Impact of MOX fuel use in light-water reactors; Long-term radiological consequences of disposal of high-level waste in a geological repository

Minari, Eriko*; Kabasawa, Satsuki; Mihara, Morihiro; Makino, Hitoshi; Asano, Hidekazu*; Nakase, Masahiko*; Takeshita, Kenji*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(7), p.793 - 803, 2023/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2146016

Annual report on the effluent control of low level liquid waste in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories FY2014

Watanabe, Hitoshi; Nakano, Masanao; Fujita, Hiroki; Kono, Takahiko; Inoue, Kazumi; Yoshii, Hideki*; Otani, Kazunori*; Hiyama, Yoshinori*; Kikuchi, Masaaki*; Sakauchi, Nobuyuki*; et al.

JAEA-Review 2015-030, 115 Pages, 2015/12

JAEA-Review-2015-030.pdf:25.28MB

Based on the regulations (the safety regulation of Tokai reprocessing plant, the safety regulation of nuclear fuel material usage facilities, the radiation safety rule, the regulation about prevention from radiation hazards due to radioisotopes, which are related with the nuclear regulatory acts, the local agreement concerning with safety and environment conservation around nuclear facilities, the water pollution control law, and bylaw of Ibaraki prefecture), the effluent control of liquid waste discharged from the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories of Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been performed. This report describes the effluent control results of the liquid waste in the fiscal year 2014. In this period, the concentrations and the quantities of the radioactivity in liquid waste discharged from the reprocessing plant, the plutonium fuel fabrication facilities, and the other nuclear fuel material usage facilities were much lower than the limits authorized by the above regulations.

Visualization of dynamic 3-D water behavior in polymer electrolyte fuel cell by using neutron image intensifier

Takenaka, Nobuyuki*; Asano, Hitoshi*; Sugimoto, Katsumi*; Murakawa, Hideki*; Hashimoto, Michinori*; Shindo, Noritaka*; Mochiki, Koichi*; Yasuda, Ryo

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 651(1), p.277 - 281, 2011/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2011.01.003

Evaluation of water distribution in a small operating fuel cell using neutron color image intensifier

Yasuda, Ryo; Nitto, Koichi*; Konagai, Chikara*; Shiozawa, Masahiro*; Takenaka, Nobuyuki*; Asano, Hitoshi*; Murakawa, Hideki*; Sugimoto, Katsumi*; Nojima, Takehiro; Hayashida, Hirotoshi; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 651(1), p.268 - 272, 2011/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2011.01.175

Neutron radiography is one of useful tools to visualize water behavior in fuel cells under operation. In order to observe the detailed information about the water distribution in MEA and GDL in fuel cells, a high spatial resolution and high sensitivity neutron imaging system are required. We developed an imaging system using the neutron color imaging intensifier and continuously observed water distribution in operating a fuel cell. By using the system, a small type fuel cell under operation was continuously observed at the TNRF in every 20 sec. In the results, the water area was appeared from GDL and MEA, and expanded to the channel of the cathode side. On the other hand, voltage was gradually reduced with the operation time, and steeply dropped. It is considered that voltage drop was caused by blockage of gas flow due to the piling up water in the channel of the cathode side.

Novel UV-induced photografting process for preparing poly(tetrafluoroethylene)-based proton-conducting membranes

Asano, Masaharu; Chen, J.; Maekawa, Yasunari; Sakamura, Takahiro*; Kubota, Hitoshi*; Yoshida, Masaru

Journal of Polymer Science, Part A; Polymer Chemistry, 45(13), p.2624 - 2637, 2007/07

A novel process comprising UV-induced photografting of styrene into polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) films and subsequent sulfonation has been developed for preparing proton-conducting membranes. The significance of this process is that the polystyrene can graft throughout the PTFE films. Even through the degree of grafting was lower than 10 %, the proton conductivity of the newly prepared membranes can reach a value similar to Nafion. In comparison with -ray radiation grafting, UV photografting is less damaging to the membranes because significant degradation of the PTFE main chains can be avoided.

