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Araki, Shohei; Aizawa, Eiju; Murakami, Takahiko; Arakaki, Yu; Tada, Yuta; Kamikawa, Yutaka; Hasegawa, Kenta; Yoshikawa, Tomoki; Sumiya, Masato; Seki, Masakazu; et al.
Annals of Nuclear Energy, 217, p.111323_1 - 111323_8, 2025/07
JAEA has modified the STACY from a homogeneous system using solution fuel to a heterogeneous system using fuel rods in order to obtain criticality characteristics of fuel debris. The modification of the STACY was completed in December 2023. A series of performance inspections were conducted for the start of experimental operations. A new thermal power calibration is required for the performance inspections in order to operate at less than 200 W, which is the permitted thermal power. However, the thermal power measurement method and calibration data used in the former STACY is no longer available due to the modification of the modified STACY. We measured the thermal power of the STACY using the activation method that was improved to adapt to the measurement condition and calibrated the power meter system. Since the positions where activation foils could be installed were very limited, the thermal power was evaluated using numerical calculations supplemented by experimental data. Neutron flux data at the positions of the activation foil was measured by the activation method. Neutron distribution in the core was calculated by the Monte Carlo code MVP. A response function of the activation foil was calculated using the PHITS. The uncertainty of the thermal power measurement was conservatively estimated to be about 15%. Four operations were conducted for the thermal power measurement. The power meter was calibrated by using three operational data and tested with the one operational data. It was found that the indicated value of the meter adjusted by the STACY before the modification work would tend to overestimate the actual output by about 40%. In addition, the current calibration was able to calibrate the meter to within 3% accuracy.
Hasegawa, Kunio; Yamaguchi, Yoshihito; Udyawar, A.*
Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, 147(3), p.034501_1 - 034501_7, 2025/06
Ichikawa, Masaya; Gubler, P.; Naruki, Megumi; Yokkaichi, Satoru*
Journal of Subatomic Particles and Cosmology (Internet), 3, p.100018_1 - 100018_5, 2025/06
Shi, W.*; Machida, Masahiko; Yamada, Susumu; Okamoto, Koji
Progress in Nuclear Energy, 184, p.105710_1 - 105710_10, 2025/06
Very recently, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) has been proposed as a scheme capable to inversely estimate radioactive source distributions inside reactor building rooms from air dose rate measurements together with the predicted lower bound of the measurement numbers for successful reconstructions. However, no one has ever analyzed how the uncertainty of input data including the measurement errors influences the accuracy of the inverse estimation results. In this paper, we therefore perform uncertainty analysis of the LASSO scheme and suggest an uncertainty estimation function derived based on the theory of Candes. We actually demonstrate in two types of numerical tests with different input uncertainties obtained by using Monte Carlo code, Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) that the calculated errors obey the proposed uncertainty estimation function. Thus, the LASSO scheme allows to successfully estimate radioactive distributions within the predicted uncertainty.
Aoyama, Takahito; Ueno, Fumiyoshi; Sato, Tomonori; Kato, Chiaki; Sano, Naruto; Yamashita, Naoki; Otani, Kyohei; Igarashi, Takahiro
Annals of Nuclear Energy, 214, p.111229_1 - 111229_6, 2025/05
Times Cited Count：0
for negative stress ratios R based on trend in experimental data for fatigue crack growth rates of austenitic stainless steels for ASME code Section XI Negyesi, M.*; Yamaguchi, Yoshihito; Hasegawa, Kunio; Lacroix, V.*; Morley, A.*
Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, 147(2), p.021201_1 - 021201_7, 2025/04
Koarashi, Jun; Takeuchi, Erina; Kokubu, Yoko; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko
Radiocarbon, 67(2), p.307 - 317, 2025/04
Radiocarbon (
C) dating of soil samples by accelerator mass spectrometry has been proven useful for studying carbon (C) cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. There are, however, two main difficulties in sample preparation for this application: contamination of samples with modern C and inhibition of graphite formation due to sulfur (S)-containing impurities. Here we evaluated these effects from three different sample preparation methods, by conducting C measurements of C-dead sample and S-rich soil samples. The preparation methods were all successful in graphite formation and C measurement for soil samples with an organic S content 
6.9%. The different methods showed different percent Modern Carbon (pMC) values ranging from 0.19% to 0.64% for C-dead sample. However, the three methods had little influence on the determination of C age for samples at least younger than 12,000 yr BP. The methods examined in the present study can be used for C dating with sufficient accuracy in the application to C cycle studies.
