Initialising ...
Initialising ...
Initialising ...
Initialising ...
Initialising ...
Initialising ...
Initialising ...
Kasahara, Naoto*; Yamano, Hidemasa; Nakamura, Izumi*; Demachi, Kazuyuki*; Sato, Takuya*; Ichimiya, Masakazu*
Transactions of the 27th International Conference on Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology (SMiRT 27) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2024/03
In this study, we propose failure mitigation methods by application of passive safety structures. The idea of the passive safety structures was applied to next generation fast reactors under high temperature conditions and excessive earthquake conditions.
Saito, Takumi*; Nishi, Shusaku*; Amano, Yuki; Beppu, Hikari*; Miyakawa, Kazuya
ACS ES&T Water (Internet), 3(12), p.4103 - 4112, 2023/12
Shibata, Ryodai; Amano, Tsukasa; Yamada, Hiroyuki; Miyaji, Noriko; Nakamura, Hironobu
Dai-44-Kai Nihon Kaku Busshitsu Kanri Gakkai Nenji Taikai Kaigi Rombunshu (Internet), 4 Pages, 2023/11
In April 2020, JAEA has been introduced Physical Protection Corrective Action Program (PPCAP) with full-scale. It was needed to introduce unified operation for six sites with different business scales, and headquarters developed the common guideline. There was an impression that physical protection activities were carried out by a limited number of employees. Therefore, a problem was to root and activate PPCAP activities among all employees in order to make them effective. Five activities were implemented to solve this problem. As a result, more than 3,700 condition reports (CR) have been collected for 4 years. This paper reports on the activities related to the PPCAP that have been implemented at JAEA.
Konno, Chikara; Ota, Masayuki*; Kwon, Saerom*; Onishi, Seiki*; Yamano, Naoki*; Sato, Satoshi*
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(9), p.1046 - 1069, 2023/09
Times Cited Count:5 Percentile:97.05(Nuclear Science & Technology)JENDL-5 was validated from a viewpoint of shielding applications under the Shielding Integral Test Working Group of the JENDL Committee. The following benchmark experiments were selected: JAEA/FNS in-situ experiments, Osaka Univ./OKTAVIAN TOF experiments, ORNL/JASPER sodium experiments, NIST iron experiment and QST/TIARA experiments. These experiments were analyzed with MCNP and nuclear data libraries (JENDL-5, JENDL-4.0 or JENDL-4.0/HE, ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JEFF-3.3). The analysis results demonstrate that JENDL-5 is comparable to or better than JENDL-4.0 or JENDL-4.0/HE, ENDF/B-VIII.0 and JEFF-3.3.
Esser, S. P.*; Rahlff, J.*; Zhao, W.*; Predl, M.*; Plewka, J.*; Sures, K.*; Wimmer, F.*; Lee, J.*; Adam, P. S.*; McGonigle, J.*; et al.
Nature Microbiology (Internet), 8(9), p.1619 - 1633, 2023/09
Times Cited Count:2 Percentile:75.4(Microbiology)Yamano, Hidemasa; Takai, Toshihide; Emura, Yuki; Fukuyama, Hiroyuki*; Nishi, Tsuyoshi*; Morita, Koji*; Nakamura, Kinya*; Pellegrini, M.*
Nihon Kikai Gakkai 2023-Nendo Nenji Taikai Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 5 Pages, 2023/09
A research project has been conducting thermophysical property measurement of a eutectic melt, eutectic melting reaction and relocation experiments, eutectic reaction mechanism investigation, and physical model development on the eutectic melting reaction for reactor application analysis in order to simulate the eutectic melting reaction and relocation behavior of boron carbide as a control rod material and stainless steel during a core disruptive accident in an advanced sodium-cooled fast reactor designed in Japan. This paper describes the project overview and progress until JFY2022.
Nishino, Hiroyuki; Yamano, Hidemasa; Kurisaka, Kenichi
Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 10(4), p.22-00387_1 - 22-00387_20, 2023/08
For nuclear power plants, probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) should be performed not only against earthquake and tsunami, which are critical events especially in Japan, but also other external hazards such as strong wind. The aim of the present study is to develop a practical PRA methodology for sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs) against strong wind, paying attention to the final heat sink, ambient air, that removes decay heat under accident conditions. First, this study used Gumbel distributions to estimate hazard curves of the strong wind based on weather data recorded in Japan. Second, it identified important structures, systems and components (SSCs) for decay heat removal, and developed an event tree that results in core damage, focusing on the impacts of missiles (e.g., steel pipes) caused by strong wind. It also identified missiles that can reach SSCs at elevated places, and calculated the fragility of the SSCs against the missiles as a product of two probabilities. One is a probability of the missiles that would enter an inlet or outlet of the decay heat removal system, and another is a probability of failure caused by missile impacts. Finally, it quantified conditional decay heat removal failure probabilities by introducing the fragilities into the event tree. The core damage frequency (CDF) was estimated at about 5x10-10/y. The dominant sequence is that strong wind causes offsite power loss and missiles, the missiles penetrate the diesel fuel tank, cause a fire, and the fire increases air temperature around the reactor building where air cooler inlets of decay heat removal systems are installed, leads to loss of power for the diesel generator for forced circulation cooling, resulting in loss of decay heat removal. Through the above, this study has developed the practical PRA methodology for SFRs against strong wind.
