Decommissioning report for Wastewater Treatment Facility (Part 2); Chapter on contamination inspection section

Yamamoto, Keisuke; Nakagawa, Takuya; Shimojo, Hiroto; Kijima, Jun; Miura, Daiya; Onose, Yoshihiko*; Namba, Koji*; Uchida, Hiroaki*; Sakamoto, Kazuhiko*; Ono, Chika*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2024-019, 211 Pages, 2025/02

JAEA-Technology-2024-019.pdf:35.35MB

The uranium enrichment facilities at the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) were constructed sequentially to develop uranium enrichment technology with centrifugal separation method. The developed technologies were transferred to Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited until 2001. And the original purpose has been achieved. Wastewater Treatment Facility, one of the uranium enrichment facilities, was constructed in 1976 to treat radioactive liquid waste generated at the facilities, and it finished the role in 2008. In accordance with the Medium/Long-Term Management Plan of JAEA Facilities, interior equipment installed in this facility had been dismantled and removed since November 2021 to August 2023. This report summarizes the findings obtained through the work related to the contamination inspection methods cancellation the controlled area of Wastewater Treatment Facility from September 2023 to March 2024.

Overview of PHITS Ver.3.34 with particular focus on track-structure calculation

Ogawa, Tatsuhiko; Hirata, Yuho; Matsuya, Yusuke; Kai, Takeshi; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Hashimoto, Shintaro; Furuta, Takuya; Abe, Shinichiro; Matsuda, Norihiro; et al.

EPJ Nuclear Sciences & Technologies (Internet), 10, p.13_1 - 13_8, 2024/11

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjn/2024012

The latest updates on PHITS, a versatile radiation transport code, focusing specifically on track-structure models are presented. Track structure calculations are methods used to simulate the movement of charged particles while explicitly considering each atomic reaction. Initially developed for radiation biology, these calculation methods aimed to analyze the radiation-induced damage to DNA and chromosomes. Several track-structure calculation models, including PHITS-ETS, PHITS-ETS for Si, PHITS-KURBUC, ETSART, and ITSART, have been developed and implemented to PHITS. These models allow users to study the behavior of various particles at the nano-scale across a wide range of materials. Furthermore, potential applications of track-structure calculations have also been proposed so far. This collection of track-structure calculation models, which encompasses diverse conditions, opens up new avenues for research in the field of radiation effects.

Research plan on geosphere stability for long-term isolation of radioactive waste (Scientific program for fiscal year 2024)

Niwa, Masakazu; Shimada, Akiomi; Asamori, Koichi; Sueoka, Shigeru; Komatsu, Tetsuya; Nakajima, Toru; Ogata, Manabu; Uchida, Mao; Nishiyama, Nariaki; Tanaka, Kiriha; et al.

JAEA-Review 2024-035, 29 Pages, 2024/09

JAEA-Review-2024-035.pdf:1.24MB

This report is a plan of research and development (R&D) on geosphere stability for long-term isolation of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), in fiscal year 2024. The objectives and contents of this research are described in detail based on the JAEA 4th Medium- and Long-term Plan (fiscal years 2022-2028). In addition, the background of this research is described from the necessity and the significance for site investigation and safety assessment, and the past progress. The plan framework is structured into the following categories: (1) Development and systematization of investigation techniques, (2) Development of models for long-term estimation and effective assessment, (3) Development of dating techniques.

Holocene paleolimnological changes in Rundvshetta lakes in the Soya Coast region and their paleoenvironmental significance with glacial isostatic adjustment in East Antarctica

Inoue, Genki*; Honda, Eisuke*; Ito, Keisuke*; Kang, I.*; Seto, Koji*; Tani, Yukinori*; Watanabe, Takahiro; Kashima, Kaoru*; Otani, Shuji*; Yamanaka, Toshiro*; et al.

Quaternary Science Reviews, 338, p.108822_1 - 108822_18, 2024/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108822

We studied Holocene paleolimnological changes inferred from biomarkers and microscopic observation of microalgae and cyanobacteria in sediment cores from Rundvshetta lakes (Maruwanminami-ike and Maruwan o-ike) in the Soya Coast of East Antarctica, along with sedimentary facies and radiocarbon dating. Coastal marine environment: Maruwanminami-ike (147-72.5 cm, 5,010-2,590 cal BP) and Maruwan-oike (226-47.2 cm, 5,700-3,190 cal BP) were characterized by low biological production with the predominance of diatoms. Transition period of stratified brackish lake environment: Maruwanminami-ike (72.5-65.6 cm, 2,590-2,500 cal BP) and Maruwan-oike (47.2-28.8 cm, 3,190-2,890 cal BP) were characterized by stratified conditions with marine water overlain by freshwater, and a chemocline developed together with an anoxic layer in the bottom of photic zone.

