Development of transportation container for the neutron startup source of High Temperature engineering Test Reactor (HTTR)

HTTR起動用中性子源用輸送容器の開発

島崎 洋祐 ; 小野 正人 ; 栃尾 大輔 ; 高田 昌二; 澤畑 洋明 ; 川本 大樹; 濱本 真平  ; 篠原 正憲 

Shimazaki, Yosuke; Ono, Masato; Tochio, Daisuke; Takada, Shoji; Sawahata, Hiroaki; Kawamoto, Taiki; Hamamoto, Shimpei; Shinohara, Masanori

HTTRでは起動用中性子源として、Cf(3.7GBq3個)を炉心内に装荷し、約7年の頻度で交換している。中性子源の中性子源ホルダへの装荷、中性子源ホルダ収納ケース及び中性子源用輸送容器への収納は販売業者のホットセル内で行われ、その後、HTTRまで輸送される。中性子源ホルダの黒鉛ブロックからの取出・装荷は、HTTRのメンテナンスピット内で行う。前回の交換作業において、輸送容器に中性子源ホルダを取扱う上でのリスクが2つ確認された。従来の輸送容器は大型(1240mm、h1855mm)で床に固定できないため、地震時の輸送容器のズレを原因とする漏えい中性子線・線による被ばくのリスクがあった。また、中性子源ホルダ収納ケースが長尺(155mm、h1285mm)で、メンテナンスピット内の適切な作業位置に引込めないため、中性子源ホルダの遠隔操作による取扱いが困難となり、ホルダが誤落下するリスクがあった。そこで、これらの問題を解決する、新たな輸送容器を低コストで開発した。まず、被ばくのリスクを排除するために、メンテナンスピット上部のフロアにボルト固定できるよう輸送容器を小型化(820mm、h1150mm)した。また、中性子源ホルダケースをマニプレータで適せつな位置に引き込めるように小型化(75mm、h135mm)かつ単純な構造とし、取扱性を向上させた。その結果、2015年に行った中性子源ホルダ取扱作業は安全に完遂された。同時に、製作コストの低コスト化も実現した。

In High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR), three neutron holders containing Cf with 3.7 GBq for each are loaded in the graphite blocks and inserted into the reactor core as a neutron startup source which is changed at the interval of approximately ten years. These neutron holders containing the neutron sources are transported from the dealer's hot cell to HTTR using the transportation container. The holders loading to the graphite block are carried out in the fuel handling machine maintenance pit of HTTR. There were two technical issues for the safety handling work of the neutron holder. The one is the radiation exposure caused by significant movement of the container due to an earthquake, because the conventional transportation container was so large (1240 mm, h1855 mm) that it can not be fixed on the top floor of maintenance pit by bolts. The other is the falling of the neutron holder caused by the difficult remote handling work, because the neutron holder capsule was also so long (155 mm, h1285 mm) that it can not be pulled into the adequate working space in the maintenance pit. Therefore, a new and low cost transportation container, which can solve the issues, was developed. To avoid the neutron and ray exposure, smaller transportation container (820mm, h1150 mm) which can be fixed on the top floor of maintenance pit by bolts was developed. In addition, to avoid the falling of the neutron holder, smaller neutron holder capsule (75 mm, h135 mm) with simple handling mechanism which can be treated easily by manipulator was also developed. As the result of development, the neutron holder handling work was safely accomplished. Moreover, a cost reduction for manufacturing was also achieved by simplifying the mechanism of neutron holder capsule and downsizing.