Shiota, Yuki; Kudo, Junki; Tsuno, Hiromi; Takeuchi, Ryotaro; Ariyoshi, Hideo; Shiohama, Yasutaka; Hamano, Tomoharu; Takagi, Tsuyohiko; Nagaoki, Yoshihiro
JAEA-Technology 2023-002, 87 Pages, 2023/06
In the first stage of Monju decommissioning project, fuel unload work began to be carried out. There are two tasks in this work. One is Fuel Treatment and Storage work that gets rid of sodium on the fuel assemblies unloaded from Ex-Vessel fuel Storage Tank (EVST) and carries it in the storage pool, and the other is Fuel Unloading that the fuel assemblies in the reactor core is replaced with dummy fuels and stored in EVST. Fuel Treatment and Storage work and Fuel Unloading work are performed alternately, and 370 fuel assemblies in the core and 160 fuel assemblies in EVST are all carried to the storage pool. Monju had a large amount of sodium in the reactor vessel and EVST, and there was a residual risk of fuel failure due to the superposition of a large scale sodium fire. Therefore, in the first stage of the Monju decommissioning project, it was decided to take about 5.5 years to remove the residual risk by storing all the fuel rods in the fuel storage pool. There are few Fuel handling system of Sodium Fast Reactor in the world, so the driving record and experience are not enough. So, events that occur even if taken measure are assumed. The following three events apply to this; first, events that are difficult to prevent, events. Second, that are due to lack of experience, and final, events optimization of system is not enough. Plans were taken to suppress these events. This report summarizes the "Monju decommissioning project" work conducted so far in all four campaigns.
Nishimura, Hiroki*; Kozuka, Mariko*; Fukuda, Akari*; Ishimura, Toyoho*; Amano, Yuki; Beppu, Hikari*; Miyakawa, Kazuya; Suzuki, Yohei*
Environmental Microbiology Reports (Internet), 15(3), p.197 - 205, 2023/06
Times Cited Count:1 Percentile:53.1(Environmental Sciences)The family Methanoperedenaceae archaea mediate anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). We newly developed a high-pressure laboratory incubation system and investigated groundwater from 214- and 249-m deep boreholes at Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory, Japan, where the high and low abundances of Methanoperedenaceae archaea have been revealed, respectively. We incubated the samples amended with or without amorphous Fe(III) and C-labelled methane at an in-situ pressure of 1.6 MPa. After three to seven-day incubation, AOM activities were not detected from the 249-m sample but from the 214-m sample. The AOM rates were 93.740.6 and 27.737.5 nM/day with and without Fe(III) amendment. Suspended particulates were not visible in the 249-m sample on the filter, while they were abundant and contained amorphous Fe(III) and Fe(III)-bearing phyllosilicates in the 214-m sample. This supports the in-situ activity of Fe(III)-dependent AOM in the deep subsurface borehole.
Kurisaka, Kenichi; Nishino, Hiroyuki; Yamano, Hidemasa
Proceedings of 30th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE30) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2023/05
The objective of this study is to develop an effectiveness evaluation methodology of the measures for improving resilience of nuclear structures against excessive earthquake by applying the failure mitigation technology. This study regarded those measures for improving resilience of important structures, systems, and components for safety to enlarge their seismic safety margin. To evaluate effectiveness of those measures, seismic core damage frequency (CDF) is selected as an index. Reduction of CDF as an effectiveness index is quantified by applying seismic PRA technology. Accident sequences leading to loss of decay heat removal are significant contributor to seismic CDF of sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), and those sequences result in core damage via ultra-high temperature condition. This study improved the methodology to evaluate not only the measures against shaking due to excessive earthquake but also the measures at the ultra-high temperature condition. To examine applicability of the improved methodology, a trial calculation was implemented with some assumptions for a loop-type SFR. Within the assumption, the measures for improving resilience were significantly effective for decreasing CDF in excessive earthquake up to several times of a design basis ground motion. Through the applicability examination, the methodology for the effectiveness evaluation was developed successfully.
