Published since January 1, 1987

Kerntechnik

Independent Journal for Nuclear Engineering

ISSN: 2195-8580

About this journal

Kerntechnik is an independent journal for nuclear engineering (including design, operation, safety and economics of nuclear power stations, research reactors and simulators), energy systems, radiation (ionizing radiation in industry, medicine and research) and radiological protection (biological effects of ionizing radiation, the system of protection for occupational, medical and public exposures, the assessment of doses, operational protection and safety programs, management of radioactive wastes, decommissioning and regulatory requirements). For more than 75 years Kerntechnik offers original scientific and technical contributions, review papers and conference reports.
All articles are subject to thorough, independent peer review.

History

In 1956, the publisher Karl Thiemig founded the journal ATOMKERNENERGIE after the Paris Treaties of May 1955 enabled the Federal Republic of Germany to re-enter nuclear technology. The dynamic scientific development that started at that time prompted Karl Thiemig to launch a second technical journal, KERNTECHNIK. At the end of 1970, the journal ATOMPRAXIS, published by Verlag Braun, was merged into KERNTECHNIK.

In 1979, the journals ATOMKERNENERGIE and KERNTECHNIK in turn merged into one journal with the ATOMKERNENERGIE/KERNTECHNIK. When the Thiemig publishing house ceased its operations in early 1986, Carl Hanser Verlag acquired the journal and continued to publish it under the title KERNTECHNIK from 1987.

KERNTECHNIK is the only independent German journal publishing scientific articles in English in the fields of nuclear technology and radiation protection. During the last decade, KERNTECHNIK has increasingly developed into a journal respected by international experts. In order to secure KERNTECHNIK for the future, in which high visibility of publications, the impact factor and open access play an increasingly decisive role, Carl Hanser Verlag has decided to place the journal KERNTECHNIK into the hands of the very renowned and successful scientific publisher Walter de Gruyter as of 01.01.2021.

De Gruyter publishes first-class research and has done so for more than 270 years and is an international, independent publisher headquartered in Berlin. The company publishes over 1,300 new book titles each year and more than 900 journals in the humanities, social sciences, medicine, mathematics, engineering, computer sciences, natural sciences, and law, and also offers a wide range of digital media, including open access journals and books.

The publishing house is represented in international markets by its own offices or partners. As an independent scientific publisher with a long-term strategy, de Gruyter offers an almost perfect environment for KERNTECHNIK to flourish and is an excellent strategic addition to its technology and natural sciences division.

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Supplementary Materials

Topics

Volume 88 Issue 3

June 2023

Publicly Available June 5, 2023

Frontmatter

Page range: i-iii

Download PDF

March 14, 2023

Scaling effect on cesium diffusion in compacted MX-80 bentonite for buffer materials in HLW repository

Yi-Ling Liu, Tzu-Ting Lin, Chuan-Pin Lee

Page range: 253-261

Abstract

In this study, radionuclide behavior in high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal repositories is complicated because of the spatial heterogeneity of porous media, coupled flow-transport mechanisms, and multiple chemical reaction processes. Discrepancies in the diffusion behavior of a non-sorbing tracer (HTO) and a reactive tracer ( 137 Cs) in porous media have long been recognized but are not yet fully understood, which hinders effective assessment of the capabilities of buffer materials. This paper was dedicated to exploring and explaining the discrepancies in the transport behavior of non-sorbing and reactive tracers through laboratory experiments and an investigation of contributing mechanisms. Our results showed that for a bentonite sample of the same thickness, 137 Cs has smaller apparent and less effective diffusion coefficients than those for HTO. These discrepancies can be attributed to the negative surface electric effects, atomic properties, and chemical reactions. In the case of bentonite samples with different thicknesses (0.5, 0.75, 2.0, 2.5 cm), the apparent and effective diffusion coefficients show an increasing trend with bentonite thickness. According to the experimental data and fitting results, the apparent and effective diffusion coefficients are highly related to bentonite thickness. Thus, scaling effects on transport parameters were proposed to explain the results, which were attributed to the nonuniform distribution of the pore space in the bentonite sample. The scale effect behavior of radionuclide was quantified through a regression analysis. The results can be used to improve buffer designs for radionuclides diffusion.

