Sintering behavior analysis of compacted dry recycled UPuO powder using master sintering curve theory

Nakamichi, Shinya; Sunaoshi, Takeo*; Hirooka, Shun; Vauchy, R.; Murakami, Tatsutoshi

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 595, p.155072_1 - 155072_11, 2024/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155072

Quantitative analysis of microstructure evolution, stress partitioning and thermodynamics in the dynamic transformation of Fe-14Ni alloy

Li, L.*; Miyamoto, Goro*; Zhang, Y.*; Li, M.*; Morooka, Satoshi; Oikawa, Katsunari*; Tomota, Yo*; Furuhara, Tadashi*

Journal of Materials Science & Technology, 184, p.221 - 234, 2024/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmst.2023.10.037

Development of a hybrid method for evaluating the long-term structural soundness of nuclear reactor buildings using response monitoring and damage imaging technologies (Contract research); FY2022 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Tohoku University*

JAEA-Review 2023-048, 151 Pages, 2024/05

JAEA-Review-2023-048.pdf:8.48MB

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2022. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO). For this purpose, intelligence was collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development were promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. The sponsor of the Project was moved from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to JAEA since the newly adopted proposals in FY2018. On this occasion, JAEA constructed a new research system where JAEA-academia collaboration is reinforced and medium-to-long term research/development and human resource development contributing to the decommissioning are stably and consecutively implemented. Among the adopted proposals in FY2021, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of a hybrid method for evaluating the long-term structural soundness of nuclear reactor buildings using response monitoring and damage imaging technologies" conducted in FY2022. The present study aims to develop an evaluation method necessary to obtain a perspective on the long term structural soundness of accident-damaged reactor buildings, where accessibility to work sites is extremely limited due to high radiation dose rate and high contamination. In FY2022, the second year of the three-year plan, some tests and other activities on the following research items were conducted following FY2021, based on the specific research methods and research directions clarified in FY2021.

Analysis of the relationship between operational quantity used for area monitoring and protection quantity for external exposure

Endo, Akira

JAEA-Research 2024-002, 90 Pages, 2024/05

JAEA-Research-2024-002.pdf:4.22MB

This report presents a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between three quantities used for area monitoring - ambient dose equivalent , maximum dose equivalent , and ambient dose - and effective dose for external irradiation by photons, neutrons, electrons, positrons, protons, muons, pions, and helium ions. For the analysis, calculations were performed using PHITS (Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System) and the ICRU sphere. The analysis result shows that and can induce large differences in the estimation of effective dose over a wide energy range for various particle types covered by ICRP Publication 116 while can conservatively estimate effective dose within the acceptable range for area monitoring. In other words, and have limitations in estimating effective dose, and using is recommended as a more appropriate quantity for the purpose. This conclusion supports the proposal of ICRU Report 95 to use for estimating effective dose in various external exposure situations. The use of ambient dose is particularly important in situations where various types of radiation are encountered, such as the use of radiation in the medical and academic fields and exposure in aviation and can meet the evolving requirements of radiation monitoring for the expansion of the field of radiological protection.

Electrochemical behavior of neptunium in NaCl-2CsCl melt

Hayashi, Hirokazu; Minato, Kazuo*

Electrochemistry (Internet), 92(4), p.043020_1 - 043020_5, 2024/04

https://doi.org/10.5796/electrochemistry.23-69159

The electrochemical behavior of neptunium in NaCl-2CsCl melt at 823-923 K was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, and open-circuit chronopotentiometry after polarization. The results show that Np ions are reduced to Np metal by a two-step mechanism via Np ions in NaCl-2CsCl melt. The diffusion coefficients of Np and Np ions were determined from cyclic voltammograms. The apparent standard potentials of Np/Np and Np/Np redox couples have been determined to be E(Np/Np) = -3.353 + 7.6710T, and E(Np/Np) = -1.175 + 4.9910 T vs. Cl/Cl (V), respectively. The activity coefficients of Np and Np ions were also determined using the reported data on the Gibbs free energy of formation for NpCl and NpCl in supercooled liquid state.