Utilization of gamma ray irradiation at the WASTEF Facility

Sano, Naruto; Yamashita, Naoki; Watanabe, Masaya; Tsukada, Manabu*; Hoshino, Kazutoyo*; Hirai, Koki; Ikegami, Yuta*; Tashiro, Shinsuke; Yoshida, Ryoichiro; Hatakeyama, Yuichi; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2023-029, 36 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Technology-2023-029.pdf:2.47MB

At the Waste Safety Testing Facility (WASTEF), the gamma ray irradiation device "Gamma Cell 220" was relocated from the 4th Research Building of the Nuclear Science Research Institute in FY2019, and the use of gamma ray irradiation has begun. Initially, Fuel Cycle Safety Research Group, Fuel Cycle Safety Research Division, Nuclear Safety Research Center, Sector of Nuclear Safety Research and Emergency Preparedness, the owner of this device, conducted the tests as the main user, but since 2022, other users, including those outside the organization, have started using it. The gamma ray irradiation device "Gamma Cell 220" is manufactured by Nordion International Inc. in Canada. Since it was purchased in 1989, the built-in Co radiation source has been updated once, and safety research related to nuclear fuel cycles, etc. It is still used for this purpose to this day. This report summarizes the equipment overview of the gamma ray irradiation device "Gamma Cell 220", its permits and licenses at WASTEF, usage status, maintenance and inspection, and future prospects.

Present status of the JAEA-AMS-TONO (2022FY)

Fujita, Natsuko; Miyake, Masayasu; Matsubara, Akihiro*; Ishii, Masahiro*; Watanabe, Takahiro; Jinno, Satoshi; Nishio, Tomohiro*; Ogawa, Yumi; Kimura, Kenji; Shimada, Akiomi; et al.

Dai-35-Kai Tandemu Kasokuki Oyobi Sono Shuhen Gijutsu No Kenkyukai Hokokushu, p.17 - 19, 2024/03

The JAEA-AMS-TONO facility at the Tono Geoscience Center, JAEA has three accelerator mass spectrometers. We report the present status of the JAEA-AMS-TONO.

Development of a hybrid evaluation method for long-term structural soundness of nuclear reactor buildings using monitoring and damage imaging technologies; Nuclear energy science & technology and human resource development project

Maeda, Masaki*; Tanabe, Tadao*; Nishiwaki, Tomoya*; Aoki, Takayuki*; Dozaki, Koji*; Nishimura, Koshiro*; Fujii, Sho*; Ueno, Fumiyoshi; Tanaka, Akio*; Suzuki, Yusuke*; et al.

Transactions of the 27th International Conference on Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology (SMiRT 27) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2024/03

Quantum critical behavior of the hyperkagome magnet MnCoSi

Yamauchi, Hiroki; Sari, D. P.*; Yasui, Yukio*; Sakakura, Terutoshi*; Kimura, Hiroyuki*; Nakao, Akiko*; Ohara, Takashi; Honda, Takashi*; Kodama, Katsuaki; Igawa, Naoki; et al.

Physical Review Research (Internet), 6(1), p.013144_1 - 013144_9, 2024/02

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.013144

Combustion properties of glove-box panel resins under fire accidents

Tashiro, Shinsuke; Uchiyama, Gunzo; Ono, Takuya; Amano, Yuki; Yoshida, Ryoichiro; Watanabe, Koji*; Abe, Hitoshi; Yamane, Yuichi

Nuclear Technology, 10 Pages, 2024/00

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2024.2329832

Contributing to the confinement safety evaluation of glove-box (GB) connected with high efficiency particle air (HEPA) filters for radioactive materials under fire accidents, combustion tests of a flammable polymer, Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and a flame retardant polymer, Polycarbonate (PC), as typical GB panel resins have been conducted with an engineering-scale combustion apparatus. The combustion properties such as the mass loss rate (MLR) and the heat release rate (HRR) of PMMA and PC were investigated in the combustion tests. In the tests with the same shapes, it was found the followings; MLRs and HRRs of PMMA were larger than those of PC under the same supply flow rate into the combustion cell (Fv); MLRs and HRRs of PMMA and PC were constant under different Fv. Moreover, in the tests of PMMA with different cross section areas (S), MLRs and HRRs were found to be proportional to S. Using these results, the relationships of MLR and HRR to S of PMMA and PC were deduced.

Research plan on geosphere stability for long-term isolation of radioactive waste (Scientific program for fiscal year 2023)

Niwa, Masakazu; Shimada, Koji; Sueoka, Shigeru; Fujita, Natsuko; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Ogita, Yasuhiro; Fukuda, Shoma; Nakajima, Toru; Kagami, Saya; Ogata, Manabu; et al.

JAEA-Review 2023-017, 27 Pages, 2023/10

JAEA-Review-2023-017.pdf:0.94MB

This report is a plan of research and development (R&D) on geosphere stability for long-term isolation of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), in fiscal year 2023. The objectives and contents in fiscal year 2023 are described in detail based on the JAEA 4th Medium- and Long-term Plan (fiscal years 2022-2028). In addition, the background of this research is described from the necessity and the significance for site investigation and safety assessment, and the past progress. The plan framework is structured into the following categories: (1) Development and systematization of investigation techniques, (2) Development of models for long-term estimation and effective assessment, (3) Development of dating techniques.