March 30, 2023

Enhanced heat transfer in corrugated plate fin heat sink

Alen Mathew Jose, Manoj Kumar, Anil Kumar Patil

Page range: 262-272

Abstract

To design a compact heat sink, a simplified geometry, enhanced heat dissipation, and the minimum pressure drop should be taken into consideration. With this objective, an experimental investigation has been conducted with the corrugated plate-fin heat sink by varying the relative radius of corrugation and relative corrugation pitch in the range of 0.16–0.31, and 0.06–0.16, respectively, for the Reynolds number range of 6000–14,000. Experiments were conducted on a corrugated plate-fin heat sink using an open-loop experimental system comprising a test section of a rectangular channel measuring 2300 mm long, 180 mm wide, and 80 mm high. The corrugated fin creates higher disturbances caused by multiple separations and reattachments in the flow and thereby yielding a higher localized heat transfer coefficient and enhanced heat transfer from the system. The maximum fin performance is found to be 5.87 for the corrugated plate-fin heat sink corresponding to the relative radius of corrugation and relative corrugation pitch of 0.16 and 0.125, respectively.

March 15, 2023

Discussion of options to increase the control drum worth in fast reactor

Huaping Mei, Chao Chen, Taosheng Li

Page range: 273-278

Abstract

The control drum is usually placed in the periphery of the active zone of the reactor core, and the control drum worth is generally small. This paper discusses different schemes to improve the control drum worth by the combination of neutron reflectors and absorbers, and the design optimization of the drums under the condition that external dimensions of the drums and positions of the drums relative to the core are fixed. The results show that BeO as the reflector, B 4 C and Gadolinium as the neutron absorber can obtain relatively higher drum worth. In addition, the control drum worth can also be appropriately improved by using a double-layer combination of moderator material and neutron absorber material, but it cannot be effectively improved by enlarging the central angle of the neutron absorber sector.

April 3, 2023

New semi-empirical systematic of (p,n) reaction cross section at 7.5 MeV

Omeir Lyes, Naima Amrani

Page range: 279-290

Abstract

It is advised to use a new formula to calculate the (p, n) reaction cross section at 7.5 MeV. We propose six new parameters for the formula proposed by Broeders, C. and Konobeyev, A.Y. (2008. Systematics of (p,n) reaction crosssection. Radiochim. Acta 96: 387–397) to fit experimental data. It should be noted that our systematics is only applicable to isotopes with a ratio of 7.5 MeV to the reaction threshold above 1.3 (7.5/ E th > 1.3). This is based on analytical calculations generated from the semi-empirical mass formula, the evaporation model, and the pre-equilibrium exciton model. We were able to find new parameters for the Broders et al. formula through this inquiry that guarantee a good fit with the revised experimental data (EXFOR2022) and provide a minimum value for the statistical parameters ∑ and χ 2 .

April 28, 2023

Computational analysis of nuclear desalination system under various configurations

Salah Ud-Din Khan, Jamel Orfi

Page range: 291-301

Abstract

The research addressed the economic evaluation of nuclear energy, coal, oil and natural gas in various cycle configurations with different distillation technologies. A comparison between fossil and nuclear energy sources is discussed. A comprehensive review of all desalination plants using fossil and nuclear energy with cogeneration is also included and discussed. Computational model was used to evaluate nuclear and non-nuclear desalination plants. Four possibilities were discussed. In this first case, a nuclear gas cycle integrated with a MED desalination plant was found to have the lowest cost in the gas cycle. While the nuclear steam cycle integrated with RO has the lowest cost compared to oil and natural gas. In the third case, the combined nuclear cycle was discussed and it was found that the combined nuclear cycle associated with RO has the lowest cost. In the last case, the evaluation of a heat-only desalination plant was conducted among all sources, and it was found that the nuclear plant with RO and MED has the lowest cost. In addition, the completed nuclear desalination plant was subjected to five scenarios to calculate and estimate at which capacity the plant provides the best values. The results show that nuclear desalination with gas cycle is the most economical among the oil and natural gas options.

April 24, 2023

Performance analysis of nuclear powered desalination unit based on MED-TVC: a case study for Saudi Arabia

Salah Ud-Din Khan, Abdullah Najib, Jamel Orfi

Page range: 302-315

Abstract

Nuclear desalination has been identified as an alternative option with much lower carbon dioxide emissions to provide fresh water by driving high capacity desalination plants. This work considers a theoretical analysis of using nuclear desalination to provide fresh water in three selected Saudi Arabian cities. It presents a theoretical model that integrates the characteristics of nuclear reactor, power cycle and desalination blocks. The power block includes three steam turbines and five feed water heaters. It is coupled via low pressure turbine to a multiple effect desalination unit integrated with a thermal vapor compressor encompassing eight effects, seven feed preheaters and a down condenser. The output includes work generated as function of fuel mass and reactor type, enrichment percentage, power and water production with different nuclear reactor type. Desalination performance indicators such as the fresh water production rate, gain output ratio (GOR), specific energy consumption (SEC) and specific cooling water mass flow rate have been evaluated and analyzed as function of sea water temperature for three specific Saudi cities. It was found that these indicators reflect better performance along a year for Jizan city than for Jubail and Tabuk. The case of Jizan city gives over the whole year more uniform values of water production rates, gain output ratio, specific energy consumption and cooling water mass flow rates.

