Professor In Cheol Bang in the School of Mechanical Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering at UNIST has been honored with the Academic Excellence Prize at 2019 Korean Nuclear Society (KNS) Autumn Meeting. This honor has been bestowed upon him in recognition of his contributions to the fields of nuclear energy and nuclear engineering.
The Korean Nuclear Society (KNS) recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the scientific field of nuclear engineering. To acknowledge their efforts and contributions, the Academic Excellence Prizes are awarded each year by the KNS.
Professor Bang has been recognized for pioneering new academic fields for safe reactor design and conducting a variety of studies. By suggesting ways to effectively manage and operate the heat generated during nuclear power generation, it contributed to the development of innovative future reactors.
His major research interests include critical heat flux, nanofluid and surface science. Analyzing and understanding the surface phenomena and thermal characteristics of nuclear fuel cladding and heat exchangers has provided an effective thermal design foundation. In fact, Bang’s research has been used in accident-resistant fuel cladding, reactor wall cooling, heatpipe control rods, and heatpipe reactors to contribute to innovative reactor design.
The new innovation platform ‘URI-LO’, which is aimed at improving the efficiency and safety in nuclear power plant operation, has been installed at UNIST.
“I am deeply pleased and honored to receive this award, as it was seen as payback for all the hard work to develop safe nuclear reactors,” says Professor Bang. “We will continue our efforts in providing reliable, safe, clean energy through the research and innovation in key nuclear technologies.”
The award ceremony took place at the 52th Korean Nuclear Society Autumn Meeting on Thursday, October 24, 2019. To recognize exemplary scholarly achievements, plaques and one-time monetary prize of 3 million KRW have also been presented to each recipient.
Since the establishment of Haeorum Alliance Nuclear Innovation Center in 2018, Professor Bang has been taking the lead in the development of advanced and innovative nuclear energy technology and cultivation of appropriate human resources, combined with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In order to lay the groundwork for research and innovation, the center has established and operates the nuclear innovation platform ‘UNIST Reactor Innovation LOop (URI-LO)’. Manufactured by reference to the first Korean-designed Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR-1400), URI-LO is about one-eight the size of the APR-1400. It allows the application of various emerging technologies which could not be carried out by large-scale nuclear test facilities and most nuclear power plants currently in operation.