Namie, Masanari; Saito, Junichi; Oka, Ryotaro*; Kim, J.-H.*
Vacuum, 234, p.114038_1 - 114038_9, 2025/04
Times Cited Count：0Fuyushima, Takumi; Sayato, Natsuki; Otsuka, Kaoru; Endo, Yasuichi; Tobita, Masahiro*; Takemoto, Noriyuki
JAEA-Testing 2024-008, 38 Pages, 2025/03
JAEA-Testing-2024-008.pdf:2.37MB
In Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR), irradiation tests had been conducted by loading specimens into capsules for irradiating fuels and materials. The thermal design calculation of capsules is significant to irradiate various types of specimens at the target temperature. The decommissioning plan of JMTR was approved in March 2021, and the Department of Waste Management and Decommissioning Technology Development is currently working on irradiation plans by foreign testing reactors as an alternative for JMTR. A one-dimensional thermal calculation code "GENGTC", which was developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in U.S., is used for capsule design and irradiation tests. GENGTC has been repeatedly improved as improvements of computer performance, but there were some defects in calculation function. Therefore, we investigated the cause of the problem and changed the program from the currently used FORTRAN77 language program to a Visual Basic language program that uses the macro calculation function of Excel. In addition, the program was improved to make it easier to use the calculation code.
Co gamma irradiation test results with calculated resultsTakeda, Ryoma; Shibata, Hiroshi; Takeuchi, Tomoaki; Nakano, Hiroko; Seki, Misaki; Ide, Hiroshi
JAEA-Testing 2024-007, 33 Pages, 2025/03
JAEA-Testing-2024-007.pdf:1.63MB
Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR) in Oarai Research and Development Institute of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been developing various reactor materials, irradiation techniques and instruments for more than 30 years. Among them, the development of self-powered neutron detectors (SPNDs) and gamma detectors (SPGDs) has been carried out, and several research results have been reported. In this report, we compare and verify these test results with the theoretical output results obtained by the calculation code created in the JAEA report (JAEA-Data/Code 2021-018). The comparison was made with the irradiation test results of SPGD, a cobalt-60 gamma irradiation facility. As a result, it was found that the calculation results reproduced the test results well when the emitter diameter was relatively small compared to the range of Compton scattered electrons by the gamma rays. On the other hand, when the emitter diameter is relatively large, the output current in the test results is only about half of the calculated output current. The self-shielding effect of the emitter may be one of the reasons for the difference in the emitter diameter, and a new formulation, such as incorporating the effect of self-shielding caused by a larger emitter diameter or a non-isotropic 
-ray field as a change in the mean electron range or mean minimum energy in the calculation code, is necessary. The new formulation is necessary.
Meigo, Shinichiro; Iwamoto, Hiroki; Sugihara, Kenta*; Hirano, Yukinori*; Tsutsumi, Kazuyoshi*; Saito, Shigeru; Maekawa, Fujio
JAEA-Technology 2024-026, 123 Pages, 2025/03
JAEA-Technology-2024-026.pdf:14.22MB
Based on the design of the ADS Target Test Facility (TEF-T) at the J-PARC Transmutation Experimental Facility, a conceptual study was conducted on the J-PARC proton beam irradiation facility. This research was carried out based on the recommendations of the Nuclear Transmutation Technology Evaluation Task Force of the MEXT. The recommendations state that it is desirable to consider facility specifications that can make the most of the benefits of using the existing J-PARC proton accelerator while also solving the engineering issues of the ADS. We considered facilities that could respond to a variety of needs while reducing the facilities that were not needed in the TEF-T design. In order to clarify these diverse needs, we investigated the usage status of representative accelerator facilities around the world. As a result, it became clear that the main purposes of these facilities were (1) Material irradiation, (2) Soft error testing of semiconductor devices using spallation neutrons, (3) Production of RI for medical use, and (4) Proton beam use, and we investigated the facilities necessary for these purposes. In considering the facility concept, we assumed a user community in 2022 and reflected user opinions in the facility design. This report summarizes the results of the conceptual study of the proton irradiation facility, various needs and responses to them, the roadmap for facility construction, and future issues.
Asahi, Yoshimitsu; Fukuda, Shigeki; Shiramizu, Daiki; Miyata, Koshi; Tone, Masaya; Katsuoka, Nanako; Maeda, Yuta; Aoyama, Yusuke; Niitsuma, Koichi; Kobayashi, Hidekazu; et al.
