KHNP is conducting research to decommission Wolsong Unit 1 Calandria. Establishment of preparation and dismantlement processes, conceptual design of equipment and temporary radiation protection facilities, and waste management are being established. In particular, the ALARA plan is to be established by performing exposure dose evaluation for workers. This study aims to deal with the methodology of evaluating exposure dose based on the calandria dismantling process. The preparation process consists of bringing in and installing tooling and devices, and removing interference facilities to secure work space. The main source term for the preparation process is the calandria structure itself and crud of feeders. In the case of the dismantlement process, a structure with a shape that changes according to the process was modeled as a radiation source. It is intended to estimate the exposure dose by selecting the number of workers, time, and location required for each process in the radiation field evaluated according to the preparation and dismantlement process. In addition, it is also conducting an evaluation of the impact on dust generated by cutting operations and the human impact of C-14, H-3, which are specialized nuclides for heavy water reactors. KHNP is conducting an exposure dose evaluation based on a process based on the preparation and dismantlement process for decommissioning Calandria through computation code analysis. If additional worker protection measures are deemed necessary through dose evaluation according to this methodology, the process is improved to prepare for the dismantling of worker safety priorities.

According to IAEA PRIS, there is no record of dismantling commercial heavy water reactors among 57 heavy water reactors around the world. In Canada, which has the largest number of heavy water reactors, three of the 22 commercial heavy water reactors with more than 500 MW are permanently suspended, Gentilly unit 2 (2012), Pickering unit 2 (2007), and Pickering unit 3 (2008), all of which chose a delayed decommissioning strategy. On the other hand, Wolsong unit 1, which will be the world’s first heavy water reactor to be dismantled commercially, will be immediately carried out as a decommissioning strategy. KHNP has established various cooperation systems with advanced companies and international organizations related to overseas NPP decommission and is actively exchanging technologies. Among them, the most important focus is on research cooperation related to COG (CANDU owners Group). The first case is a joint study on Conceptual Calandria Segmentation. Four areas of process, waste management, ALARA, and cost for decommissioning reactors to be submitted to Canadian regulators for approval of Pickering and Gentilly-2’s preliminary decommissioning plan have been evaluated, and research on Wolsong unit 1 is currently underway. The second case is Decommissioning and long-term waste management R&D. Although the technical maturity is low, it studies the common interests of member companies in the decommissioning of heavy water reactor power generation companies and long-term waste management. Robotics for dismantling high-radiation structures, C- 14, H-3 measurement and removal methods, and concrete decontamination technology, which are characterized by heavy water, are being actively studied. KHNP is strengthening international cooperation with COG to prepare for the successful decommissioning of Wolsong unit 1. Based on previous studies by Pickering and Gentilly-2, an evaluation of the decommissioning of Wolsong unit 1 reactor is being conducted. In addition, it is preparing for decommissioning through experience analysis of the pressure tube replacement project.

KHNP is carrying out international technical cooperation and joint research projects to decommission Wolsong unit 1 reactor. Construction data of the reactor structures, experience data on the pressure tube replacement projects, and the operation history were reviewed, and the amount of dismantled waste was calculated and waste was classified through activation analysis. By reviewing COG (CANDU owners Group) technical cooperation and experience in refurbishment projects, KHNP’s unique Wolsong unit 1 reactor decommissioning process was established, and basic design of a number of decommissioning equipment was carried out. Based on this, a study is being conducted to estimate the worker dose of dismantling workers. In order to evaluate the dose of external exposure of dismantling workers, detailed preparation and dismantling processes and radiation field evaluation of activated structures are required. The preparation process can be divided into dismantlement of existing facilities that interfere with the reactor dismantling work and construction of various facilities for the dismantlement process. Through process details, the work time, manpower, and location required for each process will be calculated. Radiation field evaluation takes into account changes in the shape of structures by process and calculates millions of areas by process, so integrated scripts are developed and utilized to integrate input text data. If the radiation field evaluation confirms that the radiation risk of workers is high, mutual feedback will be exchanged so that the process can be improved, such as the installation of temporary shields. The results of this study will be used as basic data for the final decommissioning plan for Wolsong unit 1. By reasonably estimating the dose of workers through computer analysis, safety will be the top priority when decommissioning.

