MAAP code analysis focusing on the fuel debris conditions in the lower head of the pressure vessel in Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 3

Sato, Ikken; Yoshikawa, Shinji; Yamashita, Takuya; Shimomura, Kenta; Cibula, M.*; Mizokami, Shinya*

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 414, p.112574_1 - 112574_20, 2023/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2023.112574

Improvement of model for cesium chemisorption onto stainless steel in severe accident analysis code SAMPSON (Joint research)

Miwa, Shuhei; Karasawa, Hidetoshi; Nakajima, Kunihisa; Kino, Chiaki*; Suzuki, Eriko; Imoto, Jumpei

JAEA-Data/Code 2021-022, 32 Pages, 2023/01

JAEA-Data-Code-2021-022.pdf:1.41MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2021-022(errata).pdf:0.17MB

The improved model for cesium (Cs) chemisorption onto stainless steel (SS) in the fission product (FP) chemistry database named ECUME was incorporated into the severe accident (SA) analysis code SAMPSON for the more accurate estimation of Cs distribution within nuclear reactor vessels in the TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F). The SAMPSON with the improved model was verified based on the analysis results reproducing the experimental results which were subjected to the modeling of Cs chemisorption behavior. Then, the experiment in the facility with the temperature gradient tube to simulate SA conditions such as temperature decrease and aerosol formation was analyzed to confirm availability of the improved model to the analysis of Cs chemisorption onto SS. The SAMPSON with the improved model successfully reproduced the experimental results, which indicates that the improved model and the analytical method such as setting a method of node-junction, models of aerosol formation and the calculation method of saturated CsOH vapor pressure can be applicable to the analysis of Cs chemisorption behavior. As the information on water-solubility of Cs deposits was also prerequisite to estimate the Cs distribution in the 1F because Cs can be transported through aqueous phase after the SA, the water-solubility of chemisorbed Cs compounds was investigated. The chemisorbed compounds on SS304 have been identified to CsFeO at 873 K to 973 K with higher water-solubility, CsFeSiO at 973 K to 1273 K and CsSiO at 1073 K to 1273 K with lower water-solubility. From these results, the water-solubility of chemisorbed Cs compounds can be estimated according to the SA analysis conditions such as temperature in the reactor and the CsOH concentration affecting the amount of chemisorbed Cs.

The OECD/NEA Working Group on the Analysis and Management of Accidents (WGAMA); Advances in codes and analyses to support safety demonstration of nuclear technology innovations

Nakamura, Hideo; Bentaib, A.*; Herranz, L. E.*; Ruyer, P.*; Mascari, F.*; Jacquemain, D.*; Adorni, M.*

Proceedings of International Conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear Installation Safety; Strengthening Safety of Evolutionary and Innovative Reactor Designs (TIC 2022) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2022/10

Post-test analyses of the CMMR-4 test

Yamashita, Takuya; Madokoro, Hiroshi; Sato, Ikken

Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science, 8(2), p.021701_1 - 021701_13, 2022/04

https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4051443

Cesium chemistry in the LWR severe accident and towards the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

Osaka, Masahiko; Goullo, M.*; Nakajima, Kunihisa

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(3), p.292 - 305, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2021.1997664

Research on the fission product chemistry made after the severe accident of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station were reviewed with focus on the Cesium chemistry in terms of two regimes, namely the accidental source term and the long-term source term via aqueous phase towards the decommissioning. For the accidental source term, Cs chemical interaction with Mo, B and Si were reviewed. Regarding the unique issue of long-term source term via aqueous phase, Cs penetration into concrete and fuel debris leaching were mentioned as the main sources of FPs. Efforts on the preparation of thermodynamic data for the Cs complex oxides were described. All these Cs chemical behaviors should be modelled and validated/verified through the analysis and evaluation of the actual samples including fuel debris that would be taken from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in near future.