March 17, 2023

Analysis of 4-inch cold leg top-slot break LOCA in ATLAS experimental facility using MARS-KS

Hyunjoon Jeong, Taewan Kim

Page range: 316-325

Abstract

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has operated an integral effect test facility, the Advanced Thermal-Hydraulic Test Loop for Accident Simulation (ATLAS) with reference to the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 MW (APR1400) for transient and design basis accidents (DBAs) simulation. An experiment for a 4-inch cold leg top-slot break was performed at ATLAS to resolve a safety issue that the loop seal reformation (LSR) of APR1400 could lead to the increase of peak cladding temperature. In addition, the experimental data has been utilized to validate system codes within a framework of domestic standard problem (DSP) program organized by KAERI in collaboration with Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS). In this study, the experiment has been analyzed by thermal-hydraulic system analysis code, MARS-KS 1.5 and a comparison with experimental and calculation results has been performed. Since the top-slot break is not a typical break geometry for safety analyses, this study aims at examining the applicability of MARS-KS to the top-slot break accident where the LSR occurs repeatedly. The results revealed that overall physical behavior during the accident was predicted by the code, appropriately. MARS-KS showed the excursion of the peak cladding temperature because of the LSR as in experiment. It has been confirmed that the core integrity was maintained because the temperature excursion by the LSR was not large enough to alter the acceptance criteria. In addition, it is presented the results of the sensitivity analysis of parameter that affect the figure of merits.

May 16, 2023

Evaluating the performance of Indonesia’s nuclear energy program using INPRO methodology

Johanna Maria Christina Johari, Jupiter Sitorus Pane, Winter Dewayatna, Ratih Langenati, Ganisa Kurniati Suryaman, Arief Sasongko Adhi, Agus Cahyono, Gagad Rahmadi, Bambang Herutomo, Sunarko, Dedy Priambodo, Sriyana, Suparman

Page range: 326-340

Abstract

A project was initiated to assess the sustainability of Indonesia’s planned nuclear energy system using the IAEA INPRO Methodology to develop an awareness of sustainability issues to support nuclear energy development strategic planning and decision making. Accordingly, for a nuclear energy system to be sustainable, fulfilment of current needs should not compromise the ability of future generations to meet theirs. The sustainability of the planned nuclear energy system was assessed based on the basic principles, user requirements and criteria in the areas of economics, infrastructure, waste management, proliferation resistance, physical protection, environment, and safety. The assessments covers the sustainability of a large reactor completed in 2014 to support the Pre-Feasibility Study in Bangka Belitung, and of a small and medium-sized reactor (SMR) currently ongoing to support the study in West Kalimantan. The results indicate that evidence of achieving sustainability exists in many respects, but there remain gaps to be addressed in due time on aspects such as economics, investment climate, availability of technology, and global development on non-renewable resources. A preliminary study on fuel cycle arrangements is being performed in parallel, focussing on collecting data including on fuel cycle services abroad. Collecting data has been the main challenge for a newcomer country that has yet to decide on the exact reactor technology. The paper is intended to evaluate the performance of Indonesia’s nuclear energy program using the INPRO Methodology to address the sustainability of its planned NES, i.e., reactors and fuel cycle facilities, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the efforts to achieve the purpose. Awareness of sustainability issues plays a key role in nuclear energy policy, especially for determining the energy mix by 2040, to achieve the Net Zero Emission policy target by 2060 or earlier.

