Reaction of Np, Am, and Cm ions with CO and O in a reaction cell in triple quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Kazama, Hiroyuki; Konashi, Kenji*; Suzuki, Tatsuya*; Koyama, Shinichi; Maeda, Koji; Sekio, Yoshihiro; Onishi, Takashi; Abe, Chikage*; Shikamori, Yasuyuki*; Nagai, Yasuyoshi*

Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 38(8), p.1676 - 1681, 2023/07

https://doi.org/10.1039/D3JA00136A

Differential pressure rise event for filters of HTTR primary helium gas circulators, 1; Investigation of differential pressure rise event

Nemoto, Takahiro; Arakawa, Ryoki; Kawakami, Satoru; Nagasumi, Satoru; Yokoyama, Keisuke; Watanabe, Masashi; Onishi, Takashi; Kawamoto, Taiki; Furusawa, Takayuki; Inoi, Hiroyuki; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2023-005, 33 Pages, 2023/05

JAEA-Technology-2023-005.pdf:5.25MB

During shut down of the HTTR (High Temperature engineering Test Reactor) RS-14 cycle, an increasing trend of filter differential pressure for the helium gas circulator was observed. In order to investigate this phenomenon, the blower of the primary helium purification system was disassembled and inspected. As a result, it is clear that the silicon oil mist entered into the primary coolant due to the deterioration of the charcoal filter performance. The replacement and further investigation of the filter are planning to prevent the reoccurrence of the same phenomenon in the future.

Demonstration of a kicker impedance reduction scheme with diode stack and resistors by operating the 3-GeV rapid cycling synchrotron of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex

Shobuda, Yoshihiro; Harada, Hiroyuki; Saha, P. K.; Takayanagi, Tomohiro; Tamura, Fumihiko; Togashi, Tomohito; Watanabe, Yasuhiro; Yamamoto, Kazami; Yamamoto, Masanobu

Physical Review Accelerators and Beams (Internet), 26(5), p.053501_1 - 053501_45, 2023/05

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.26.053501

At the Rapid Cycling Synchrotron (RCS) in Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC), theoretical predictions have indicated that the kicker-impedance would excite the beam-instability. A 1 MW beam with large emittance can be delivered to the Material and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) through suppression of the beam instabilities by choosing the appropriate machine parameters. However, we require other high-intensity and high-quality smaller emittance beams (than the 1 MW beam) for the Main Ring (MR). Hence, we proposed a scheme for suppressing the kicker-impedance by using prototype diodes and resistors, thereby demonstrating the effect on the kicker impedance reduction. However, the J-PARC RCS must be operated with a repetition rate of 25 Hz, which urged us to consider special diodes that are tolerant to heating. After developments, we have demonstrated that the special diodes with resistors can suppress the beam instability by reducing the kicker impedance. Enhanced durability of the prototype diodes and resistors for the 25 Hz operation was also realized. Moreover, the new diodes and the resistors have negligible effect on the extracted beam from the RCS. From a simulation point of view, the scheme can be employed for at least 5 MW beam operation within the stipulated specifications.

Measurement of 107-MeV proton-induced double-differential thick target neutron yields for Fe, Pb, and Bi using a fixed-field alternating gradient accelerator at Kyoto University

Iwamoto, Hiroki; Nakano, Keita; Meigo, Shinichiro; Satoh, Daiki; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Sugihara, Kenta; Nishio, Katsuhisa; Ishi, Yoshihiro*; Uesugi, Tomonori*; Kuriyama, Yasutoshi*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(4), p.435 - 449, 2023/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2115423