Amano, Tsukasa; Shibata, Ryodai; Sato, Yoshiharu; Yamazaki, Katsuyuki; Shiromo, Hideo; Nakamura, Hironobu
Proceedings of INMM & ESARDA Joint Annual Meeting 2023 (Internet), 6 Pages, 2023/05
In Japan, about 10 years have passed since the law obligated nuclear operators to develop and maintain a nuclear security culture. During this period, the global nuclear situation has changed significantly, and it is becoming important to maintain a stance that emphasizes compliance with regulations and nuclear security culture. In JAEA, the policy of legal compliance and developing nuclear security culture is determined by the president of JAEA. For legal compliance and developing nuclear security culture, many activities are carried out based on that policy. Finally, these activities are evaluated and improved it every year. Case study is the one of activities that can obtain skills for legal compliance and developing nuclear security culture, such as sensitivity of nuclear security risks, correct understanding of the laws. The procedure for the case study was created with reference to a method called KY-Training which is often applied to safety training program in Japan. KY-Training is a training that participants (groups) can reach the conclusion how to respond to cases through four questions. Firstly, participants are given illustrations and descriptions which has potential of nuclear security risks. Then, participants make discussion according to four questions. Consequently, participants can effectively become aware of nuclear security risks. In the 2022 case study, we prepared 23 cases so that they can select choose freely according to role of participants such as in charge of nuclear security, guards, general employees. Finally, participants are asked to fill a questionnaire to evaluate effectiveness of case study. The result of questionnaires indicated that the case study was able to lead to improvement sensitivity of nuclear security risks and correct understanding of the laws. Overall, case study results suggested that JAEA's efforts were implying sufficiently to develop and maintain a nuclear security culture.
Terashima, Motoki; Endo, Takashi*; Kimuro, Shingo; Beppu, Hikari*; Nemoto, Kazuaki*; Amano, Yuki
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(4), p.374 - 384, 2023/04
Times Cited Count:2 Percentile:50.96(Nuclear Science & Technology)Doda, Norihiro; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Ohgama, Kazuya; Yoshimura, Kazuo; Nemoto, Toshiyuki*; Tanaka, Masaaki; Yamano, Hidemasa
Nihon Kikai Gakkai Kanto Shibu Dai-29-Ki Sokai, Koenkai Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 5 Pages, 2023/03
An evaluation method for reactivity feedback due to core deformation during reactor power increase in sodium-cooled fast reactors is being developed for realistic core design evaluation. In this evaluation method, fuel assembly bowing was modeled with a beam element of the finite element method, and the assembly's pad contact between adjacent assemblies was modeled with a dedicated element which could consider the wrapper tube cross-sectional distortion and the pad stiffness depending on pad contact conditions. This fuel assembly bowing analysis model was verified for thermal bowing of a single assembly and assembly pad contact between adjacent assemblies in a core as past benchmark problems. The calculation results by this model showed good agreement with those of reference solutions of theoretical solutions or results by participating institutions in the benchmark. This study confirmed that the analysis model was able to calculate thermal assembly bowing appropriately.
Emura, Yuki; Takai, Toshihide; Kikuchi, Shin; Kamiyama, Kenji; Yamano, Hidemasa; Yokoyama, Hiroki*; Sakamoto, Kan*
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 10 Pages, 2023/00
Times Cited Count:0 Percentile:0.01(Nuclear Science & Technology)Takano, Kazuya; Oki, Shigeo; Ozawa, Takayuki; Yamano, Hidemasa; Kubo, Shigenobu; Ogura, Masashi*; Yamada, Yumi*; Koyama, Kazuya*; Kurita, Koichi*; Costes, L.*; et al.
EPJ Nuclear Sciences & Technologies (Internet), 8, p.35_1 - 35_9, 2022/12
The France and Japan teams have carried out collaborative works to have common technical views regarding a sodium-cooled fast reactor concept. Japan has studied the feasibility of an enhanced high burnup low-void effect (CFV) core and fuel using oxide dispersion-strengthened steel cladding in ASTRID 600. Regarding passive shutdown capabilities, Japan team has performed a preliminary numerical analysis for ASTRID 600 using a complementary safety device, called a self-actuated shutdown system (SASS), one of the safety approaches of Japan. The mitigation measures of ASTRID 600 against a severe accident, such as a core catcher, molten corium discharge assembly, and the sodium void reactivity features of the CFV core, are promising to achieve in-vessel retention for both countries. The common design concept based on ASTRID 600 is feasible to demonstrate the SFR core and safety technologies for both countries.