Proton exchange membranes for fuel cell applications prepared by ion track technology

Yamaki, Tetsuya; Kozone, Yuichi*; Hiroki, Akihiro; Hosoi, Katsuhiko*; Asano, Masaharu; Kubota, Hitoshi*; Yoshida, Masaru

Denki Kagaku Oyobi Kogyo Butsuri Kagaku, 75(2), p.175 - 178, 2007/02

https://doi.org/10.5796/electrochemistry.75.175

Proton exchange membranes for use in fuel cells were prepared our original ion-track technology, which involves (1) the swift heavy ion irradiation of polyvinylidene fluoride films and subsequent chemical etching to obtain cylindrical pores, and (2) the filling of proton-conducting polymer chains into the etched pores by -ray-induced graft polymerization. We found that the membranes possessed one-dimensional straight proton conducting pathways parallel to the ion-beam incident axis. Such restricted structures probably led to less water uptake and lower methanol permeability compared to a commercially-available Nafion membrane.

Preparation of ETFE-based fuel cell membranes using UV-induced photografting and electron beam-induced crosslinking techniques

Chen, J.; Asano, Masaharu; Maekawa, Yasunari; Sakamura, Takahiro*; Kubota, Hitoshi*; Yoshida, Masaru

Journal of Membrane Science, 283(1-2), p.373 - 379, 2006/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2006.07.008

A novel process comprising UV-induced photografting of styrene into poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-ethylene) (ETFE) films in vapor and liquid phases, followed by electron beam-induced crosslinking has been developed for preparing polymer electrolyte membranes. The significance of this process is that the photografted polystyrene chains can completely penetrate into the base ETFE film; the membranes show proton conductibility available for fuel cell applications. On one hand, the proton conductivity of the liquid-phase photografted electrolyte membranes is higher than the vapor-phase one, and is anisotropic in the surface and thickness directions. On the other hand, radiation-induced crosslinking greatly improves the chemical stability of the resultant fuel cell membranes, and maintains the surface concentration of sulfonic acid groups at its higher level.

Preparation of fuel cell membranes by photografting in vapor and liquid phases

Chen, J.; Asano, Masaharu; Maekawa, Yasunari; Sakamura, Takahiro*; Kubota, Hitoshi*; Yoshida, Masaru

Electrochemical and Solid-State Letters, 9(5), p.G184 - G186, 2006/00

https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2181295

UV radiation-induced photografting of styrene into ETFE films for the preparation of fuel cell membranes was carried out. The proton conductivity in thickness direction of membranes prepared by the vapor- and liquid-phase photografting can reach as high as 0.065 and 0.087 S/cm, respectively. The higher conductivity in the liquid-phase grafting is close to the homogeneity of graft chain distribution in the membrane.

Preparation of proton exchange membranes based on crosslinked polytetrafluoroethylene for fuel cell applications

Yamaki, Tetsuya; Kobayashi, Kazuhiro; Asano, Masaharu; Kubota, Hitoshi*; Yoshida, Masaru

Polymer, 45(19), p.6569 - 6573, 2004/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2004.07.048

We prepared proton exchange membranes by the -ray-induced post grafting of styrene into crosslinked polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) films and subsequent sulfonation. The degree of grafting was controlled in the range of 7-75% by the crosslinking density of the PTFE matrix as well as the grafting conditions. Under our preparation conditions, the films at the grafting yield of 30% were found to produce ion exchange membranes with a homogeneous distribution of sulfonic acid groups. The resulting membranes showed a large ion exchange capacity up to 2.9 meq g, which exceeded the performance of commercially-available perfluorosulfonic acid films such as Nafion; nevertheless, they appeared to be dimensionally stable in water. These should undoubtedly result from the use of the crosslinked PTFE films as graft substrates and make our ion exchange membranes promising for applications to polymer electrolyte fuel cells.

Preparation of crosslinked fluoropolymer electrolyte membranes for use in fuel cells and then investigated their structural properties

Inoue, Yutaka; Kobayashi, Kazuhiro; Yamaki, Tetsuya; Asano, Masaharu; Kubota, Hitoshi*; Yoshida, Masaru

Dai-2-Kai 21-Seiki Rengo Shimpojiumu; Kagaku Gijutsu To Ningen Rombunshu, p.257 - 260, 2003/00

We prepared crosslinked fluoropolymer electrolyte membranes for use in fuel cells and then investigated their structural properties by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The radiation-induced grafting of styrene into crosslinked polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) films and subsequent sulfonation enabled us to obtain the electrolyte membrane with a sufficient ion exchange capacity, which exceeds that of the commercially-available film, Nafion. As the crosslinking and styrene grafting reactions proceeded, the size of the PTFE crystallites in the film became smaller, thereby decreasing the film crystallinity. Interestingly, in contrast to Nafion, the resulting sulfonated membranes were found to have high crystallinity.