JAEA-Technology 2024-024, 271 Pages, 2025/03
JAEA-Technology-2024-024.pdf:33.98MB
JAEA-Technology-2024-024-hyperlink.zip:31.96MB
A glass melter for the vitrification process of highly active liquid waste in the Tokai Reprocessing Plant, TVF's 3rd melter, was built, and the glass of 18 vitrified waste canisters in weight was melted and poured through a cold test operation. The molten glass surface was covered by a cold cap from feeding fiberglass cartridges saturated with non-radioactive simulant liquid waste as raw material, whose components are equivalent to actual waste. Differences in inherent characteristics of the thermal behavior between the 2nd and the 3rd melter due to the difference in design were considered to establish the procedure to control the new melter. The melter's condition was stabilized at a higher glass temperature and the cooling of 1 kW less in each of the two main electrodes, compared to the 2nd one. Under 39 kW joule heating of the main electrodes with 26 Nm3/h coolant flow rate, it showed the capability to finish heating the bottom furnace in 5 hours before pouring, 2 hours shorter than the 2nd melter. Measurements of the temperature distributions in molten glass and casing surface yielded data that is efficient for developing a simulation model. After Platinum Group Elements (PGE) concentration saturates in the molten glass, feeding raw material and discharging glass were suspended to examine a holding state, indicating PGE settling could retard. During the holding test, observation of the melting process of the cold cap declared that the surface was covered by a thin layer with almost non-fluidity. It will be a reason for choosing the no-slip condition of a fluid calculation, even in the hot-top condition. The investigation of PGE discharging behavior by analyzing the elemental composition of poured glass showed the accumulated PGE amount in the 3rd melter is small compared to the 2nd melter. Inspection of the melter inside after draining out concluded that there were neither significant residual glass nor refractory fragments.
Tomioka, Dai; Kochiyama, Mami; Ozone, Kenji; Nakata, Hisakazu; Sakai, Akihiro
JAEA-Technology 2024-023, 38 Pages, 2025/03
JAEA-Technology-2024-023.pdf:1.54MB
Japan Atomic Energy Agency is an implementing organization of near-surface disposal for low-level radioactive wastes generated from research, industrial and medical facilities in Japan. Information on the radioactivity concentration of these radioactive wastes is dispensable for the design and conformity assessment of the waste disposal facilities for the licensing application of the disposal project and its safety review. Radioactive Wastes Disposal Center has been improving the radioactivity evaluation procedure for the dismantling waste generated from the research reactors based on the activation calculation. In order to investigate the applicability of the ORIGEN code (included in SCALE6.2.4), which enables more accurate activation calculations using multigroup neutron spectra, we performed activation calculations with the ORIGEN-code and the ORIGEN-S code (included in SCALE6.0), which has been widely used in the past, for the dismantled wastes from the Rikkyo University Research Reactor, where radioactivity analysis data for the structural materials around the reactor core were compiled. As a result, the calculation time difference between ORIGEN and ORIGEN-S was small and the evaluated radioactivity concentrations of the former were in the range of 0.8-1.0 times those of the latter, which was in good agreement with those of radiochemical analysis in the range of 0.5-3.0 times. The applicability of ORIGEN was confirmed. In addition, activation calculations assuming trace elements in structural materials of nuclear reactor were performed with ORIGEN and ORIGEN-S and the results were compared. The causes of the large differences among 170 nuclides that are important for dose assessment in near-surface disposal were assessed each nuclide.
Futemma, Akira; Sanada, Yukihisa; Nakama, Shigeo; Sasaki, Miyuki; Ochi, Kotaro; Sawahata, Yoshiro*; Kawasaki, Yoshiharu*; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Hiraga, Shogo*; Haginoya, Masashi*; et al.
JAEA-Technology 2024-022, 170 Pages, 2025/03
JAEA-Technology-2024-022.pdf:15.09MB
On March 11, 2011, the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake caused a tsunami that led to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, releasing radioactive material into the environment. Since then, Aerial Radiation Monitoring (ARM) using manned helicopters has been employed to measure radiation distribution. As a commissioned project from the Nuclear Regulation Authority, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) utilizes this technology for emergency monitoring during nuclear facility accidents, aiming to provide prompt results by pre-arranging information on background radiation, topography, and control airspaces around nuclear power plants nationwide. In fiscal year 2023, the commissioned project included conducting ARM around the Sendai Nuclear Power Station and preparing related information. To enhance effectiveness during emergencies, ARM and the first domestic training flight of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) were conducted during the FY2023 Nuclear Energy Disaster Prevention Drill. Furthermore, UAVs radiation monitoring technology was advanced by selecting UAVs and investigating their performance. This report summarizes the results and technical issues identified providing insights to improve emergency preparedness.