Wolsong unit 1, the first PHWR (Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor) in Korea, was permanent shut down in 2019. In Korea, according to the Nuclear Safety Act, the FDP (Final Decommissioning Plan) must be submitted within 5 years of permanent shutdown. According to NSSC Notice, the types, volumes, and radioactivity of solid radioactive wastes should be included in FDP chapter 9, Radioactive Waste Management, Therefore, in this study, activation assessment and waste classification of the End shield, which is a major activation component, were conducted. MCNP and ORIGEN-S computer codes were used for the activation assessment of the End shield. Radioactive waste levels were classified according to the cooling period of 0 to 20 years in consideration of the actual start of decommissioning. The End shield consists of Lattice tube, Shielding ball, Sleeve insert, Calandria tube shielding sleeve, and Embedment Ring. Among the components composed for each fuel channel, the neutron flux was calculated for the components whose level was not predicted by preliminary activation assessment, by dividing them into three channel regions: central channel, inter channel, and outer channel. In the case of the shielding ball, the neutron flux was calculated in the area up to 10 cm close to the core and other parts to check the decrease in neutron flux with the distance from the core. The neutron flux calculations showed that the highest neutron flux was calculated at the Sleeve insert, the component closest to the fuel channel. It was found that the neutron flux decreased by about 1/10 to 1/20 as the distance from the core increased by 20 cm. The outer channel was found to have about 30% of the neutron flux of the center channel. It was found that no change in radioactive waste level due to decay occurred during the 0 to 20 years cooling period. In this study, activation assessment and waste classification of End Shield in Wolsong unit 1 was conducted. The results of this study can be used as a basis for the preparation of the FDP for the Wolsong unit 1.

Different biotic agents such as bacteria, fungi, nematode and virus interact with plants, and causes significant annual crop loss. The plants interact with these pathogen and undergo various changes at physiological, biochemical and molecular levels. The omics technique is a powerful way which provides important information related to molecular changes occurring during plant-pathogen interaction. Several studies have been conducted and revealed either up or down-regulation of many genes involved in metabolism, energy, photosynthesis, signaling, defense and ROS upon pathogen interaction. In this review, we highlight recent progress in proteomic studies of plant-pathogen interaction, which could be useful for controlling disease and development of molecular markers for early detection of different diseases.

Major loci controlling flowering time and maturity of short-day plant soybean, E1, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7 and E8, have been identified in soybean. The gene corresponding to E2 locus is a homolog of Arabidopsis GIGANTEA (AtGI). We identified three GI homologs in soybean and are verifying their roles in day-length dependent flowering. Expression anlysis indicated that GmGIs are ubiquitously expressed at all developmental stages of soybean plants. Diurnal expression of GmGIs fluctuates within light/dark cycles of long-day (LD) and short-day (SD). GmGI2 and GmGI3 have identical expression patterns under both day length conditions with the highest peak at zeitgeber time 8 h (ZT8) under LD and at ZT4 under SD. GmGI1 shows the peak at ZT12 under LD and at ZT8 under SD. All of GmGIs exhibit the earlier peak and the shorter phase under SD than LD. The results indicated that day length affects expressions of GmGIs. Subcellular localization analysis showed that GmGIs are mainly targeted to nucleus, similar to the localization of AtGI. Overexpression of GmGIs in Arabidopsis transgenic plants showed no significant effect on flowering time nor rescue of gi-2 mutant phenotype. The results suggested that GmGIs have different molecular functions in flowering time regulation of short-day plant soybean compared to long-day plant Arabidopsis. To investigate the molecular mechanisms of GmGIs’ functions in soybean flowering time control, we intend to identify target gene of GmGIs and interacting proteins by using yeast two-hybrid assay.