Revaporization behavior of cesium and iodine compounds from their deposits in the steam-boron atmosphere

Rizaal, M.; Miwa, Shuhei; Suzuki, Eriko; Imoto, Jumpei; Osaka, Masahiko; Goullo, M.*

ACS Omega (Internet), 6(48), p.32695 - 32708, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.1c04441

Evaluation of core material energy change during the in-vessel phase of Fukushima Daiichi Unit 3 based on observed pressure data utilizing GOTHIC code analysis

Sato, Ikken; Arai, Yuta*; Yoshikawa, Shinji

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 58(4), p.434 - 460, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2020.1862718

Effect of nitrogen oxides on decomposition behavior of gaseous ruthenium tetroxide

Yoshida, Naoki; Amano, Yuki; Ono, Takuya; Yoshida, Ryoichiro; Abe, Hitoshi

JAEA-Research 2020-014, 33 Pages, 2020/12

JAEA-Research-2020-014.pdf:3.66MB

Considering the boiling and drying accident of high-level liquid waste in fuel reprocessing plant, Ruthenium (Ru) is an important element. It is because Ru would form volatile compounds such as ruthenium tetroxide (RuO) and could be released into the environment with other coexisting gasses such as nitric oxides (NOx) such as nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO). To contribute to the safety evaluation of this accident, we experimentally evaluated the effect of NOx on the decomposition and chemical change behavior of the gaseous RuO (RuO(g)). As a result, the RuO(g) decomposed over time under the atmospheric gasses with NO or NO, however, the decomposition rate was slower than the results of experiments without NOx. These results showed that the NOx stabilized RuO(g).

Overview and outcomes of the OECD/NEA benchmark study of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi NPS (BSAF) Phase 2; Results of severe accident analyses for Unit 1

Herranz, L. E.*; Pellegrini, M.*; Lind, T.*; Sonnenkalb, M.*; Godin-Jacqmin, L.*; Lpez, C.*; Dolganov, K.*; Cousin, F.*; Tamaki, Hitoshi; Kim, T. W.*; et al.

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 369, p.110849_1 - 110849_7, 2020/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2020.110849

Phase 2 of the OECD/NEA Project "Benchmark Study of the Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (BSAF)" was established in mid-2015. The objectives have been similar to Phase 1 of the project but with an extended analysis period of 3 weeks, a major focus on FP behaviour and releases to the environment and the comparison to various data and results of backwards calculations of the source term. Nine organizations of six countries submitted results of their calculated severe accident scenarios for Unit 1 at the 1F site using different severe accident codes. This paper describes the findings of the comparison of the participants results for Unit1 against each other and against plant data, the evaluation of the accident progression and the final status inside the reactors. Special focus is on RPV status, melt release and FP behaviour and release. Unit specific aspects will be highlighted and points of consensus as well as remaining uncertainties and data needs will be summarised.

Chemical forms of uranium evaluated by thermodynamic calculation associated with distribution of core materials in the damaged reactor pressure vessel

Ikeuchi, Hirotomo; Yano, Kimihiko; Washiya, Tadahiro

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 57(6), p.704 - 718, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2020.1720844

To suggest efficient process of the fuel debris treatment after the retrieval from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (1F), thorough investigation is indispensable on potential source of U in the fuel debris. Estimation on the fuel debris accumulated in the reactor pressure vessel is specifically important due to its limited accessibility. The present study aims to estimate the chemical forms of U in the in-vessel fuel debris, especially in the minor phases such as metallic phases, by performing the thermodynamic calculation considering the material relocation and changing environment during the accident progression in the 1F Unit 2. Input conditions for the thermodynamic calculation such as composition, temperature, and oxygen amount were assumed mainly based on the results of severe accident analysis. The chemical form of U varied depending on the local amount of Fe and O. In regions of low steel content, the U-containing metallic phase was dominated by -(Zr,U)(O), while regions of high steel content were dominated by Fe(Zr,U) (Laves phase). A few percent of U was transferred to the metallic phases under reducing conditions, raising challenging issues on the chemical removal of nuclear material from fuel debris.