Securing reversibility of UO/UO$_{2^_$N-based liquid electrolytes towards uranium redox-flow battery

Takao, Koichiro*; Ouchi, Kazuki; Komatsu, Atsushi; Kitatsuji, Yoshihiro; Watanabe, Masayuki

European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 27(14), p.e202300787_1 - e202300787_7, 2024/05

https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.202300787

Electrochemical behavior of UO/UO in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl)sulfonylamide ([emim]TfN) ionic liquid was studied to clarify what are required to attain its redox reversibility for utilizing depleted U as an electrode active material in a redox flow battery. As a result, reversibility of the UO/UO redox reaction was successfully achieved in use of a glassy carbon working electrode under presence of Cl in [emim]TfN. To improve diffusivity of solutes, [emim]TfN diluted with an auxiliary molecular solvent, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). We have succeeded in demonstrating a reversible redox reaction of [UOCl] + e = [UOCl] in the 50:50 v/v [emim]TfN-DMF liquid electrolyte containing Cl.

Removal of spent fuel sheared powder for decommissioning of Main Plant

Nishino, Saki; Okada, Jumpei; Watanabe, Kazuki; Furuuchi, Yuta; Yokota, Satoru; Yada, Yuji; Kusaka, Shota; Morokado, Shiori; Nakamura, Yoshinobu

JAEA-Technology 2023-011, 39 Pages, 2023/06

JAEA-Technology-2023-011.pdf:2.51MB

Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP) which shifted to decommissioning phase in 2014 had nuclear fuel materials such as the spent fuel sheared powder, the diluted plutonium solution and the uranium solution in a part of the reprocessing main equipment because TRP intended to resume reprocessing operations when it suspended the operations in 2007. Therefore, we have planned to remove these nuclear materials in sequence as Flush-out before beginning the decommissioning, and conducted removal of the spent fuel sheared powder as the first stage. The spent fuel sheared powder that had accumulated in the cell of the Main Plant (MP) as a result of the spent fuel shearing process was recovered from the cell floor, the shearing machine and the distributor between April 2016 and April 2017 as part of maintenance. Removing the recovered spent fuel sheared powder was conducted between June 2022 and September 2022. In this work, the recovered powder was dissolved in nitric acid at the dissolver in a small amount in order to remove it safely and early, and the dissolved solution was sent to the highly radioactive waste storage tanks without separating uranium and plutonium. Then, the dissolved solution transfer route was rinsed with nitric acid and water. Although about 15 years had passed since previous process operations, the removing work was successfully completed without any equipment failure because of the organization of a system that combines veterans experienced the operation with young workers, careful equipment inspections, and worker education and training. Removing this powder was conducted after revising the decommissioning project and obtaining approval from the Nuclear Regulation Authority owing to operating a part of process equipment.

Annual report on the environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant FY2021

Nakada, Akira; Kanai, Katsuta; Seya, Natsumi; Nishimura, Shusaku; Futagawa, Kazuo; Nemoto, Masashi; Tobita, Keiji; Yamada, Ryohei*; Uchiyama, Rei; Yamashita, Daichi; et al.

JAEA-Review 2022-078, 164 Pages, 2023/03

JAEA-Review-2022-078.pdf:2.64MB

Environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant has been performed by the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, based on "Safety Regulations for the Reprocessing Plant of Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Chapter IV - Environmental Monitoring". This annual report presents the results of the environmental monitoring and the dose estimation to the hypothetical inhabitant due to the radioactivity discharged from the plant to the atmosphere and the sea during April 2021 to March 2022. In this report, some data include the influence of the accidental release from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (the trade name was changed to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. on April 1, 2016) in March 2011. Appendices present comprehensive information, such as monitoring programs, monitoring methods, monitoring results and their trends, meteorological data and discharged radioactive wastes. In addition, the data which were influenced by the accidental release and exceeded the normal range of fluctuation in the monitoring, were evaluated.

Electrical properties and energy band alignment of SiO/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor structures fabricated on N-polar GaN(000) substrates

Mizobata, Hidetoshi*; Tomigahara, Kazuki*; Nozaki, Mikito*; Kobayashi, Takuma*; Yoshigoe, Akitaka; Hosoi, Takuji*; Shimura, Takayoshi*; Watanabe, Heiji*

Applied Physics Letters, 121(6), p.062104_1 - 062104_6, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0095468

The interface properties and energy band alignment of SiO/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structures fabricated on N-polar GaN(000) substrates were investigated by electrical measurements and synchrotron-radiation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. They were then compared with those of SiO/GaN MOS structures on Ga-polar GaN(0001). Although the SiO/GaN(000) structure was found to be more thermally unstable than that on the GaN(0001) substrate, excellent electrical properties were obtained for the SiO/GaN(000) structure by optimizing conditions for post-deposition annealing. However, the conduction band offset for SiO/GaN(000) was smaller than that for SiO/GaN(0001), leading to increased gate leakage current. Therefore, caution is needed when using N-polar GaN(000) substrates for MOS device fabrication.