Amano, Tsukasa; Sato, Yoshiharu; Shibata, Ryodai; Yamazaki, Katsuyuki; Shiromo, Hideo; Nakamura, Hironobu
Dai-43-Kai Nihon Kaku Busshitsu Kanri Gakkai Nenji Taikai Kaigi Rombunshu (Internet), 4 Pages, 2022/11
About ten years have passed since the introduction of nuclear security compliance and security culture development activities. While there have been changes in domestic and international situations, it is essential for nuclear security that the entire organization maintains an attitude that emphasizes compliance with laws and regulations and nuclear security. JAEA has been effectively implementing various activities with evaluation and improvement. Especially, e-learning which combines education and awareness, case studies, and internal audits are considered effective in maintaining nuclear security compliance and security culture development activities.
Schoelmerich, M. C.*; Oubouter, H. T.*; Sachdeva, R.*; Penev, P. I.*; Amano, Yuki; West-Roberts, J.*; Welte, C. U.*; Banfield, J. F.*
Nature Communications (Internet), 13, p.7085_1 - 7085_11, 2022/11
Times Cited Count:6 Percentile:70.43(Multidisciplinary Sciences)Tashiro, Shinsuke; Ono, Takuya; Amano, Yuki; Yoshida, Ryoichiro; Watanabe, Koji*; Abe, Hitoshi
Nuclear Technology, 208(10), p.1553 - 1561, 2022/10
Times Cited Count:1 Percentile:0.01(Nuclear Science & Technology)To contribute to the confinement safety evaluation of the radioactive materials in the Glove box (GB) fire accident, combustion tests with the Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and the Polycarbonate (PC) as typical panel materials for the GB have been conducted with a relatively large scale apparatus. As the important data for evaluating confinement safety, the release ratio and the particle size distribution of the soot generated from the burned materials were obtained. Furthermore, the rise of the differential pressure (P) of the high efficiency particle air (HEPA) filter by the soot loading was also investigated. As results, the release ratio of the soot from the PC was about seven times as large as the PMMA. In addition, it was found that the behavior of the rise of the P with soot loading could be represented uniformly regardless of kinds of combustion materials by considering effect of the loading volume of the soot particle in the relatively low loading region.
Shiota, Yuki; Ariyoshi, Hideo; Shiohama, Yasutaka; Isobe, Yuta; Takeuchi, Ryotaro; Kudo, Junki; Hanaki, Shotaro; Hamano, Tomoharu; Takagi, Tsuyohiko
JAEA-Technology 2022-019, 95 Pages, 2022/09
In the first stage of "Monju" decommissioning project, "Fuel Unloading Operations" have been carrying out. The operations consists of two processes. The first process is "Fuel Treatment and Storage" is that the fuel assemblies unloaded from the Ex-Vessel fuel Storage Tank (EVST) are canned after sodium cleaning, and then transferred to the storage pool. The second process is "Fuel Unloading" that the fuel assemblies in the reactor core are replaced with dummy fuel assemblies and stored in the EVST. "Fuel Treatment and Storage" and "Fuel Unloading" are performed alternately until 370 fuel assemblies in the core and 160 fuel assemblies in the EVST are all transferred to the storage pool. This is a summary of "Fuel Unloading" in the third quarter of "Fuel Unloading Operation". In fiscal 2020, as "Fuel Unloading", 72 fuel assemblies and 74 blanket fuel assemblies were unloaded from the core, and stored in the EVST. From the EVST, 145 dummy fuel assemblies and 1 fixed absorber were loaded in the core instead. During these operations, a total of 36 cases alarming or equipment malfunctions classified into 4 types occurred. However, these events were estimated in advance, there were no significant events that menaces to safety of fuel assemblies and equipment. Therefore, there were no serious problem like fall of fuel assemblies and events that may affect schedule of the project like stick of gripper of ex-vessel fuel transfer machine. When equipment's work or performance fail, the operation continued with safety by elimination of causes of problem. Fuel handling system of Monju has function that is endemic to sodium cooling fast breeding reactor. Because continuous operations of fuel handling system with actual fuel assemblies start recently, we don't have as much experience as PWR and BWR. With estimation of various troubles, reduction of frequency of trouble occurrence and minimization of impacts on schedule performed.
Fukuyama, Hiroyuki*; Higashi, Hideo*; Yamano, Hidemasa
Journal of Nuclear Materials, 568, p.153865_1 - 153865_12, 2022/09
Times Cited Count:5 Percentile:83.25(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)The normal spectral emissivity, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity of type 316 austenitic stainless steel (SS) containing boron carbide (BC) in a liquid state were experimentally measured over the composition range of SS- mass% BC (up to 10%) and wide temperature ranges using an electromagnetic levitator in a static magnetic field. The normal spectral emissivity and specific heat capacity were almost constant against temperature for all SS-BC melts, and the thermal conductivities of the melts had a negligible or small positive temperature dependence. The BC-content dependence of each property at 1800 K had a different tendency across the eutectic composition (around 3 mass% BC) of the SS-BC pseudo-binary system.