Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory Project Investigation Report for the 2022 Fiscal Year

Nakayama, Masashi

JAEA-Review 2023-032, 159 Pages, 2024/02

JAEA-Review-2023-032.pdf:19.37MB

The Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to enhance the reliability of relevant technologies for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste through investigating the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary rocks at Horonobe Town in Hokkaido, north Japan. In the fiscal year 2022, we continued R&D on "Study on near-field system performance in geological environment", "Demonstration of repository design options", and "Understanding of buffering behaviour of sedimentary rock to natural perturbations". These are identified as key R&D on challenges to be tackled in the Horonobe underground research plan for the fiscal year 2020 onwards. Specifically, "full-scale engineered barrier system (EBS) performance experiment" and "solute transport experiment with model testing" were carried out as part of "Study on near- field system performance in geological environment". "Demonstration of engineering feasibility of repository technology" and "evaluation of EBS behaviour over 100C" were addressed for "Demonstration of repository design options". A study on "Understanding of buffering behaviour of sedimentary rock to natural perturbations" was also implemented in two areas, "evaluation of intrinsic buffering against endogenic and exogenic processes" and "development of techniques for evaluating excavation damaged zone (EDZ) self-sealing behaviour after backfilling". The Horonobe International Project (HIP) was initiated in February 2023 to promote research and development in collaboration with national and international organizations.

Reports on research activities and evaluation of advanced computational science in FY2022

Center for Computational Science & e-Systems

JAEA-Evaluation 2023-001, 38 Pages, 2023/07

JAEA-Evaluation-2023-001.pdf:1.04MB

Research on advanced computational science for nuclear applications, based on "the plan to achieve the medium- and long-term goal of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency", has been performed by Center for Computational Science & e-Systems (CCSE), Japan Atomic Energy Agency. CCSE established a committee consisting of external experts and authorities which evaluates and advises toward the future research and development. This report summarizes the results of the R&D performed by CCSE in FY2022 (April 1st, 2022 - March 31st, 2023) and their evaluation by the committee.

Status of technical development for near surface disposal of radioactive waste generated from research facilities, etc.

Sakai, Akihiro

Dai-33-Kai Genshiryoku Shisetsu Dekomisshoningu Gijutsu Koza Tekisuto, p.31 - 63, 2023/02

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) is promoting the project for concrete-vault disposal and landfill-type disposal of radioactive waste generated from research facilities, etc. This report introduces current status of technical development for JAEA's disposal project as following items; (1) kinds of research facilities and characteristics of radioactivity inventory of the waste, (2) the structures of the disposal facilities which JAEA conceptually designed, (3) development of waste acceptance criteria for major radioactive waste for the JAEA disposal facilities, (4) the concept of the criteria for disposal of uranium bearing waste, that has been established in 2021.

Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory Project; Investigation report for the 2021 fiscal year

Nakayama, Masashi

JAEA-Review 2022-025, 164 Pages, 2022/11

JAEA-Review-2022-025.pdf:12.25MB

The Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). The main aim of this project is to enhance the reliability of relevant disposal technologies for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste through a comprehensive research and development (R&D) program in the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary rock at Horonobe in Hokkaido, north Japan. In fiscal year 2021, we continued R&D on three important issues specified in the "Horonobe Underground Research Plan from Fiscal Year 2020", which involve "Study on near-field system performance in geological environment", "Demonstration of repository design options", and "Understanding of buffering behaviour of sedimentary rock to natural perturbations". Specifically, "full-scale engineered barrier system (EBS) performance experiment" and "solute transport experiment with model testing" were carried out as part of "Study on near-field system performance in geological environment". "Demonstration of engineering feasibility of repository technology" and "evaluation of EBS behaviour over 100C' were addressed for "Demonstration of repository design options". A study on "Understanding of buffering behaviour of sedimentary rock to natural perturbations" was also implemented in two areas, "evaluation of intrinsic buffering against endogenic and exogenic processes" and "development of techniques for evaluating excavation damaged zone (EDZ) self-sealing behaviour after backfilling". The results of the R&D, along with those obtained in other departments of JAEA, will reinforce the technical basis for both repository implementation and safety regulation. For the sake of this, we will steadily proceed with this project in collaboration with relevant organizations and universities both domestically and internationally and also widely publish the plans and results of the R&D to ensure their transparency and technical reliability.

Review of research on Advanced Computational Science in FY2021

Center for Computational Science & e-Systems

JAEA-Evaluation 2022-004, 38 Pages, 2022/11

JAEA-Evaluation-2022-004.pdf:1.38MB

Research on advanced computational science for nuclear applications, based on "the plan to achieve the mid- and long-term goal of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency", has been performed by Center for Computational Science & e-Systems (CCSE), Japan Atomic Energy Agency. CCSE established a committee consisting of external experts and authorities which evaluates and advises toward the future research and development. This report summarizes the results of the R&D performed by CCSE in FY2021 (April 1st, 2021 - March 31st, 2022) and their evaluation by the committee.