Double-differential thick target neutron yields (TTNYs) for Fe, Pb, and Bi targets induced by 107-MeV protons were measured using the fixed-field alternating gradient accelerator at Kyoto University for research and development of accelerator-driven systems (ADSs) and fundamental ADS reactor physics research at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA). Note that TTNYs were obtained with the time-of-flight method using a neutron detector system comprising eight neutron detectors; each detector has a small NE213 liquid organic scintillator and photomultiplier tube. The TTNYs obtained were compared with calculation results using Monte Carlo-based spallation models (i.e., INCL4.6/GEM, Bertini/GEM, JQMD/GEM, and JQMD/SMM/GEM) and the evaluated high-energy nuclear data library, i.e., JENDL-4.0/HE, implemented in the particle and heavy iontransport code system (PHITS). All models, including JENDL-4.0/HE, failed to predict high-energy peaks at a detector angle of 5. Comparing the energy- and angle-integrated spallation neutron yields at energies of 20 MeV estimated using the measured TTNYs and the PHITS indicated that INCL4.6/GEM would be suitable for the Monte Carlo transport simulation of ADS reactor physics experiments at the KUCA.

Recent results of beam loss mitigation and extremely low beam loss operation of J-PARC RCS

Saha, P. K.; Okabe, Kota; Nakanoya, Takamitsu; Shobuda, Yoshihiro; Harada, Hiroyuki; Tamura, Fumihiko; Okita, Hidefumi; Yoshimoto, Masahiro; Hotchi, Hideaki*

Journal of Physics; Conference Series, 2420, p.012040_1 - 012040_7, 2023/01

https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2420/1/012040

Development of HCl-free solid phase extraction combined with ICP-MS/MS for rapid assessment of difficult-to-measure radionuclides, 2; Highly sensitive monitoring of Sn in concrete rubble

Do, V. K.; Furuse, Takahiro; Ota, Yuki; Iwahashi, Hiroyuki; Hirosawa, Takashi; Watanabe, Masahisa; Sato, Soichi

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 331(12), p.5631 - 5640, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-022-08612-7

Sn is one of the long-lived fission products that might have been released into the environment after the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in 2011. The presence of radionuclides must be monitored for the proper treatment of wastes obtained from decommissioning accident-related nuclear facilities and the surrounding environment. In the work, we propose a reliable method for verifying the presence of Sn in construction materials by combining the HCl-free solid phase extraction on TEVA resin and a selective measurement by inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS). The method has been optimized and characterized step by step. More than 95% of chemical recovery was achieved for Sn from typical concrete matrixes. The interference caused by an isobar Te and possible polyatomic interferences from matrixes were effectively suppressed by the developed chemical separation and the tandem MS/MS configuration. The total decontamination factor for the Te interference was of the order of 10. The estimated method detection limit for Sn in concrete as measured at m/z = 160 was 12.1 pg g, which is equivalent to 6.1 mBq g.

Measurement of 107-MeV proton-induced double-differential neutron yields for iron for research and development of accelerator-driven systems

Iwamoto, Hiroki; Nakano, Keita; Meigo, Shinichiro; Satoh, Daiki; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Ishi, Yoshihiro*; Uesugi, Tomonori*; Kuriyama, Yasutoshi*; Yashima, Hiroshi*; Nishio, Katsuhisa; et al.

JAEA-Conf 2022-001, p.129 - 133, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.11484/jaea-conf-2022-001

For accurate prediction of neutronic characteristics for accelerator-driven systems (ADS) and a source term of spallation neutrons for reactor physics experiments for the ADS at Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA), we have launched an experimental program to measure nuclear data on ADS using the Fixed Field Alternating Gradient (FFAG) accelerator at Kyoto University. As part of this program, the proton-induced double-differential thick-target neutron-yields (TTNYs) and cross-sections (DDXs) for iron have been measured with the time-of-flight (TOF) method. For each measurement, the target was installed in a vacuum chamber on the beamline and bombarded with 107-MeV proton beams accelerated from the FFAG accelerator. Neutrons produced from the targets were detected with stacked, small-sized neutron detectors composed of the NE213 liquid organic scintillators and photomultiplier tubes, which were connected to a multi-channel digitizer mounted with a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), for several angles from the incident beam direction. The TOF spectra were obtained from the detected signals and the FFAG kicker magnet's logic signals, where gamma-ray events were eliminated by pulse shape discrimination applying the gate integration method to the FPGA. Finally, the TTNYs and DDXs were obtained from the TOF spectra by relativistic kinematics.

