NukleonikaPub Date : 2021-11-25DOI: 10.2478/nuka-2021-0022
W. Kubiński, P. Darnowski, Kamil Chęć
{"title":"Optimization of the loading pattern of the PWR core using genetic algorithms and multi-purpose fitness function","authors":"W. Kubiński, P. Darnowski, Kamil Chęć","doi":"10.2478/nuka-2021-0022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/nuka-2021-0022","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The study demonstrates an application of genetic algorithms (GAs) in the optimization of the first core loading pattern. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) BEAVRS pressurized water reactor (PWR) model was applied with PARCS nodal-diffusion core simulator coupled with GA numerical tool to perform pattern selection. In principle, GAs have been successfully used in many nuclear engineering problems such as core geometry optimization and fuel configuration. In many cases, however, these analyses focused on optimizing only a single parameter, such as the effective neutron multiplication factor (keff), and often limited to the simplified core model. On the contrary, the GAs developed in this work are equipped with multiple-purpose fitness function (FF) and allow the optimization of more than one parameter at the same time, and these were applied to a realistic full-core problem. The main parameters of interest in this study were the total power peaking factor (PPF) and the length of the fuel cycle. The basic purpose of this study was to improve the economics by finding longer fuel cycle with more uniform power/flux distribution. Proper FFs were developed, tested, and implemented and their results were compared with the reference BEAVRS first fuel cycle. In the two analysed test scenarios, it was possible to extend the first fuel cycle while maintaining lower or similar PPF, in comparison with the BEAVRS core, but for the price of increased initial reactivity.","PeriodicalId":19467,"journal":{"name":"Nukleonika","volume":"66 1","pages":"147 - 151"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46397296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NukleonikaPub Date : 2021-11-25DOI: 10.2478/nuka-2021-0020
M. Oettingen, J. Cetnar
{"title":"Numerical modelling of modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactors with thorium fuel","authors":"M. Oettingen, J. Cetnar","doi":"10.2478/nuka-2021-0020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/nuka-2021-0020","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The volumetric homogenization method for the simplified modelling of modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor core with thorium-uranium fuel is presented in the paper. The method significantly reduces the complexity of the 3D numerical model. Hence, the computation time associated with the time-consuming Monte Carlo modelling of neutron transport is considerably reduced. Example results comprise the time evolutions of the effective neutron multiplication factor and fissionable isotopes (233U, 235U, 239Pu, 241Pu) for a few configurations of the initial reactor core.","PeriodicalId":19467,"journal":{"name":"Nukleonika","volume":"66 1","pages":"133 - 138"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46164454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NukleonikaPub Date : 2021-11-25DOI: 10.2478/nuka-2021-0031
A. Chmielewski, Marcin Sudlitz, B. Han, S. Pillai
{"title":"Electron beam technology for biogas and biofertilizer generation at municipal resource recovery facilities","authors":"A. Chmielewski, Marcin Sudlitz, B. Han, S. Pillai","doi":"10.2478/nuka-2021-0031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/nuka-2021-0031","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In the era of circular economies, municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are viewed as resource recovery facilities. At the very minimum, the targeted resources are water, biogas, and phosphorus. However, municipal wastewater streams (sludge and effluent) need to be adequately treated to eliminate the potential for the transmission of microbial pathogens including protozoa, bacteria, and viruses. This paper presents the results from a study demonstrating the use of electron beam technology for sludge hygenization and enhanced methane (biogas) production using municipal wastewater samples. Cogeneration of heat for fertilizer drying and granulation and electricity for powering the electron beam system are also demonstrated.","PeriodicalId":19467,"journal":{"name":"Nukleonika","volume":"66 1","pages":"213 - 219"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43984435","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NukleonikaPub Date : 2021-11-25DOI: 10.2478/nuka-2021-0018
E. Chajduk, P. Kalbarczyk
{"title":"Critical comparison of INAA and ICP-MS applied in the characterization of purity of TRISO fuel and substrates to its production","authors":"E. Chajduk, P. Kalbarczyk","doi":"10.2478/nuka-2021-0018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/nuka-2021-0018","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The application of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), both in solution and laser ablation (LA) mode, and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) in the nuclear material analysis are presented in this paper. The possibility of each technique for the chemical characterization of substances used during TRISO fuel production and its advantages and limitations are discussed based on the obtained results of the analysis of real materials used in TRISO fuel production in the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology. The paper also reports the application of INAA and LA-ICP-MS to the verification of the purity of the protective layers of pyrolytic carbon (PyC) and silicon carbide.","PeriodicalId":19467,"journal":{"name":"Nukleonika","volume":"66 1","pages":"121 - 126"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47933037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NukleonikaPub Date : 2021-11-25DOI: 10.2478/nuka-2021-0029