Background and understanding on ALPS treated water discharge to the sea

Terasaka, Yuta; Iimoto, Takeshi*; Saso, Michitaka*; Fujita, Reiko*

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 66(4), p.203 - 207, 2024/04

https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesjb.66.4_203

no abstracts in English

Radiation monitoring via manned helicopter around the nuclear power station in the fiscal year 2022 (Contract research)

Futemma, Akira; Sanada, Yukihisa; Nagakubo, Azusa; Kawasaki, Yoshiharu*; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Hiraga, Shogo*; Haginoya, Masashi*; Matsunaga, Yuki*; Akutsu, Yuichiro*; Arai, Yoshinori*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2023-027, 146 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Technology-2023-027.pdf:18.12MB

By the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO's) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), caused by tsunami triggered by the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake, a large amount of radioactive material was released into the surrounding environment. After the accident, Airborne Radiation Monitoring (ARM) via manned helicopter has been applied as a method to quickly and extensively measure the distribution of radiation. Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has continuously conducted ARM via manned helicopter around FDNPS. In this report, we summarize the results of the ARM around FDNPS in the fiscal year 2022, evaluate the changes of ambient dose rates and other parameters based on the comparison to the past ARM results, and discuss the causes of such changes. In order to contribute to improve the accuracy of ambient dose rate conversion, we analyzed the ARM data taking into account undulating topography, and evaluated the effect of this method. Furthermore, the effect of radon progenies in the air on the ARM was evaluated by applying the discrimination method to the measurement results.

Investigations on distribution of radioactive substances owing to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident in the fiscal year 2022 (Contract research)

Group for Fukushima Mapping Project

JAEA-Technology 2023-024, 176 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Technology-2023-024.pdf:22.16MB

This report presents results of the investigations on the distribution-mapping project of radioactive substances owing to TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) conducted in FY2022. Car-borne surveys, a measurement using survey meters, a walk survey and an unmanned helicopter survey were carried out to obtain air dose rate data to create their distribution maps, and temporal changes of the air dose rates were analyzed. Surveys on depth profile of radiocesium and in-situ measurements as for radiocesium deposition were performed. Based on these measurement results, effective half-lives of the temporal changes in the air dose rates and the deposition were evaluated. Score maps to classify the importance of the measurement points were created, and the factors causing changes in the score when monitoring data from multiple years were used were discussed. The range of fluctuation of past tritium concentration data in seawater was determined, and the causes of the fluctuation were discussed. Monitoring data in coastal area performed in 2022 owing to the comprehensive radiation monitoring plan was summarized, and temporal changes in cesium-137 were analyzed. Using the Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach, we obtained maps that integrated air dose rate distribution data acquired through surveys such as car-borne and walk surveys with respect to the region within 80 km from the FDNPS and Fukushima Prefecture. The measurement results for FY2022 were published on the "Database for Radioactive Substance Monitoring Data", and measurement data were stored as CSV format. Radiation monitoring and analysis of environmental samples owing to the comprehensive radiation monitoring plan were carried out.

Study on rational treatment/disposal of contaminated concrete waste considering leaching alteration (Contract research); FY2022 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Hokkaido University*

JAEA-Review 2023-027, 126 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Review-2023-027.pdf:5.51MB

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2022. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO). For this purpose, intelligence was collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development were promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. The sponsor of the Project was moved from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to JAEA since the newly adopted proposals in FY2018. On this occasion, JAEA constructed a new research system where JAEA-academia collaboration is reinforced and medium-to-long term research/development and human resource development contributing to the decommissioning are stably and consecutively implemented. Among the adopted proposals in FY2020, this report summarizes the research results of the "Study on rational treatment/disposal of contaminated concrete waste considering leaching alteration" conducted from FY2020 to FY2022. The present study aims to understand migration behaviors of radionuclides in relation to the properties of concrete altered by leaching, to develop migration model of radionuclides, and to evaluate waste management scenarios, focusing on underground concrete structures in contact with contaminated water.

Investigations and consideration on contamination inspection and decontamination criteria at a nuclear emergency

Togawa, Orihiko; Hokama, Tomonori; Hiraoka, Hirokazu; Saito, Shota

JAEA-Research 2023-011, 78 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Research-2023-011.pdf:2.09MB

When radionuclides are released into the atmospheric environment at a nuclear emergency, protective measures such as evacuation and temporal relocation are carried out using motor vehicles such as private cars and buses to reduce radiation exposure to residents. To confirm conditions of contamination for the evacuated/relocated residents and the used motor vehicles, contamination inspection is conducted in the middle of the route from border areas of Nuclear Emergency Planning Zone to evacuation shelters. In the present inspection in Japan, a value of OIL4 = 40,000 cpm is used as decontamination criteria. For the details and derivation methods of the value, however, no official documents are found which give systematically detailed descriptions and explanation. It is also recognized that even few experts on nuclear emergencies can explain these subjects in detail as a whole. In order to explain scientifically and technically the OIL4 value of decontamination criteria used in contamination inspection in Japan, this report aims at investigating and estimating the deviation methods of OIL4, and examining and considering these results. To achieve the objectives, we show the bases for decontamination criteria, and investigate and estimate the derivation methods for limits of a surface contamination density corresponding to the generic criteria for each exposure pathway. Moreover, we give the OIL4 value some consideration and suggestions from a viewpoint of positioning and feature of OIL4 in Japan, and cautionary points at revising the value.