Current status of new research reactor at the Monju Site

Mineo, Hideaki

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 64(11), p.617 - 621, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesjb.64.11_617

In December 2016 Decisions were made by the Government on the Fast Breeder Prototype Reactor "Monju", which were decommissioning of the reactor and installation of a new research reactor at the Monju site. After the decisions, MEXT started research to list reactor candidates suitable for the site. Among the candidates, medium power reactor type of which thermal output less than 10,000 kW was chosen to utilize neutron beams. Then, from 2020, MEXT launched an entrusted business and adopted JAEA, Kyoto University and University of Fukui as the core institutions of the business to carry out the conceptual design. This paper describes the system to proceed the conceptual design and to examine the utilization management of the new research reactor and also shows their status.

Study on radioactivity evaluation method of research reactors using DORT and MCNP codes

Kochiyama, Mami; Sakai, Akihiro

JAEA-Technology 2022-009, 56 Pages, 2022/06

JAEA-Technology-2022-009.pdf:4.15MB

It is necessary to evaluate radioactivity inventory in wastes before disposal of low-level radioactive wastes generated from dismantling research reactors. It is efficient for owners of each research reactor to use a common radioactive evaluation method in order to comply with the license application for disposal facility. In this report, neutron transport and activation calculations were carried out for the Rikkyo University research reactor in order to examine a common radioactivity evaluation method for burial disposal of radioactive wastes generated by dismantling. We adopted the neutron transport codes DORT and MCNP and the activation code ORIGEN-S with cross-section libraries based on JENDL-4.0 and JENDL/AD-2017. The radioactivity concentrations obtained by the radiochemical analysis and both calculation codes were in agreement by 0.4 to 3 times. Therefore, by appropriately considering this difference, the radioactivity evaluation method by DORT, MCNP and ORIGEN-S can be applied to the radioactivity evaluation for buried disposal. In order to classify wastes from dismantling by clearance or buried disposal method according to their radioactivity levels, we also created radioactivity concentration distributions in the concrete area and graphite thermal column area.

Annual report of Nuclear Science Research Institute, JFY2017

Nuclear Science Research Institute, Sector of Nuclear Science Research

JAEA-Review 2021-067, 135 Pages, 2022/03

JAEA-Review-2021-067.pdf:7.31MB

Nuclear Science Research Institute (NSRI) is composed of Planning and Coordination Office and six departments, namely Department of Operational Safety Administration, Department of Radiation Protection, Engineering Services Department, Department of Research Reactor and Tandem Accelerator, Department of Fukushima Technology Development and Department of Decommissioning and Waste Management, and each departments manage facilities and develop related technologies to achieve the "Middle-term Plan" successfully and effectively. In order to contribute the future research and development and to promote management business, this annual report summarizes information on the activities of NSRI of JFY 2017 as well as the activity on research and development carried out by the Nuclear Safety Research Center, Advanced Science Research Center, Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Materials Sciences Research Center, and development activities of Nuclear Human Resources Development Center, using facilities of NSRI.

Study of corrosion and degradation of the objects in the nuclear reactor by microorganisms (Contract research); FY2020 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Keio University*

JAEA-Review 2021-048, 181 Pages, 2022/01

JAEA-Review-2021-048.pdf:14.5MB

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 FY2020. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F), 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 FY2019, this report summarizes the research results of the "Study of corrosion and degradation of the objects in the nuclear reactor by microorganisms" conducted in FY2019 and FY2020. Since the final year of this proposal was FY2020, the results for two fiscal years were summarized. The purpose of the study is to obtain knowledge related to microorganisms that will be useful in the decommissioning process of 1F. Therefore, we clarified the current conditions of the microbial community inhabiting the power plant and its premises. Environmental samples were taken from several sites such as, topsoil from the south of the plant site boundary (south of the treated water tanks), seabed soil and its above water near the plant, surface water 3km offshore …

Direction of future safety research to be conducted by Sector of Nuclear Safety Research and Emergency Preparedness (FY 2021 Edition)

Planning and Co-ordination Office, Sector of Nuclear Safety Research and Emergency Preparedness

JAEA-Review 2021-019, 58 Pages, 2021/11

JAEA-Review-2021-019.pdf:2.26MB

In response to the directives of the 4th medium-to-long-term objectives, Japan Atomic Energy Agency will formulate the 4th medium-to-long-term plan and run its operation according to the plan from the fiscal year 2022. Consequently, the Sector of Nuclear Safety Research and Emergency Preparedness has reviewed the strategies of the safety research for contributing to the demand, "the continuous improvement of nuclear safety and the effectiveness of nuclear disaster prevention". It was also discussed how to proceed the safety research over the medium-to-long-term plan period based on the proposed new strategies. From the viewpoint of developing human resources and maintaining research capabilities in the sector, discussion was made on measures to pass on the knowledge and skills of senior and mid-career researchers to young researchers. The main elements of the proposed strategies are: (1) to efficiently and effectively develop both problem-solving research and advanced or leading research, considering the importance and needs on the nuclear safety and corresponding to regulatory trends and introduction of new technologies, (2) to produce research results of high quality for social implementation, including proactive proposal of measures for enhancing rationality of nuclear safety and regulation by utilizing risk information, and (3) to promote development of human resources and maintenance of technological base through challenging new research subjects. This report summarizes results of the discussion on the medium-to-long-term safety research strategies and the research plans based on the proposed strategies.