A. Bojanowska-Czajka
{"title":"Decomposition of diclofenac in sewage from municipal wastewater treatment plant using ionizing radiation","authors":"A. Bojanowska-Czajka","doi":"10.2478/nuka-2021-0029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/nuka-2021-0029","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The decomposition of diclofenac (DCF) in sewage sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plant was investigated. It was found that adsorption of DCF on sludge is about 40%. Compared to previous studies, where the degradation yield in aqueous solution was 100%, in those experiments at the dose up to 5 kGy, only 50% of initial DCF concentration of 50 mg L−1 was decomposed in sediment and in solution over the sediment. The experiments were carried out using both gamma radiation and electron beam. It has been observed that DCF in the aqueous phase, above the sediment, was decomposed with the same efficiency using both gamma radiation and electron beam. Whereas for DCF in the sediment, a higher degradation efficiency was found when gamma radiation was applied. This is most likely due to the limited penetration depth of the electron beam into the sludge layer. It was shown that the applied peroxide addition (in a stoichiometric amount needed for complete mineralization of 50 mg L−1 DCF) did not cause increase in yield of DCF decomposition.","PeriodicalId":19467,"journal":{"name":"Nukleonika","volume":"66 1","pages":"201 - 206"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44423558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NukleonikaPub Date : 2021-11-25DOI: 10.2478/nuka-2021-0021
Wojciech Żurkowski, P. Sawicki, W. Kubiński, P. Darnowski
{"title":"Application of genetic algorithms in optimization of SFR nuclear reactor design","authors":"Wojciech Żurkowski, P. Sawicki, W. Kubiński, P. Darnowski","doi":"10.2478/nuka-2021-0021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/nuka-2021-0021","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This work presents a demonstrational application of genetic algorithms (GAs) to solve sample optimization problems in the generation IV nuclear reactor core design. The new software was developed implementing novel GAs, and it was applied to show their capabilities by presenting an example solution of two selected problems to check whether GAs can be used successfully in reactor engineering as an optimization tool. The 3600 MWth oxide core, which was based on the OECD/NEA sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) benchmark, was used a reference design [1]. The first problem was the optimization of the fuel isotopic inventory in terms of minimizing the volume share of long-lived actinides, while maximizing the effective neutron multiplication factor. The second task was the optimization of the boron shield distribution around the reactor core to minimize the sodium void reactivity effect (SVRE). Neutron transport and fuel depletion simulations were performed using Monte Carlo neutron transport code SERPENT2. The simulation resulted in an optimized fuel mixture composition for the selected parameters, which demonstrates the functionality of the algorithm. The results show the efficiency and universality of GAs in multidimensional optimization problems in nuclear engineering.","PeriodicalId":19467,"journal":{"name":"Nukleonika","volume":"66 1","pages":"139 - 145"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47273065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NukleonikaPub Date : 2021-11-25DOI: 10.2478/nuka-2021-0027
W. Głuszewski
{"title":"GC investigation of post-irradiation oxidation phenomena on polypropylene","authors":"W. Głuszewski","doi":"10.2478/nuka-2021-0027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/nuka-2021-0027","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The paper summarizes the results of research on gas products of polypropylene (PP) radiolysis. Particular attention was paid to the phenomena of post-radiation degradation of PP. The protective effect of selected aromatic compounds was investigated. The research was carried out both from the point of view of obtaining radiation-resistant PP varieties and the possibility of accelerating biodegradation phenomena, e.g., PP/cellulose composition. The phenomena of post-radiation chain oxidation of PP were investigated by gas chromatography (GC). The GC in the system used (packed column, thermal conductivity detector, argon – carrier gas) enables the determination of H2, O2, CO, and CH4 in one measurement. The samples were irradiated with electron beams (EBs) accelerated in accelerators: Elektronika 10/10 with a power of 10 kW and energy of 10 MeV and LAE 13/9 with a power of 9 kW and energy up to 13 MeV. In the tests, PP without stabilizing additives (obtained directly from the production line) and non-stabilized styrene were used. Radiolytic efficiency of hydrogen evolution allowed us to estimate the number of originally formed free radicals. The maintenance of the secondary oxidation processes was the loss of oxygen and the formation of oxidation products (CO, CH4). Attention is paid to the protective effect of aromatic compounds (polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), anthracene, fluoranthene, acenaphthene, pyrene, naphthalene) both at the stage of hydrogen atom separation and the secondary oxidation process. The examples of post-radiation oxidation of PP irradiated in cryogenic conditions (–196°C) are presented. All used aromatic compounds showed a protective effect in PP radiolysis. We suppose that this phenomenon is responsible for the charge transfer along the polymer chain from the ionization spurs to the aromatic compound. The protective ranges of PS in PP radiolysis were estimated for the variously prepared PP/PS type compositions from 6 mers to 28 mers.","PeriodicalId":19467,"journal":{"name":"Nukleonika","volume":"66 1","pages":"187 - 192"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43200489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NukleonikaPub Date : 2021-09-01DOI: 10.2478/nuka-2021-0012
