Scenario analysis of future nuclear energy use in Japan, 1; Methodology of nuclear fuel cycle simulator: NMB4.0

Abe, Takumi; Oizumi, Akito; Nishihara, Kenji; Nakase, Masahiko*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Takeshita, Kenji*

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 7, p.299 - 304, 2025/03

https://doi.org/10.15669/pnst.7.299

Currently, much research continues on stable energy sources that do not emit CO in order to achieve a carbon-neutral and sustainable society. Nuclear energy is one of the such sources, and various new reactors and reprocessing technologies are being developed. In order to implement the nuclear fuel cycle with these technologies, a nuclear fuel cycle simulator is required to quantitatively evaluate various quantities, such as the distribution of nuclear fuel materials and the scale of waste loading. For this purpose, NMB4.0 was developed in collaboration with Tokyo Institute of Technology and Japan Atomic Energy Agency. This code calculates the material balance of 179 nuclides including actinides and fission products (FPs) from the front-end to the back-end and simulates the nuclear fuel cycle in an integrated manner. Unlike other nuclear fuel cycle simulators, the code is capable of performing precise back-end analyses such as the number of radioactive wastes and the scale of the geological repository considering heat generation of waste package under diverse nuclear energy scenario, and is an open source code that runs on Microsoft Excel. By these features, it is possible to quantitatively study nuclear energy utilization strategies with various stakeholders. The presentation will detail the numerical model used in NMB4.0.

Cost-reduced depletion calculation including short half-life nuclides for nuclear fuel cycle simulation

Okamura, Tomohiro*; Katano, Ryota; Oizumi, Akito; Nishihara, Kenji; Nakase, Masahiko*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Takeshita, Kenji*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(6), p.632 - 641, 2023/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2131646

The Okamura explicit method (OEM) for depletion calculation was developed by modifying the matrix exponential method for dynamic nuclear fuel cycle simulation. The OEM suppressed the divergence of the calculation for short half-life nuclides, even for long time steps. The computational cost of the OEM was small, equivalent to the Euler method, and it maintained sufficient accuracy for the fuel cycle simulation.

NMB4.0: Development of integrated nuclear fuel cycle simulation code

Okamura, Tomohiro*; Katano, Ryota; Oizumi, Akito; Nishihara, Kenji; Nakase, Masahiko*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Takeshita, Kenji*

Bulletin of the Laboratory for Advanced Nuclear Energy, 6, p.29 - 30, 2022/02

Takeshita Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, has been developing Nuclear Material Balance code version 4.0 (NMB4.0) in collaboration with Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). This report summarized the outline and functions of NMB4.0.

A Study of methods to prevent piping and erosion in buffer materials intended for a vertical deposition hole at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory

Jo, Mayumi*; Ono, Makoto*; Nakayama, Masashi; Asano, Hidekazu*; Ishii, Tomoko*

Geological Society Special Publications, 482, 16 Pages, 2018/09

https://doi.org/10.1144/SP482.7

Research on engineering technology in the full-scale demonstration of EBS and operation technology for HLW disposal; Research report in 2013 (Joint research)

Fujita, Tomoo; Tanai, Kenji; Nakayama, Masashi; Sawada, Sumiyuki*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Saito, Masahiko*; Yoshino, Osamu*; Kobayashi, Masato*

JAEA-Research 2014-031, 44 Pages, 2015/03

JAEA-Research-2014-031.pdf:16.11MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Radioactive Waste Management Funding and Research Center (RWMC) concluded the letter of cooperation agreement on the research and development of radioactive waste disposal in April, 2005, and have been carrying out the collaboration work based on the agreement. JAEA have been carrying out the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project which is intended for a sedimentary rock in the Horonobe town, Hokkaido, since 2001. In the project, geoscientific research and research and development on geological disposal technology are being promoted. Meanwhile, the government (the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) has been promoting construction of equipments for the full-scale demonstration of engineered barrier system (EBS) and operation technology for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal since 2008, to enhance public's understanding to the geological disposal of HLW, e.g. using underground facility. RWMC received an order of the project in fiscal year 2012 (2011/2012) continuing since fiscal year 2008 (2008/2009). Since topics in this project are included in the Horonobe URL Project, JAEA carried out this project as collaboration work continuing since fiscal year 2008. This report summarizes the results of engineering technology carried out in this collaboration work in fiscal year 2013. In fiscal year 2013, emplacement tests using buffer material block for the vertical emplacement concept were carried out and visualization tests for water penetration in buffer material were carried out.

Research on engineering technology in the full-scale demonstration of EBS and operation technology for HLW disposal; Research report in 2011 (Joint research)

Nakatsuka, Noboru; Sato, Haruo; Tanai, Kenji; Sugita, Yutaka; Nakayama, Masashi; Sawada, Sumiyuki*; Niinuma, Hiroaki*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Saito, Masahiko*; Yoshino, Osamu*; et al.

JAEA-Research 2013-027, 34 Pages, 2013/11

JAEA-Research-2013-027.pdf:5.84MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Radioactive Waste Management Funding and Research Center (RWMC) concluded the letter of cooperation agreement on the research and development of radioactive waste disposal in April, 2005, and have been carrying out the collaboration work based on the agreement. JAEA have been carrying out the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project which is intended for a sedimentary rock in the Horonobe town, Hokkaido, since 2001. In the project, geoscientific research and research and development on geological disposal technology are being promoted. Meanwhile, the government (the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) has been promoting construction of equipments for the full-scale demonstration of engineered barrier system and operation technology for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal since 2008, to enhance public's understanding to the geological disposal of HLW, e.g. using underground facility. RWMC received an order of the project in fiscal year 2010 (2010/2011) continuing since fiscal year 2008 (2008/2009). Since topics in this project are included in the Horonobe URL Project, JAEA carried out this project as collaboration work continuing in fiscal year 2008. This report summarizes the results of engineering technology carried out in this collaboration work in fiscal year 2011. In fiscal year 2011, part of the equipments for emplacement of buffer material was produced and visualization test for water penetration in buffer material were carried out.

