Purpose: The study aim was to understand the experiences of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in labor union activities. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study and content analysis were conducted. The participants included nine ICU nurses who shared their experiences with labor union activities. The data were collected through in-depth interviews. Results: The experiences of ICU nurses with labor union activities encompassed five themes: “The Initial Step in Union Activities”, “Benefits Derived from Union Participation”, “Concerns Regarding Union Activities”, “The Non-Omnipotence of Unions”, and “Achieving Mutual Benefits through Union Activities”. Conclusion: The study findings revealed that ICU nurses strive to improve their work and the nursing environment through labor unions, despite facing negative perceptions of union involvement.

This study was conducted to in-depth understand and describe the thoughts and experiences of nursing students in the practice of the intensive care unit. Data was collected through focus group interviews with 14 nursing students who voluntarily participated in the study targeting students who practiced the intensive care unit and analyzed by the content analysis. As a result of the study, two themes, 'ethical challenges faced in intensive care unit practice' and 'incomplete reflection, were derived. The categories included in the former were 'feeling wrong in the appearance of a nurse', 'thinking about a good nurse', 'thinking about the cause of the wrong practice', and the categories included in the latter were ''fear of being assimilated', and 'pledge oneself by put yourself in someone else's shoes’. Based on these results, it is necessary to develop ethics education to become a nurse who can form correct ethical comfortment, including ethics education in clinical practice instruction as well as classroom instruction.

Wolsong Unit 1, a domestic heavy water reactor nuclear power plant, was permanently shut down in December 2019. Accordingly, Wolsong Unit 1 plans to prepare a Final Decommissioning Plan (FDP), submit it to the government by 2024, receive approval for decommissioning, and begin full-scale decommissioning. One of the important tasks in the decommissioning of Wolsong Unit 1 is to determine the decommissioning strategy. It is necessary to decide on a decommissioning strategy considering various factors and variables, secure the technical background, and justify it. The selection of a decommissioning strategy is best achieved through the use of formal decisionmaking assistance techniques, such as considerations related to influencing factors. It is very important to understand the basic decommissioning strategy alternatives and whether sufficient consideration has been given to situations where only a single unit is permanently shut down in a multi-unit site like Wolsong Unit 1, while the remaining units are in normal operation. As a process for selecting a decommissioning strategy, first, all considerations that could potentially affect decommissioning presented in the KINS Decommissioning Safety Review Guidelines were synthesized, influencing factors to be used in the decision-making process were determined, and the concept was defined. In order to select the most appropriate decommissioning strategy by considering various evaluation attributes of possible decommissioning alternatives (immediate dismantling and delayed dismantling), the Wolsong Unit 1 decommissioning strategy was evaluated by reflecting the AHP decision-making technique.

KEPCO KPS is the contractor for the full system decontamination (FSD) of Kori Unit 1 and under preparation such as modification, lay out for equipment installation, setting up tie-in/out point for chemical injection and way to pressurize the system, of its successful performance. In this research, KPS introduced how KPS has designed and prepared for the FSD project and how will the chemical decontamination process be implemented. As described in the previous research, chemical decontamination process is planned to be conducted for three cycles and each cycle is consisted of oxidation, reduction, decomposition, and purification. Oxidation and reduction process were conducted at 90°C. Chemical decomposition and purification process were conducted at 40°C due to the damage of IX by the heat. If the decontamination result does not meet the target DF and the dose rate, additional cycle can be conducted. Expected volume of process water for FSD is 200 m3. Three systems have been designated as decontamination targets: reactor coolant system (RCS), residual heat removal system (RHRS), chemical volume control system (CVCS). For the steady flow rate, existed plant equipment such as reactor coolant pump (RCP) will be operated and modifications on some components will be conducted. Due to the limited space for installation, decontamination equipment and other resources are distributed to three different places. KPS designed the layout of equipment installed inside the containment vessel. The layout contains the information of shielding for highly radiated equipment such as IX and filter skid.

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.