A. Petre, M. Ene, D. Negut, F. Gatea, E. Vamanu
{"title":"The use of gamma irradiation to stimulate bioactive compound synthesis in Inonotus obliquus submerged cultures","authors":"A. Petre, M. Ene, D. Negut, F. Gatea, E. Vamanu","doi":"10.2478/nuka-2021-0012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/nuka-2021-0012","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Inonotus obliquus is a parasite on the birch and other trees and is also a well-known medicinal mushroom. Its sterile conk is highly sought for its bioactive compounds such as phenols, polysaccharides, triterpenoids, and steroids. It was traditionally used to treat various gastrointestinal diseases, viral and parasitic infections, to counteract the progression of cancers, and to stimulate the immune system. We used acute gamma irradiation, followed by short-term submerged cultivation, as an oxidative stress inducer to enhance the synthesis of mycelial metabolites. The 300 Gy and 400 Gy doses showed the best results across the whole experimental design. Each assayed criterion had a different corresponding optimal stimulation dose. In one experiment, sublethal doses of irradiation triggered the dry weight of the cultured mycelium to increase by 19.764%. The free radical scavenging potential of the mycelium extracts increased by 79.83%. The total phenolic content of mycelium extracts and culture broth increased by 55.7% and 62.987%, respectively. The total flavonoid and sinapinic acid content of the broth increased by 934.678% and 590.395%, respectively. As such, gamma irradiation pre-treatment of the mycelial inoculum proved an interesting, economically and environmentally effective tool for stimulating secondary metabolite synthesis in submerged mycelium cultures.","PeriodicalId":19467,"journal":{"name":"Nukleonika","volume":"66 1","pages":"83 - 90"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44696530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Research on dose correction method of vehicle-borne environmental radiation measurement equipment","authors":"Jie Xu, Jizhou Ren, Jianbo Yang, Jiawen Fan, Rui Li, Hui Li, Weiqi Huang, Biao Yuan","doi":"10.2478/nuka-2021-0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/nuka-2021-0015","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This study establishes a near-ground reference radiation field based on typical radionuclides of the Fukushima accident in response to the need for vehicle-borne environmental radiation measurement equipment that can accurately evaluate the environmental dose of nuclear accidents. The Monte Carlo code FLUKA is used to study the environmental dose of such equipment in the early and mid-late reference radiation fields of nuclear accidents. Results of the air dose rate at 1 m above the ground were corrected to eliminate data difference between diverse measurement platforms. Simulation results show that t he dose correction factor (CF) fluctuates at approximately 0.8813 in the early reference radiation field and at approximately 0.6711 in the mid-late reference radiation field. This deviation of the dose CF in the early and mid-late reference radiation fields is within 2% and is not affected by the change in detector position. This research can be applied to obtain more accurate measurement of an ambient dose in the near-ground radiation field and support the vehicle-borne environmental radiation measurement technology.","PeriodicalId":19467,"journal":{"name":"Nukleonika","volume":"66 1","pages":"103 - 110"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47626455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
NukleonikaPub Date : 2021-09-01DOI: 10.2478/nuka-2021-0013
G. Guzik, J. Michalik
{"title":"European inter-comparison studies as a tool for perfecting irradiated food detection methods","authors":"G. Guzik, J. Michalik","doi":"10.2478/nuka-2021-0013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2478/nuka-2021-0013","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In this paper, we present the results of inter-comparison studies on identification of irradiated food carried out by the leading European laboratories from 1991 to 2018. In 1990s, the Federal Institute for Health Protection of Consumers and Veterinary Medicine in Germany played the leading role in the organization of the inter-laboratory tests on this subject. At the beginning of the present century, the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition and Food National Spanish Centre took over this role. In total, 47 international tests were carried out in which nearly 500 samples of alimentary products were analysed in 37 laboratories from 14 European countries. The tests were aimed at proving the reliability of analytical methods – thermoluminescence (TL), photostimulated luminescence (PSL), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy – for identification of specific irradiated food products and to control the analytical skills and experience of participating laboratories. The results made possible a discussion on why some irradiated food samples are more difficult for identification. In general, the tests showed that TL measurements of products such as herbs, nuts, peppers, and raisins, and EPR studies of fish and chicken bones, fresh strawberries, and dried fruits could be used as reliable control methods. The challenge that control laboratories are facing now, is related to the identification of complex food products such as diet supplements or biopharmaceuticals, in which only some additives are irradiated.","PeriodicalId":19467,"journal":{"name":"Nukleonika","volume":"66 1","pages":"91 - 97"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2021-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42985438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}