Contrasting magnetic structures in SrLaCuSbO and SrLaCuNbO; Spin- quasi-square-lattice - Heisenberg antiferromagnets

Watanabe, Masari*; Kurita, Nubuyuki*; Tanaka, Hidekazu*; Ueno, Wataru*; Matsui, Kazuki*; Goto, Takayuki*; Hagihara, Masato

Physical Review B, 105(5), p.054414_1 - 054414_12, 2022/02

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.105.054414

Annual report on the environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant FY2019

Nakano, Masanao; Fujii, Tomoko; Nemoto, Masashi; Tobita, Keiji; Seya, Natsumi; Nishimura, Shusaku; Hosomi, Kenji; Nagaoka, Mika; Yokoyama, Hiroya; Matsubara, Natsumi; et al.

JAEA-Review 2020-069, 163 Pages, 2021/02

JAEA-Review-2020-069.pdf:4.78MB

Environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant has been performed by the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, based on "Safety Regulations for the Reprocessing Plant of Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Chapter IV - Environmental Monitoring". This annual report presents the results of the environmental monitoring and the dose estimation to the hypothetical inhabitant due to the radioactivity discharged from the plant to the atmosphere and the sea during April 2019 to March 2020. In this report, some data include the influence of the accidental release from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (the trade name was changed to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. on April 1, 2016) in March 2011. Appendices present comprehensive information, such as monitoring programs, monitoring methods, monitoring results and their trends, meteorological data and discharged radioactive wastes. In addition, the data which were influenced by the accidental release and exceeded the normal range of fluctuation in the monitoring, were evaluated.

Status of study of long-term assessment of transport of radioactive contaminants in the environment of Fukushima (FY2018)

Nagao, Fumiya; Niizato, Tadafumi; Sasaki, Yoshito; Ito, Satomi; Watanabe, Takayoshi; Dohi, Terumi; Nakanishi, Takahiro; Sakuma, Kazuyuki; Hagiwara, Hiroki; Funaki, Hironori; et al.

JAEA-Research 2019-002, 235 Pages, 2019/08

JAEA-Research-2019-002.pdf:21.04MB

The accident of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (hereinafter referred to 1F), Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. occurred due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, Sanriku offshore earthquake, of 9.0 magnitude and the accompanying tsunami. As a result, large amount of radioactive materials was released into the environment. Under these circumstances, JAEA has been conducting Long-term Environmental Dynamics Research concerning radioactive materials released in environment, especially migration behavior of radioactive cesium since November 2012. This report is a summary of the research results that have been obtained in environmental dynamics research conducted by JAEA in Fukushima Prefecture.

Neutron scattering studies on short- and long-range layer structures and related dynamics in imidazolium-based ionic liquids

Nemoto, Fumiya*; Kofu, Maiko; Nagao, Michihiro*; Oishi, Kazuki*; Takata, Shinichi; Suzuki, Junichi*; Yamada, Takeshi*; Shibata, Kaoru; Ueki, Takeshi*; Kitazawa, Yuzo*; et al.

Journal of Chemical Physics, 149(5), p.054502_1 - 054502_11, 2018/08

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5037217

Technical basis of accident tolerant fuel updated under a Japanese R&D project

Yamashita, Shinichiro; Nagase, Fumihisa; Kurata, Masaki; Nozawa, Takashi; Watanabe, Seiichi*; Kirimura, Kazuki*; Kakiuchi, Kazuo*; Kondo, Takao*; Sakamoto, Kan*; Kusagaya, Kazuyuki*; et al.

Proceedings of 2017 Water Reactor Fuel Performance Meeting (WRFPM 2017) (USB Flash Drive), 10 Pages, 2017/09

In Japan, the research and development (R&D) project on accident tolerant fuel and other components (ATFs) of light water reactors (LWRs) has been initiated in 2015 for establishing technical basis of ATFs. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has coordinated and carried out this ATF R&D project in cooperation with power plant providers, fuel venders and universities for making the best use of the experiences, knowledges in commercial uses of zirconium-base alloys (Zircaloy) in LWRs. ATF candidate materials under consideration in the project are FeCrAl steel strengthened by dispersion of fine oxide particles(FeCrAl-ODS) and silicon carbide (SiC) composite, and are expecting to endure severe accident conditions in the reactor core for a longer period of time than the Zircaloy while maintaining or improving fuel performance during normal operations. In this paper, the progresses of the R&D project are reported.

Progress of the ITER NBI acceleration grid power supply reference design

Toigo, V.*; Zanotto, L.*; Bigi, M.*; Decamps, H.*; Ferro, A.*; Gaio, E.*; Gutirrez, D.*; Tsuchida, Kazuki; Watanabe, Kazuhiro

Fusion Engineering and Design, 88(6-8), p.956 - 959, 2013/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2013.01.013

This paper reports the progress in the reference design of the Acceleration Grid Power Supply (AGPS) of the ITER Neutral Beam Injector (NBI). The design of the AGPS is very challenging, as it shall be rated to provide about 55 MW at 1 MV dc in quasi steady-state conditions; moreover, the procurement of the system is shared between the European Domestic Agency (F4E) and the Japanese Domestic Agency (JADA), resulting in additional design complication due to the need of a common definition of the interface parameters. A critical revision of the main design choices is presented also in light of the definition of some key interface parameters between the two AGPS subsystems. Moreover, the verification of the fulfillment of the requirements in any operational conditions taking into account the tolerance of the different parameters is also reported and discussed.