Irradiation test using foreign reactor, 1; Study of irradiation test with capsule temperature control system (Joint research)

Takabe, Yugo; Otsuka, Noriaki; Fuyushima, Takumi; Sayato, Natsuki; Inoue, Shuichi; Morita, Hisashi; Jaroszewicz, J.*; Migdal, M.*; Onuma, Yuichi; Tobita, Masahiro*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2022-040, 45 Pages, 2023/03

JAEA-Technology-2022-040.pdf:6.61MB

Because of the decommission of the Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR), the domestic neutron irradiation facility, which had played a central role in the development of innovative nuclear reactors and the development of technologies to further improve the safety, reliability, and efficiency of light water reactors, was lost. Therefore, it has become difficult to pass on the operation techniques of the irradiation test reactors and irradiation technologies, and to train human resources. In order to cope with these issues, we conducted a study on the implementation of irradiation tests using overseas reactors as neutron irradiation sites as an alternative method. Based on the "Arrangement between the National Centre for Nuclear Research and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency for Cooperation in Research and Development on Testing Reactor," the feasibility of conducting an irradiation test at the MARIA reactor (30 MW) owned by the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ) using the temperature control system, which is one of the JMTR irradiation technologies, was examined. As a result, it was found that the irradiation test was possible by modifying the ready-made capsule manufactured in accordance with the design and manufacturing standards of the JMTR. After the modification, a penetration test, an insulation continuity test, and an operation test in the range of room temperature to 300C, which is the operating temperature of the capsule, were conducted and favorable results were obtained. We have completed the preparations prior to transport to the MARIA reactor.

Recent improvements of probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis code PASCAL for reactor pressure vessels

Lu, K.; Takamizawa, Hisashi; Katsuyama, Jinya; Li, Y.

International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping, 199, p.104706_1 - 104706_13, 2022/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpvp.2022.104706

Development of an integrated computer code system for analyzing irradiation behaviors of a fast reactor fuel

Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Nemoto, Junichi*; Ito, Masahiro*; Ishitani, Ikuo*; Doda, Norihiro; Tanaka, Masaaki; Otsuka, Satoshi

Nuclear Technology, 207(8), p.1280 - 1289, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2020.1810977

Computer codes for irradiation behavior analysis of a fuel pin and a fuel pin bundle and for coolant thermal hydraulics analysis were coupled into an integrated code system. In the system, each code provides data required by other codes and the analyzed results are shared among them. The system allows for the synthesizing of analyses of thermal, chemical and mechanical behaviors in a fuel subassembly under irradiation. A test analysis was made for a fuel subassembly containing a mixed oxide fuel pin bundle irradiated in a fast reactor. The results of the analysis were presented with transverse cross-sectional images of the fuel subassembly and three-dimensional images of a fuel pin and fuel pin bundle models. For detailed evaluation, various irradiation behaviors of all fuel pins in the subassembly were analyzed and correlated with irradiation conditions.

Application of probabilistic fracture mechanics to reactor pressure vessel using PASCAL4 code

Lu, K.; Katsuyama, Jinya; Li, Y.; Yoshimura, Shinobu*

Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, 143(2), p.021505_1 - 021505_8, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4048103

Evaluation of tritium release into primary coolant for research and testing reactors

Kenzhina, I.*; Ishitsuka, Etsuo; Okumura, Keisuke; Ho, H. Q.; Takemoto, Noriyuki; Chikhray, Y.*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 58(1), p.1 - 8, 2021/01

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2020.1791760

The sources and mechanisms for the tritium release into the primary coolant in the JMTR and the JRR-3M containing beryllium reflectors are evaluated. It is found that the recoil release from chain reaction of Be is dominant and its calculation results agree well with trends derived from the measured variation of tritium concentration in the primary coolant. It also indicates that the simple calculation method used in this study for the tritium recoil release from the beryllium reflectors can be utilized for an estimation of the tritium release into the primary coolant for a research and testing reactors containing beryllium reflectors.

