Korea develops world's best research reactor

Korea Herald 20100305

Korea's Nuclear Technology (8)

Korea operates 20 nuclear power plants, accounting for 38 percent of electricity consumption,
with eight new nuclear plants under construction. Korea ranks sixth in the world in terms of
nuclear power generation capacity.

Considering that Korea ranks ninth in energy consumption, seventh in oil consumption and
fourth in oil imports worldwide, nuclear energy assumes an important role in the Korean
economy as an alternative to fossil fuels.

For the last 20 years, consumer prices in Korea increased by 186 percent, while electricity tariffs
increased only by 11.4 percent. Needless to say, this stable supply of low-cost electricity
contributed greatly to the continued growth of the Korean economy. Korea has been able to
keep electricity rates low thanks largely to its continuous investment in R&D in nuclear
technology.

Korea's investment in nuclear R&D started from the establishment of the Korea Atomic Energy
Research Institute in 1959. In the preceding year, the Korean government decided to build a
research reactor, selecting a 100 kW TRIGA MK-II reactor as the first Korean research reactor
(KRR-1).
Research reactors are different from power reactors. While power reactors are designed to
produce heat to make electricity, research reactors are intended to conduct research using
neutron beams, to produce medical and industrial radioisotopes and test materials using
irradiation. Research reactors are small and simple compared to power reactors. They operate at
lower temperatures, need far less fuel, and turn out far less fission products as the fuel is used.

The introduction of a research reactor was the first step Korea made to open the nuclear
technology era. KRR-1 was constructed under a turn-key deal, with Korean construction
companies participating in its installation. The initial criticality - the point at which a nuclear
reaction is self-sustaining - was achieved on March 19, 1962.

The Korean government began to discuss the introduction of a megawatt-level research reactor
in the mid-1960s, with the final decision to import a 2 MW TRIGA MK-III made in 1968. This
reactor is called KRR-2. A plan to introduce nuclear power reactors by the end of the 1970s was
the background to the decision.

These two research reactors paved the way for Korea's rise as a powerhouse in nuclear
technology and power generation. They helped Korea develop human resources, develop basic
nuclear technology and master research reactor utilization technology. KRR-I and KRR-II were
permanently shut down in 1995. The government decided to turn KRR-1 into a nuclear museum.
KRR-II was decommissioned in 2005.

Kyung-Hee University in Seoul is one of the seven Korean universities that have a nuclear
engineering department. In 1976, Colorado State University of the United States donated an
AGN-201K, whose critical assembly was 0.1W, to Kyung-Hee. This research reactor started
operation in 1982. From 2004 to 2007, it underwent a refurbishment and power uprate project.
In 2008, it restarted operation as a 10W reactor. It is being used for training of university
students and HANARO reactor operators.

This is a good example of how an old facility can remain relevant after an upgrade.

In the mid-1980s, Korea considered the development of a high-power research reactor in

recognition of the need to provide a neutron source for basic research and other purposes,
including the need for an irradiation test tool for research on reactor fuel and reactor materials.
A high-power research reactor would also facilitate radioisotope production.

Korea started to build HANARO, a 30 MW open-pool type multipurpose research reactor, in 1985.
The HANARO project was one of Korea's ambitious projects to advance its nuclear technology.
Korea intended to localize not only the design and fabrication of nuclear power reactor fuel but
ultimately the design of power reactors.

The HANARO project, led by KAERI, called for a combination of various indigenous technologies
ranging from design to commissioning. The HANARO reactor achieved initial criticality in
February 1995 and has since been used for various purposes. Figure 1 shows the HANARO
complex which is composed of the HANARO building, the Radio-Isotope Production Facility, the
Irradiated Material Examination Facility, and the Cold Neutron Laboratory. The construction of
the first three facilities was completed in 1994, while the CNL was added in 2008. Figure 2 offers
a view of the inside of the HANARO reactor building; Figure 3 shows the reactor core; and Figure
4 shows the use of vertical and horizontal tubes.

HANARO is one of the world's best multipurpose research reactors. It is the only research
reactor in the world that is capable of undertaking all the functions that a research reactor can
carry out. It can be used for neutron science, reactor material and fuel irradiation, radioisotope
production, neutron transmutation doping, neutron activation analysis, and neutron radiography.
To accommodate an expanding list of applications, new utilization facilities have been added
since the reactor reached initial criticality. In addition, reactor systems have been upgraded and
antiaging steps have been taken to keep the reactor in good condition.

Recent achievements include the installation of a fuel test loop and a cold neutron research
facility. The fuel test loop in HANARO enables a simulation of the thermal-hydraulic conditions of
the power reactor. A commissioning test including test fuel irradiation was successfully
completed in September 2009.

