Development of radiation-resistant optical fiber for application to observation and laser spectroscopy under high radiation dose

高放射線環境下における観察及びレーザー分光に用いる耐放射線性光ファイバの開発

伊藤 主税   ; 内藤 裕之; 西村 昭彦  ; 大場 弘則  ; 若井田 育夫  ; 杉山 僚; 茶谷 恵治

Ito, Chikara; Naito, Hiroyuki; Nishimura, Akihiko; Oba, Hironori; Wakaida, Ikuo; Sugiyama, Akira; Chiyatani, Keiji

福島第一原子力発電所の燃料デブリの取出しに向けた原子炉圧力容器・格納容器内の燃料デブリの位置や状況の把握に適用可能な検査技術として、ファイバスコープによる観察技術とレーザー分光による元素分析技術を組み合わせた光ファイバプローブを開発している。積算線量100万Gyまで使用できる性能を目指し、ヒドロキシ基を1,000ppm含有させることにより耐放射線性を向上させた高純度石英光ファイバを試作して、線照射試験により放射線の影響による伝送損失の測定とイメージファイバによる可視光線及び赤外線観察を行った。その結果、光ファイバの耐放射線性能を確認でき、100万Gyまで観察及びLIBS分光が行える見通しを得た。

In the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, it is necessary to survey the locations and conditions of fuel debris inside reactor pressure vessels or primary containment vessels under water and radiation environment in preparation for removing fuel debris. An optical fiber is well known for features such as signal transmission, light weight, superior insulation performance, water resistance and electromagnetic noise resistance. These features allow the optical fiber to simplify the instrumentation systems for in-vessel inspection, as long as provide that the optical fiber can be used under high radiation dose environment. The radiation resistance of an optical fiber was improved by increasing the amount of hydroxyl up to 1000 ppm in pure silica fiber. The improved optical fibers were irradiated with -ray up to 1 10 Gy using a Co source. They indicated a large peak around 600 nm and a peak tail from ultraviolet region, but no large absorption in infrared region except a hydroxyl absorption peak of 945 nm. We have confirmed that the optical fiber containing 1000 ppm hydroxyl has enough radiation resistance for radiation induced transmission losses and the infrared imaging is effective for observation under high radiation doses.