Atomic distribution and local structure in ice VII from in situ neutron diffraction

Yamashita, Keishiro*; Komatsu, Kazuki*; Klotz, S.*; Fabelo, O.*; Fernndez-Daz, M. T.*; Abe, Jun*; Machida, Shinichi*; Hattori, Takanori; Irifune, Tetsuo*; Shimmei, Toru*; et al.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119(40), p.e2208717119_1 - e2208717119_6, 2022/10

https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2208717119

Here we present the first elucidation of the disordered structure of ice VII, the dominant high-pressure form of water, at 2.2 GPa and 298 K from both single-crystal and powder neutron diffraction techniques. We reveal the three-dimensional atomic distributions from the maximum entropy method and unexpectedly find a ring-like distribution of hydrogen in contrast to the commonly-accepted discrete sites. In addition, total scattering analysis at 274 K clarified the difference in the intermolecular structure from ice VIII, the ordered counterpart of ice VII, despite an identical molecular geometry. Our complementary structure analyses robustly demonstrate the unique disordered structure of ice VII. Furthermore, these noble findings are related to the proton dynamics which drastically vary with pressure, and will contribute to an understanding of the structural origin of anomalous physical properties of ice VII under pressures.

Experimental study of liquid spreading and atomization due to jet impingement in liquid-liquid systems

Yamamura, Sota*; Fujiwara, Kota*; Honda, Kota*; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Horiguchi, Naoki; Kaneko, Akiko*; Abe, Yutaka*

Physics of Fluids, 34(8), p.082110_1 - 082110_13, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0100340

Liquid spreading and atomization due to jet impingement in liquid-liquid systems are considered to be crucial for understanding the cooling behavior of high-temperature molten material in a shallow water pool. This phenomenon takes place when a liquid jet enters a pool filled with other immiscible liquid. The jet spreads radially after impinging on the floor while forming a thin liquid film and atomizing droplets. In this paper, we explain the result to quantify the unsteady three-dimensional behavior of the spreading jet by the employment of 3D-LIF measurements and 3-dimensional reconstruction. Under high flow velocity conditions, the phenomena of hydraulic jump and atomization of the liquid film occurred along with the spreading. To evaluate the spreading behavior, a comparison of the jump radius position of the liquid-liquid system as the representative value was made with the one calculated by the existing theory of a gas-liquid system. As the result, the spreading of the liquid film in the liquid-liquid system was suppressed compared with that in the gas-liquid system. Furthermore, the PTV method was successfully used to measure the velocity boundary layer and velocity profile in the liquid film, which are important factors that affect the spreading mechanism of the liquid film. These results revealed that in liquid-liquid systems, shear stress at the liquid-liquid interface causes a decrease in the flow velocity and suppressed the development of the velocity boundary layer. Also, to evaluate the atomization behavior, the number and diameter distribution of the droplets were measured from the acquired 3-dimensional shape data of the jet. As the result, the number of droplets increased with the flow velocity. Based on these results, we concluded that the spreading of the liquid film is affected by such atomization behavior.

Design and safety assessment of cooling facilities for air system

Asano, Norikazu; Nishimura, Arashi; Takabe, Yugo; Araki, Daisuke; Yanai, Tomohiro; Ebisawa, Hiroyuki; Ogasawara, Yasushi; Oto, Tsutomu; Otsuka, Kaoru; Otsuka, Noriaki; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2021-045, 137 Pages, 2022/06

JAEA-Technology-2021-045.pdf:2.97MB

A collapse event of a cooling tower for secondary cooling system in the Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR) was caused by the strong winds of Typhoon No.15 on September 9, 2019. As measures against the event, the working group for the renewal of the UCL (Utility Cooling Loop) cooling tower was established in the department of JMTR, and the integrity of the UCL cooling tower, which is the same type of wooden cooling tower as the secondary cooling tower in the JMTR, was investigated. As a result of this investigation, we have decided to replace the existing UCL cooling tower with a new cooling system. After investigations, in order to reduce the risk of collapse due to wood decay, the new cooling system was installed as a component of the air system to be managed as a performance maintenance facility after decommissioning. This report describes the design of and the evaluation results of the facility.