Abstract: PHE (Process Heat Exchanger) is a key component for transferring the high-temperature heat generated from a VHTR (Very High Temperature Reactor) to a chemical reaction for massive production of hydrogen. Recently, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has manufactured a small-scale and a medium-scale PHE prototype made of Hastelloy-X of high-temperature alloy and a performance test on the PHE prototype is scheduled in a small-scale nitrogen gas loop established at KAERI. In this study, in order to compare the high-temperature structural integrity of the PHE prototypes under the normal test condition of the gas loop, high-temperature structural analyses on the PHE prototypes were carried out and the analyses results were compared to each other. As a result of comparisons, the high-temperature structural integrity of the medium-scale PHE prototype gets worse due to higher thermal expansion by a size effect.

Abstract: A spacer grid assembly, which is an interconnected array of slotted grid straps welded at the intersections to form an egg crate structure, is one of the core structural components for the nuclear fuel assemblies of a Pressurized light Water Reactor (PWR). The commercial spacer grid assembly is spot-welded at the crossing points of the intersections by a TIG welding, LASER beam welding or Electron beam welding method. In this study, a LASER beam welding apparatus and a method for an inner strap welding has been proposed to obtain a longer and finer weld line and a smaller weld bead size for a spacer grid assembly for a PWR fuel assembly. Also a rapid welding and excellent weld quality have been achieved by the proposed welding apparatus and method.

Abstract: A spacer grid assembly, which is an interconnected array of slotted grid straps welded at the intersections to form an egg crate structure, is one of the core structural components of the nuclear fuel assemblies of a Pressurized light Water Reactor (PWR). The spacer grid assembly is structurally required to have enough buckling strength under lateral loads so that the nuclear fuel rods are maintained in a coolable geometry, and that control rods are able to be inserted. The ability of a spacer grid assembly to resist lateral loads is usually characterized in terms of its dynamic and static crush strengths. Since the crush strengths of a spacer grid assembly are known to depend on the weld qualities at the intersections of the slotted grid straps, high-tech welding methods, such as a TIG welding, LASER beam welding or Electron beam welding method, have been used recently in the nuclear fuel manufacturing fields. In this study, to meet the above requirements, two kinds of researches were carried out. First, by adjusting the LASER beam welding parameters, an optimum welding combination of the LASER beam welding parameters was obtained for welding a spacer grid assembly. Second, a new LASER beam welding technique was proposed to obtain a longer weld line and a smaller weld bead size by tilting the LASER beam. The buckling strength of the spacer grid welded by the new LASER beam welding technique was enhanced by up to 30 % when compared to that by the conventional LASER beam welding method.

Abstract: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is in the process of carrying out a Nuclear Hydrogen Development and Demonstration (NHDD) Program by considering the indirect cycle gas cooled reactors that produce heat at temperatures in the order of 950°C. A coaxial doubletube hot gas duct (HGD) is a key component connecting the reactor pressure vessel and the intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) for the NHDD program. Recently, a preliminary design evaluation for the hot gas duct of the NHDD program was carried out. These preliminary design activities include a preliminary decision on the geometric dimensions, a preliminary strength evaluation, an appropriate material selection, and identifying the design code for the HGD. In this study, a preliminary strength evaluation for the HGD of the NHDD program has been undertaken based on the HTR-10 design concepts. Also, a preliminary evaluation of the creep-fatigue damage for a high temperature HGD structure has been carried out according to the draft code case for Alloy 617. Preliminary strength evaluation results for the HGD showed that the geometric dimensions of the proposed HGD would be acceptable for the design requirements.

Abstract: A spacer grid assembly is one of the main structural components of the nuclear fuel assembly of a Pressurized light Water Reactor (PWR). The spacer grid assembly supports and aligns the fuel rods, guides the fuel assemblies past each other during a handling and, if needed, sustains lateral seismic loads. The ability of a spacer grid assembly to resist these lateral loads is usually characterized in terms of its dynamic and static crush strengths, which are acquired from tests. In this study, a finite element analysis on the dynamic crush strength of spacer grid assembly specimens is carried out. Comparisons show that the analysis results are in good agreement with the test results within an 8 % difference range. Therefore, we could predict the crush strength of a spacer grid assembly in advance, before performing the dynamic buckling test. And also a parametric study on the crush strength of a spacer grid assembly is carried out by adjusting the weld penetration depth for a sub-sized spacer grid, which also shows a good agreement between the test and analysis results.