March 13, 2023

Thermal hydraulic analysis of VVER spent fuels stored in vault dry system under different operating and design conditions

Sayed A. Elnaggar, Samaa A. Wasfy, Salwa H. Abdel-Latif, Ahmed M. Refaey

Page range: 341-353

Abstract

The spent nuclear fuel discharged from power reactors is a very important problem facing the future of using power reactors in electricity production. This paper focuses on the thermal-hydraulic behaviour of the VVER spent fuel in the vault dry storage system under forced convection mode, which is experimentally and numerically investigated. For this purpose, a test rig is designed and constrained to simulate the cooling loop vault system that contains four spent fuel assemblies discharged from the VVER reactor, which are represented by four electric heaters. A numerical simulation is performed by the ANSYS-CFX fluid dynamics code. The effects of decay heat generation and inlet air velocity are investigated as an operating condition. Also, the effect of the type of the Vault System tube material is being studied. The results show that the increase in the inlet air velocity improves the coolability of the fuel, while the increase in decay heat leads to a decrease in the coolability of the fuel. The used velocity range is (0.1 < V < 0.5 m/s) for inlet coolant air and heater power (20 < P < 100 W). Three tube materials (aluminum, copper, and stainless steel) were evaluated for mechanical properties, including thermal conductivity, to assess the feasibility of their use as tubes in the spent fuel storage.

April 14, 2023

Comparative analysis of swelling and porosity evolution in UO₂ fuel via two approaches

Bahareh Roostaii

Page range: 354-360

Abstract

A correlation for the volume porosity of irradiated UO 2 fuel as a sum of the individual contributions of the pore and swelling porosity in terms of the local density and fractional matrix swelling is developed. By using the existing low temperature low burnup model of swelling, evolution of the matrix swelling and porosity terms are calculated for UO 2 fuel in the low burnup but in the high burnup two various models are applied, the one with considering grain recrystallization and another without it but with the method of Xe depletion measurement. The purpose of the paper is comparison of fuel swelling behavior between two models at high burnups. The bulk swelling and porosity evolution in both methods are also validated by experimental data. Finally, one conclusion from this comparison is obtained, as the method which considering grain recrystallization has more rational behavior in the fuel swelling and porosity.

April 27, 2023

Euler–Maruyama algorithm in estimating UGV path and location in nuclear emergency and security applications

Hany Nasry Zaky, Mohamed G. Abd Elfatah, Sayed A. El-Mongy, Mohamed A.E. Abdel-Rahman

Page range: 361-369

Abstract

Mobile Robots (MR) are currently used across a variety of different sectors and have military, nuclear and industrial applications among others. In unmanned systems, teleoperation sensors, navigation instruments, control systems and radiation sensors can be fixed on the MR to perform required tasks such as radiological scanning, identifying, and surveying the contaminated environment that has been exposed to radiation. In this work, an estimation of the mobile robot location and the optimum path for time-delay compensation for MR teleoperation are investigated. As the MR teleoperation has a stochastic nature, the kinematics equations are modeled using stochastic differential equations (SDEs). Afterwards, these SDEs are solved using Numerical algorithms such as Euler–Maruyama algorithm which is used to approximate SDEs solution with the aid of MATLAB. Additionally, the results are discussed and depicted in tables and figures. Finally, the simulated results for the solution are performed and are found to highly agree with the ideal path of the simulated MR. This result is of great importance to be used in the case of nuclear emergency response and mitigation.

April 13, 2023

Modeling and simulation of deposited energy gain via irradiation of heavy ion beams on the fusion reactor contains spherical fuel capsules with foam

Abuzar Shakeri, Ebrahim Heidari, Nasrin Hosseini Motlagh, Hamid Reza Vanaie

Page range: 370-382

Abstract

In heavy ion fusion using the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) approach, firstly, the deposited energy of heavy ions in the target and, secondly, the charged products resulting from fusion reactions in the plasma of the fuel capsule are key and necessary points. In this paper, we used the ICF method for the core of a spherical fusion reactor simulation filled with multi-layer fuel capsules with foam using symmetrical irradiation from 32 different directions by two heavy ion beams of Cs and Pb with radiation energies of 8 and 10 GeV, respectively. Then we simulated the process of penetration and deposited energy of the beams inside the core of this reactor using GEANT4 code. The results of our simulations show that if the atomic number of radiation beams increases, the amount of beam stopping power increases, which is in agreement with existing theories. Also, by changing parameters such as the type and energy amount of the radiation beam, thickness, and the type of material selected in the layers of the desired fuel capsules, the amount of the penetration depth, the produced secondary particles, the stopping power per unit volume of fuel capsule and the reactor core will change. Eventually, these variations will cause a change in deposited energy gain inside the core of a spherical fusion reactor. The obtained maximum deposited energy due to the two selective Pb + and Cs + beams with 8 and 10 GeV energies in this study is related to DT fuel compared to the two neutron free-fuels of D 3 He and P 11 B. It can be seen that energy gain increases significantly with changing beam energy from 8 to 10 GeV, but for both selected energy, the enhancement of DT energy gain compared to D 3 He and P 11 B is not so significant.