Derived Concentration Guideline Levels (DCGLs), which represent the residual radioactivity concentration limits, serve as the pivotal criteria for decontamination during decommissioning of nuclear power plants and are essential for license termination. The analysis of radionuclides in various media to check site-specific and radionuclide-specific DCGLs is a resource-intensive and time-consuming processes, and there are some radionuclides that are hard to analyze. In the decommissioning of the Rancho Seco nuclear power plant in the United States, a conservative approach was adopted. Potentially highly contaminated areas on the site were identified by collecting and analyzing soil samples, and radionuclides exceeding the Minimum Detectable Concentration (MDC) were selected as the potential Radionuclide of Concern (ROC), and surrogate DCGLs for hard-to-detect radionuclides were applied to soil samples. For soil samples in the Rancho Seco nuclear power plant, Cs-137 contributed more than 90% of the total radioactivity. DCGLs of the ROC were obtained using the scaling factors through analysis of Cs- 137 for a large amount of soil samples. In Korea, the scaling factor methodology has not been applied to the decommissioning of commercial nuclear power plants. An initial investigation was undertaken to assess the viability of implementing Surrogate Derived Concentration Guideline Levels (DCGLs) in the dismantling of Kori Unit 1, drawing insights from the U.S. nuclear power plant decommissioning experiences. To do this approach, the concentration ratio of radionuclides of interest to key radionuclide in contaminated soil should be known and consistent. But related information is not available at this time. So Surrogate DCGL for representative C-14, Fe-55, Ni-59, Ni-63, and Sr-90 was obtained using the scaling factors applied to radioactive waste data, specifically Decontaminated Aqueous Waste (DAW) and Spent Resin. In order to develop a reliable surrogate DCGLs the Kori Unit 1 site, it is important to analyze the radionuclides in the soil for the Kori Unit 1 decommissioning site to obtain consistent concentration ratio of the radionuclides of concern to the key radionuclides. When a the suitable DCGL is developed, it can be used for FSS planning and prior decision-making ensuring the safe and effective decommissioning of Kori Unit 1 and similar nuclear power plants.

Kori Unit 1 nuclear power plant is a pressurized water reactor type with an output of 587 Mwe, which was permanently shut down on June 18, 2017. Currently, the final decommissioning plan (FDP) has been submitted and review is in progress. Once the FDP is approved, it is expected that dismantling will begin with the secondary system, and dismantling work on the primary system of Kori Unit 1 will begin after the spent nuclear fuel is taken out. It is expected that the space where the secondary system has been dismantled can be used as a temporary storage place, and the entire dismantling schedule is expected to proceed without delay. The main equipment of the secondary system is large and heavy. The rotating parts is connected to a single axis with a length of about 40 meters, and is complexly installed over three floors, making accessibility very difficult. A large pipe several kilometers long that supplies various fluids to the secondary system is installed hanging from the ceiling using a hanger between the main devices, and the outer diameter of the pipe is wrapped with insulation material to keep warm. In nuclear secondary system decommissioning, it is very important to check for radiation contamination, establish and implement countermeasures, and predict and manage safety and environmental risks that may occur when cutting and dismantling large heavy objects. So we plan to evaluate the radiation contamination characteristics of the secondary system using ISOCS (In- Situ Object Counting System) to check for possible radioactive contamination. According to the characteristics results, decommissioning plans and methods for safe dismantling by workers were studied. In addition, we conducted research on how to safely dismantle the secondary system in terms of industrial safety, such as asbestos, cutting and handling of heavy materials and so on. This study proposes a safe decommissioning method for various risks that may occur when dismantling the secondary system of Kori Unit 1 nuclear power plant.

Kori Unit 1, pressurized water reactor, is the Korea’s first commercial nuclear power plant. It successfully generated electricity for a period of 30 years, commencing from April 19, 1978. Following its approval for continued operation in 2008, Kori Unit 1 continued to operate for an additional 9 years, resulting in a total operational period of 39 years. On June 18, 2017, Kori Unit 1 was permanently shut down. Since then, Korea is actively preparing for the decommissioning of nuclear power plant. During the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant, the heavy components such as reactor, steam generator, pressurizer, reactor coolant pump located in the containment building should be taken out of the containment building. To take out heavy components from the containment building, pipes connected to heavy component should be cut. There are numerous pipes connected to the heavy component, each with varying dimensions and material. Each pipe has a different level of contamination depending on its use. In this study, optimal cutting method of pipe connected to steam generator, one of the heavy components of nuclear power plant, is proposed during the decommissioning of Kori unit 1. In case of pipe connected to Kori unit 1 steam generator, material is stainless steel or carbon steel. These pipes have varying inner diameter, ranging from 0.6 cm to 74 cm, and thickness ranging from 0.15 cm to 7.1 cm. These pipes are classified as low and intermediate level waste (LILW) or very low level waste (VLLW). Because characteristics of pipes are different, each pipe optimal cutting methods are proposed differently considering material, dimension, contamination level, cutting cost, cutting time, and the management of secondary waste. As a result, the cutting method for pipe of reactor coolant system is selected to orbital cutting. The cutting method of main steam pipe and main feedwater pipe is selected to oxygen cutting. In case of other small pipes, cutting method is selected to circular saw.