With the introduction of the fuel test loop, Korea can now conduct the whole process of reactor
fuel production - from designing and fabricating to testing new power reactor fuels - without
recourse to foreign assistance. Previously, it had to rely on foreign facilities to test the
performance of its newly developed reactor fuels, risking the exposure of its expertise in fuel
development to foreign rivals. Development of new reactor fuels is needed to increase the
operating efficiency of power reactors and lower the cost of reactor fuels.

KAERI has become a world leader in research reactor fuel technology. It has fabricated and
supplied the rod type HANARO fuel assembly since 2005, and has developed an atomized
technique which produces high quality research reactor fuel material. Its atomized powfer is
exported to various countries around the world.

The cold neutron research facility represents another important milestone in Korea's nuclear
technology development history. A cold neutron is a very low-energy neutron with a long wave
length in the nanometer range. In radiography, cold neutrons increase the image contrast and
improve the detection of small amounts of water and hydrogen-containing materials in metal
matrixes. HANARO's production of cold neutron beams makes it an inevitable tool for research
on biomaterials and nanomaterials.

On Sept. 3, 2009, the first cold neutron measurement was conducted at 30MW, and the results
satisfied neutron scientists. Its neutron flux, or the number of neutrons passing through 1 sq.
centimeter of area per second, was measured at 60 million, a level that matched the estimate
made in the design phase.

In terms of neutron quality, Hanaro ranks third in the world, following ILL of France and FRM-2
of Germany. But a recent measurement at the end of 40m small angle neutron scattering
(SANS) shows the quality of HANARO's neutrons is second only to ILL in France. This result is
quite surprising, given the fact that HANAO is a multipurpose research reactor. The
measurement outcome will be published soon.

The cold neutron research facility and other utilization facilities will help HANARO emerge as a
major neutron source in the Asian region.

KAERI has long sought to share its experiences in development, management and utilization of
research reactors with foreign countries. Its efforts have resulted in the training of foreign
research reactor operators, exports of fuel materials and overseas supply of small equipment
used for radioisotope production and neutron beam research.

KAERI achieved its first small success in exporting research reactor system technology in March
2009. Greece, which has been operating a 5MW research reactor, opened a bid to upgrade its
primary cooling system. The KAERI-KOPEC team participated in the bid and was selected as the
contractor.

A major breakthrough came in February 2009 when the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission
invited KAERI to participate in the bidding for a 5MW multipurpose research reactor, called the
Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR). On Dec. 3, the KAERI-Daewoo consortium was
selected as the preferred bidder, and on Jan. 15 this year, its proposal was finally accepted. A
contract signing ceremony is scheduled for the end of this month. JRTR is the first nuclear
system to be built in Jordan. For Korea, it marks the first turn-key power plant export in history.

Last year marked the 50th year since ground was broken to build Korea's first research reactor,
KRR-1. After half a century of painstaking efforts to master nuclear technology, Korea has finally
succeeded in exporting its homegrown nuclear technology. Korea has now established itself as a
reactor vendor in the global nuclear market.

The Korean government plans to take another step forward in research reactor development. It
is currently reviewing a plan to build another research reactor which would take five years for
completion if work starts in 2011. The new reactor's major functions will be to realize new
technologies applicable to a research reactor and production of radioisotopes. The new reactor,
once completed, is expected to make an enormous contribution to resolving the radioisotopes
shortage problem worldwide. It will also become the most up-to-date research reactor available
in the world.

Korea has strengths in research reactor supply capability: KAERI has a long history of operating
a research reactor and a good track record of developing reactor and utilization facilities. More
importantly, KAERI undertakes R&D in a wide spectrum of areas and has high-caliber
researchers and engineers whose expertise covers all fields of nuclear technology, including
neutronics, materials science, thermal-hydraulics, I&C, chemistry, etc. Over 70 percent of KAERI
research staff holds a Ph.D. and more than 20 percent a master's degree.

In addition, Korea has strong infrastructures in all areas necessary to build and operate nuclear
systems - design, engineering, construction, operation, maintenance, fuel supply, radioactive
waste management, reactor component supply, etc. Furthermore, it has a well-established
regulatory system and universities that have the infrastructure to foster nuclear manpower.

It is widely recognized that the need for research reactors will increase in the future since many
countries wish to have up-to-date research reactors, either to replace their old ones as a tool for
the development of nuclear technology, or as part of the preparations to introduce a nuclear
power reactor. Korea is well poised to meet the growing global demand for research reactors.

KAERI will continue to serve the public through valuable scientific achievements and providing
indispensable nuclear technologies. The institute is ready to share all of its experience with
foreign countries.