May 9, 2023

Calendar of events

Page range: 383-384

Ahead of Print / Just Accepted

Ahead of Print / Just Accepted

Volume 88 (2023)

Volume 87 (2022)

Volume 86 (2021)

Volume 85 (2020)

Volume 84 (2019)

Volume 83 (2018)

Volume 82 (2017)

Volume 81 (2016)

Volume 80 (2015)

Volume 79 (2014)

Volume 78 (2013)

Volume 77 (2012)

Volume 76 (2011)

Volume 75 (2010)

Volume 74 (2009)

Volume 73 (2008)

Volume 72 (2007)

Volume 71 (2006)

Volume 70 (2005)

Volume 69 (2004)

Volume 68 (2003)

Volume 67 (2002)

Volume 66 (2001)

Volume 65 (2000)

Volume 64 (1999)

Volume 62 (1997)

Volume 61 (1996)

Volume 60 (1995)

Volume 59 (1994)

Volume 58 (1993)

Volume 57 (1992)

Volume 56 (1991)

Volume 55 (1990)

Volume 54 (1989)

Volume 53 (1989)

Volume 52 (1988)

Volume 51 (1987)

Volume 50 (1987)

5-year Journal Impact Factor	0.229
CiteScore	0.7
Journal Impact Factor	0.321
Journal Citation Indicator	0.17
SCImago Journal Rank	0.174
Source Normalized Impact per Paper	0.283

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In the tab “Overview” in section “Supplementary Materials” you will find the Instruction for Authors, a Manuscipt Checklist as well as an overview on citation and reference style. We kindly ask you to read these instructions carefully and follow them when drafting and submitting your manuscript.　

Hybrid open access　

In this journal, authors have the option to publish their article open access under Creative Commons license. Open access allows the authors to retain copyright and share their findings with colleagues and interested parties worldwide without any restraints. The standard fee for publishing an article open access is 2,000 EUR (excl. VAT).　

Please note that authors from institutions with which we have a transformative agreement can publish open access without paying an article processing charge (APC) or at considerable discount. More information on the eligible institutions and articles can be found here.　

Editorial

Editor-in-Chief　
Dr.-Ing. Anne Krüssenberg (Kerntechnik@degruyter.com)

Editorial Board　
Frank Apel, Heidelberg, Germany　
Attila Aszódi, Budapest, Hungary　
Xu Cheng, Karlsruhe, Germany　　
Yuri Kazansky, Obninsk, Russian Federation　
Sören Kliem, Dresden, Germany　
Horst-Michael Prasser, Zurich, Switzerland　
Piero Ravetto, Torino, Italy　
Andreas Schaffrath, Garching near Munich, Germany　
Chul-Hwa Song, Daejeon, South Korea　
Frank-Peter Weiß, Dresden, Germany　

(Deutsch)

Online ISSN: 2195-8580
Print ISSN: 0932-3902
Type: Journal
Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter
First published: January 1, 1987
Publication Frequency: 6 Issues per Year

Kerntechnik

Independent Journal for Nuclear Engineering

Frontmatter

Scaling effect on cesium diffusion in compacted MX-80 bentonite for buffer materials in HLW repository

Abstract

Enhanced heat transfer in corrugated plate fin heat sink

Abstract

Discussion of options to increase the control drum worth in fast reactor

Abstract

New semi-empirical systematic of (p,n) reaction cross section at 7.5 MeV

Abstract

Computational analysis of nuclear desalination system under various configurations

Abstract

Performance analysis of nuclear powered desalination unit based on MED-TVC: a case study for Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Analysis of 4-inch cold leg top-slot break LOCA in ATLAS experimental facility using MARS-KS

Abstract

Evaluating the performance of Indonesia’s nuclear energy program using INPRO methodology

Abstract

Thermal hydraulic analysis of VVER spent fuels stored in vault dry system under different operating and design conditions

Abstract

Comparative analysis of swelling and porosity evolution in UO2 fuel via two approaches

Abstract

Euler–Maruyama algorithm in estimating UGV path and location in nuclear emergency and security applications

Abstract

Modeling and simulation of deposited energy gain via irradiation of heavy ion beams on the fusion reactor contains spherical fuel capsules with foam

Abstract

Calendar of events

Comparative analysis of swelling and porosity evolution in UO₂ fuel via two approaches