Long-term climate and surface environment changes can influence the geological subsurface environment evolution. In this context, a fluid flow pathway developing and connection possibility can be increased between the near-surface zone and deep depth underground. Thus, it is necessary to identify and prepare for the overall fluid flow at the entire geological system to minimize uncertainty on the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) disposal safety. The fluid flow outside the subsurface environment is initially penetrated through the surface and then the unsaturated area. Thus, the previously proved reports, POSIVA in Finland, suggested that sequential research about the fluid infiltration experiment (INEX) and the investigation is necessary. Characterizing the unsaturated zone can help predict changes and ensure the safety of SNFs according to geological long-term evolution. For example, the INEX test was conducted at the upper part of ONKALO, about 50 to 100 m depth, to understand the geochemical evolution of the groundwater through the unsaturated zone, to evaluate the main flow of groundwater that can approach the SNF disposal reservoir, and to estimate the decreasing progress of the buffering capacity along the pathway through the deep geological disposal. In the present study, a preliminary test was performed in the UNsaturated-zone In-situ Test (UNIT) facility near the KAERI underground research tunnel to design and establish a methodology for infiltration experiments consistent with the regional characteristics. The results represented the methodological application is possible for characterizing unsaturated-zone to perform infiltration experiments. The scale of the experiment will be expanded sequentially, and continuous research will be conducted for the next application.

The radionuclide management process is a conditioning technology to reduce the burden of spent fuel management, and refers to a process that can separate and recover radionuclides having similar properties from spent fuels. In particular, through the radionuclide management process, high heat- emitting, high mobility, and high toxicity radionuclides, which have a significant impact on the performance of disposal system, are separated and managed. The performance of disposal system is closely related to properties (decay heat and radioactivity) of radioactive wastes from the radionuclide management process, and the properties are directly linked to the radionuclide separation ratio that determines the composition of radionuclides in waste flow. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute have derived process flow diagrams for six candidates for the radionuclide management process, weighing on feasibility among various process options that can be considered. In addition, the GoldSim model has been established to calculate the mass and properties of waste from each unit process of the radionuclides management process and to observe their time variations. In this study, the candidates for the radionuclide management process are evaluated based on the waste mass and properties by using the GoldSim model, and sensitivity analysis changing the separation ratio are performed. And the effect of changes in the separation ratio for highly sensitive radionuclides on waste management strategy is analyzed. In particular, the separation ratio for high heat-emitting radionuclides determines the period of long-term decay storage.

Cars using diesel have always had problems with reducing exhaust fumes, and have been studied steadily in this regard. There were studies on the remanufacturing effect of DOC catalyst deactivated by diesel vehicle smoke reduction device, analysis of vehicle fire accident cases caused by damage to diesel vehicle smoke reduction device, and related studies on the remanufacturing effect of diesel vehicle smoke reduction device DPF. This study is also to develop an exhaust flow control unit suitable for an exhaust engine to completely burn smoke generated by an engine using a diesel engine in a low temperature exhaust gas. The main systems to be developed are high-performance heaters, burner structures that can maintain ignition in exhaust flows, and exhaust flow control units that reduce exhaust gas backflow effects caused by diesel engines.

Despite the presence of the p-Channel MOSFET inrush current limiter circuit within the power supply unit of military radar, The internal MOSFET and DC-DC Converter has been damaged due to the high inrush current. In this paper, the cause of the high inrush current was identified by analyzing the p-Channel MOSFET inrush current limiter circuit. Based on the analysis, the high inrush current was reduced by about 60% by adjusting the time constant of the source-to-gate elements compared to before improvement.

In this research, a new piston pinhole boring machine for simultaneous 3-axis machining using linear motor and tilting unit is developed. We propose a new method that combines the linear motor and tilting unit to overcome the limitations of existing techniques. By using the linear motor, we suggest oval machining of piston pin holes. The horizontal reciprocating motion of the linear motor allows for oval machining, creating horizontal or vertical ovals on the pin holes based on the spindle tool's rotation angle. For profile machining of piston pin holes, we propose the use of a tilting unit that converts servo motor motion into linear motion. The vertical motion of the tilting unit enables profile machining, allowing the spindle tool connected to it to translate vertically during spindle rotation and shape the pin holes. To ensure simultaneous oval and profile machining, we suggest channel synchronization, separating the oval and profile machining channels. Synchronizing these channels enables both oval and profile machining to be performed simultaneously on the pin holes. In summary, this research aims to develop a piston pinhole boring machine that effectively utilizes the linear motor and tilting unit for accurate and productive pin hole machining, achieving simultaneous 3-axis machining.