Long term integrity of overpack closure weld for HLW geological disposal, 2; Corrosion properties under anaerobic conditions

Kobayashi, Masato*; Yokoyama, Yutaka*; Takahashi, Rieko*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Taniguchi, Naoki; Naito, Morimasa

Corrosion Engineering, Science and Technology, 46(2), p.212 - 216, 2011/04

https://doi.org/10.1179/1743278210Y.0000000021

The corrosion behaviour of a carbon steel weld joint under anaerobic conditions was investigated to estimate the long-term integrity of the carbon steel overpack. The weld specimens in this study were produced using three welding methods: GTAW, GMAW and EBW. General corrosion was observed for each immersion specimen and the weld joint corrosion rate was the same as or less than that of the base metal. The hydrogen concentration absorbed during immersion testing was less than 2.4810 mol kg[Fe](0.05 ppm) after three years, a value regarded as having little influence on hydrogen embrittlement. The susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement was highest in the base metal, suggesting that there was little adverse effect on the weld joint from welding. The welded carbon steel overpack is assumed to maintain its resistance to corrosion as a disposal container for the expected lifetime under anaerobic underground conditions.

Research on engineering technology in the full-scale demonstration of EBS and operation technology for HLW disposal; Research report in 2009 (Joint research)

Nakatsuka, Noboru; Hatanaka, Koichiro; Sato, Haruo; Sugita, Yutaka; Nakayama, Masashi; Miyahara, Shigenori; Asano, Hidekazu*; Saito, Masahiko*; Suyama, Yasuhiro*; Hayashi, Hidero*; et al.

JAEA-Research 2010-060, 50 Pages, 2011/02

JAEA-Research-2010-060.pdf:6.7MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Radioactive Waste Management Funding and Research Center (RWMC) concluded the letter of cooperation agreement on the research and development of radioactive waste disposal in April, 2005, and have been carrying out the collaboration work described above based on the agreement. JAEA have been carrying out the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project which is intended for sedimentary rock in the Horonobe town, Hokkaido, since 2001. In the project, geoscientific research and research and development on geological disposal technology are being promoted. Meanwhile, the government (the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) has been promoting construction of equipments for the full-scale demonstration of engineered barrier system and operation technology for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal since 2008, to enhance publics understanding to the geological disposal of HLW, using underground facility, etc. RWMC received an order of the project in fiscal year 2009 (2009/2010) continuing in fiscal year 2008 (2008/2009). Since topics in this project are included in the Horonobe URL Project, JAEA carried out this project as collaboration work continuing in fiscal year 2008. This report summarizes the results of engineering technology carried out in this collaboration work in fiscal year 2009. In fiscal year 2009, a part of the equipments for equipment of buffer material and visualization test apparatus for water penetration in buffer material were produced and house for the equipments and apparatus was constructed.

Corrosion behavior of weld zone of carbon steel overpack for HLW geological disposal

Yokoyama, Yutaka*; Mitsui, Hiroyuki*; Takahashi, Rieko*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Taniguchi, Naoki; Naito, Morimasa

Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, Vol.1124, p.463 - 471, 2009/00

In Japan, carbon steel is one of the candidate materials for the disposal container (overpack) for high-level radioactive waste (HLW). Overpack seals vitrified waste and is required to isolate it from contact with groundwater for 1,000 years in Japan's waste management program. Its integrity for 1,000 years is evaluated in consideration of mechanical strength and corrosion property. The corrosion property of base metal is evaluated along with the corrosion scenarios of carbon steel overpack presented by JNC. However, the corrosion behavior of the weld zone of overpack under repository conditions has not been investigated enough to evaluate its long term integrity. The weld zone may have a different microstructure and chemical composition from the base metal because of the influence of welding. Therefore, the corrosion property of the weld zone may differ from that of the base metal. In this study, to evaluate the corrosion property of the weld zone produced by TIG, MAG and EBW, the corrosion modes which had become the main concerns in the weld zone were extracted from the corrosion scenario of base metal, and four tests: passivation behavior, corrosion property under aerobic conditions, susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking, and corrosion property and possibility of hydrogen embrittlement under anaerobic conditions, were examined.

Therapeutic effects of a Re-complex-conjugated bisphosphonate for the palliation of metastatic bone pain in an animal model

Ogawa, Kazuma*; Mukai, Takahiro*; Asano, Daigo*; Kawashima, Hidekazu*; Kinuya, Seigo*; Shiba, Kazuhiro*; Hashimoto, Kazuyuki; Mori, Hirofumi*; Saji, Hideo*

Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 48(1), p.122 - 127, 2007/01

We developed a highly stable rhenium-186 (Re)-MAG3 complex-conjugated bisphosphonate, (Re-MAG3-HBP), for the treatment of painful bone metastases. This agent showed a superior biodistribution as a bone-seeking agent in normal mice when compared with Re-HEDP. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of Re-MAG3-HBP using an animal model of bone metastasis. In the rats treated with Re-HEDP, tumor growth was comparable to that in untreated rats. In contrast, when Re-MAG3-HBP was administered, tumor growth was significantly inhibited. Allodynia induced by bone metastasis was attenuated by treatment with Re-MAG3-HBP or Re-HEDP, but Re-MAG3-HBP tended to be more effective. These results indicate that Re-MAG3-HBP could be useful as a therapeutic agent for the palliation of metastatic bone pain.