Development of remote sensing technique using radiation resistant optical fibers under high-radiation environment

Ito, Chikara; Naito, Hiroyuki; Ishikawa, Takashi; Ito, Keisuke; Wakaida, Ikuo

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 24, p.011038_1 - 011038_6, 2019/01

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.24.011038

A high-radiation resistant optical fiber has been developed in order to investigate the interiors of the reactor pressure vessels and the primary containment vessels at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The tentative dose rate in the reactor pressure vessels is assumed to be up to 1 kGy/h. We developed a radiation resistant optical fiber consisting of a 1000 ppm hydroxyl doped pure silica core and 4 % fluorine doped pure silica cladding. We attempted to apply the optical fiber to remote imaging technique by means of fiberscope. The number of core image fibers was increased from 2000 to 22000 for practical use. The transmissive rate of infrared images was not affected after irradiation of 1 MGy. No change in the spatial resolution of the view scope by means of image fiber was noted between pre- and post-irradiation. We confirmed the applicability of the probing system, which consists of a view scope using radiation-resistant optical fibers.

Nuclear technology and potential ripple effect of superconducting magnets for fusion power plant

Nishimura, Arata*; Muroga, Takeo*; Takeuchi, Takao*; Nishitani, Takeo; Morioka, Atsuhiko

Fusion Engineering and Design, 81(8-14), p.1675 - 1681, 2006/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2005.09.007

In a fusion reactor plant, a neutral beam injector (NBI) will be operated for a long time, and it will allow neutron streaming from NBI ports to outside of the plasma vacuum vessel. It requires the superconducting magnet to develop nuclear technology to produce stable magnetic field and to reduce activation of the magnet components. In this report, the back ground of the necessity and the contents of the nuclear technology of the superconducting magnets for fusion application are discussed and some typical investigation results are presented, which are the neutron irradiation effect on NbSn wire, the development of low activation superconducting wire, and the design concept to reduce nuclear heating and nuclear transformation by streaming. In addition, recent activities in high energy particle physics are introduced and potential ripple effect of the technology of the superconducting magnets is described briefly.

Separation of C from irradiated graphite materials, 1; Oxidation behaviors and the changes in pore structure of Q1 and IG-110 graphite due to the air reaction (Joint research)

Fujii, Kimio

JAERI-Tech 2005-048, 108 Pages, 2005/09

JAERI-Tech-2005-048.pdf:25.05MB

The graphite-moderated power reactor was shut down in 1998 and its decommissioning program is being planned. Various graphites are used in the core of magnox-type reactors and HTTR as core-support structural materials and moderating materials of fast neutrons. For the nuclear graphite disposal, it is necessary to determine especially the treatment of long-lived nuclides, such as C which are generated in the graphite components during reactor operation. As a research, which solves the problem of the C concentration, the cooperative research is concluded between JAERI and Japan Nuclear Power Corp. in 1999, and the research for the basic data acquisition has been advanced up to the present. To find the optimum conditions for C reduction, basic data on oxidation reaction and the structure of graphite materials are indispensable. In the present experiment, we measure the air oxidation characteristics in the temperature range 450800C in Quality1 graphite and IG-110 graphite. Changes in pore diameter and pore size distribution due to air oxidation are discussed.

An Irradiation experiment for qualification of insulating coating

Nakamichi, Masaru*; Kawamura, Hiroshi

JAERI-Research 2005-015, 35 Pages, 2005/06

JAERI-Research-2005-015.pdf:6.48MB

no abstracts in English

Activity report on the utilization of research reactors; Japanese fiscal year, 2002

Takahashi, Toshiyuki; Research Reactor Utilization Division

JAERI-Review 2004-016, 542 Pages, 2004/08

JAERI-Review-2004-016.pdf:74.07MB

no abstracts in English