Insurance and unit trust (also known as mutual funds) are high-involvement financial products that require investors to hold for long term to gain desired returns. These financial products are also considered unsought products, which require salespeople’s personal touch with their potential customers to make sales. Therefore, the relationship between salespeople and their potential or existing customers becomes crucial in the sales of insurance and unit trust. In theoretical terms, this relationship represents business ties. A strong business ties between the salespeople and the customers enable them to exchange resources and knowledge, and co-create values in their business relationships. Such exchange and co-creation of values are desirable in a business network. Weak ties are irregular and infrequent exchanges, creating structural holes that bring about an opportunity for bridging but have not yet been capitalized.

Compared to operational wastes, nuclear power plant (NPP) decommissioning wastes are generated in larger quantities within a short time and include diverse types with a wider range of radiation characteristics. Currently used 200 L drums and IP-2 type transport containers are inefficient and restrictive in packaging and transporting decommissioning wastes. Therefore, new packaging and transport containers with greater size, loading weight, and shielding performance have been developed. When transporting radioactive materials, radiological safety should be assessed by reflecting parameters such as the type and quantity of the package, transport route, and transport environment. Thus far, safety evaluations of radioactive waste transport have mainly targeted operational wastes, that have less radioactivity and a smaller amount per transport than decommissioning wastes. Therefore, in this study, the possible radiation effects during the transport from NPP to disposal facilities were evaluated to reflect the characteristics of the newly developed containers and decommissioning wastes. According to the evaluation results, the exposure dose to transport workers, handling workers, and the public was lower than the domestic regulatory limit. In addition, all exposure dose results were confirmed, through sensitivity analysis, to satisfy the evaluation criteria even under circumstances when radioactive materials were released 100% from the container.

We have observed a phenomenon where the internal X capacitors of the input EMI filter experienced damage during operation. To solve the problem, we have analyzed the malfunction by identifying the characteristics and operating principles of EMI filter. Based on this analysis, we have derived improvement strategies and validated them through experiments. This paper help some people prevent the similar problem when developing the similar equipment and solve the similar problem of the similar equipment.

PURPOSES : The purpose of this study was to improve the performance of concrete pavements by measuring the unit-water content with an Internet-of-Things (IoT)-based unit-water content measurement device at an increased precision compared with that of existing measuring equipment. METHODS : We calculated the properties of concrete that varied according to variations in the unit-water content. To confirm the change in the performance of concrete pavements, we compared and analyzed the fatigue cracking rate and international roughness index of concrete pavements at the 20-year point of public use according to the changes in properties using the Korea Pavement Research Program(KPRP). RESULTS : We confirmed that IoT-based measurement equipment can improve the performance of pavements without changing their mixing designs or specifications. We confirmed that the performance of the concrete pavements changed significantly, even with unit-water content variations within the range of quality standards. According to IoT-based unit-water content management, we confirmed that the performance of the concrete pavement (fatigue cracking rate and international roughness index) improved without changing the mixing design. CONCLUSIONS : We confirmed that by using IoT-based unit-water content management, pavement performance can be improved. It is necessary to consider whether the application of this concept to other concrete property management items, such as the chloride content, is possible. Considering the changes in concrete properties according to the unit-water content based on laboratory tests and considerations of various load conditions will be necessary for future research.

Kori unit 1, the first PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) in Korea, was permanent shut down in 2017. 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, the types depending on generation characteristics and radiological characterization methods and process of solid radioactive waste were analyzed. Solid radioactive waste depending on the characteristics of the generation was classified into reactor vessel and reactor vessel internal, large components, small metals, spent nuclear fuel storage racks, insulation, wires, concrete debris, scattering concrete, asbestos, mixed waste, soil, spent resins and filters, and dry active waste. Radiological characterization of solid radioactive waste is performed to determine the characteristics of radioactive contamination, including the type and concentration of radionuclides. It is necessary to ensure the representativeness of the sample for the structures, systems and components to be evaluated and to apply appropriate evaluation methods and procedures according to the structure, material and type of contamination. Therefore, the radiological characterization is divided into concrete and structures, systems and components, and reactor vessel, reactor vessel internal and bioshield concrete. In this study, the types depending on generation characteristics and radiological characterization methods and process of solid radioactive waste were analyzed. The results of this study can be used as a basis for the preparation of the FDP for the Kori unit 1.