In South Korea, the replacement of steam generators began with Kori Unit 1 in 1995, and to date, 20 steam generators have been replaced and are currently stored in intermediate storage facilities. In the future, additional decommissioned steam generators may arise due to measures like the extension of the lifespan of nuclear power plants. In Korea, technological development for dismantling steam generators is underway, and there is no track record of actual dismantling. Although the replaced decommissioned steam generators are stored in intermediate facilities, for site recycling purposes, steam generators, which have relatively lower radiation doses compared to reactor heads and other primary equipment, should be prioritized for dismantling. While there are various specifications for steam generators, those dismantled and stored domestically are of the Recirculation Type. They can be classified into three types: the Westinghouse type WH-51 used in Kori Unit 1, the Fra-51B used in Han-ul Units 1 and 2, and the OPR-1000 used in Han-ul Units 3 and 4. The quantity of U-Tubes varies depending on the specification, but the radiation is concentrated in the primary side components, the U-Tube and Chamber. Since the parts related to the secondary side are not contaminated, they can be disposed of independently after classification. To dismantle a steam generator, it is of utmost importance to first create a scenario regarding where and how the dismantling will take place. Through the analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each scenario, the optimal timing, location, and cutting method for dismantling should be researched. Furthermore, based on those findings, the best scenario should be derived through an analysis of worker radiation exposure and dismantling costs. To achieve this, a 3D simulation software developed by Cyclelife Digital Solutions under the French EDF was utilized to conduct simulations based on different dismantling schedules and methods. As a result, the optimal scenario for dismantling the steam generator was derived.
The near explosion of attention given to graphene has attracted many to its research field. As new studies and findings about graphene synthesis, properties, electronic quality control, and possible applications simultaneous burgeon in the scientific community, it is quite hard to grasp the breadth of graphene history. At this stage, graphene's many fascinating qualities have been amply reported and its potential for various electronic applications are increasing, pulling in ever more newcomers to the field of graphene. Thus it has become important as a community to have an equal understanding of how this material was discovered, why it is stirring up the scientific community and what sort of progress has been made and for what purposes. Since the first discovery, the hype has expediently led to near accomplishment of industrial-sized production of graphene. This review covers the progress and development of synthesis and transfer techniques with an emphasis on the most recent technique of chemical vapor deposition, and explores the potential applications of graphene that are made possible with the improved synthesis and transfer.