Futemma, Akira; Sanada, Yukihisa; Nakama, Shigeo; Sasaki, Miyuki; Ochi, Kotaro; Nagakubo, Azusa; Sawahata, Yoshiro*; Kawasaki, Yoshiharu*; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Hiraga, Shogo*; et al.
JAEA-Technology 2024-021, 232 Pages, 2025/03
JAEA-Technology-2024-021.pdf:25.79MB
The 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake on March 11, 2011, caused a tsunami that led to the TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) accident, releasing a large amount of radioactive material into the surrounding environment. Since the accident, Aerial Radiation Monitoring (ARM) has been used to quickly and widely measure radiation distribution. As a commissioned project from the Nuclear Regulation Authority, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has continuously conducted ARM around FDNPS using manned and unmanned helicopters. This report summarizes the monitoring results for fiscal year 2023, evaluates changes in dose rate from past results, and discusses the factors contributing to these changes. Additionally, an analysis considering terrain undulation was conducted to improve accuracy for converting ARM data into dose rate. Furthermore, a method to discriminate airborne radon progeny was applied for ARM results to evaluate its impact. Moreover, to perform wide-area monitoring more efficiently, we advanced the development of unmanned airplane monitoring technology.
Hatakeyama, Yuichi; Hirai, Koki; Ikegami, Yuta*; Sano, Naruto; Tomita, Takeshi; Usami, Koji; Tagami, Susumu
JAEA-Technology 2024-020, 33 Pages, 2025/03
JAEA-Technology-2024-020.pdf:2.21MB
The Waste Safety Testing Facility (WASTEF) is a facility that began operation in December 1982 with the aim of conducting safety testing research on the long-term storage and subsequent geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste generated by the reprocessing of spent fuel. This facility is composed of five concrete cells, one lead cell, six glove boxes, and seven hoods, and is a large-scale facility capable of using nuclear fuel materials including uranium and plutonium, as well as radioisotopes such as neptunium and americium. The facility is equipped with an automatic fire alarm system for the entire building in accordance with the Fire Service Act and regulations on technical standards for facilities used. This is an important aspect of safety management, and it is required that the equipment be sufficiently sound and reliable. However, after more than 30 years of use since its installation, the fire receiving panel, one of the components of the automatic fire alarm system, has deteriorated significantly. Furthermore, many of the parts used have been discontinued and are no longer available, making it difficult to procure them, making it difficult to maintain the equipment's performance. Therefore, in order to ensure the safe and stable operation of WASTEF, the fire receiving panel was updated. This report summarizes the update of the fire receiving panel among the automatic fire alarm equipment that was implemented in FY2022.
Group for Fukushima Mapping Project
JAEA-Technology 2024-017, 208 Pages, 2025/03
JAEA-Technology-2024-017.pdf:27.32MB
This report presents results of the investigations on the distribution-mapping project of radioactive substances owing to TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) conducted in FY2023. Car-borne surveys, a measurement using survey meters, a walk survey and an unmanned helicopter survey were carried out to obtain air dose rate data to create their distribution maps, and temporal changes of the air dose rates were analyzed. Surveys on depth profile of radiocesium and in-situ measurements as for radiocesium deposition were performed. Based on these measurement results, effective half-lives of the temporal changes in the air dose rates and the deposition were evaluated. Score maps to classify the importance of the measurement points were created, and the temporal changes in the score were analyzed. A system to report the tritium concentration level in seawater to the Nuclear Regulation Authority was operated, and the variation of tritium concentration before and after the discharge of ALPS treated water to the ocean was analyzed. Monitoring data in coastal area performed owing to the comprehensive radiation monitoring plan until FY2023 was analyzed. Using the Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach, we obtained maps that integrated air dose rate distribution data acquired through surveys such as car-borne and walk surveys. Representative life patterns that can be expected after the return to the evacuation-designated restricted area were set, and the cumulative exposure doses were evaluated for the local governments and residents in the area. The measurement results for FY2023 were published on the Web site and measurement data were stored as CSV format. Radiation monitoring and analysis of environmental samples owing to the comprehensive radiation monitoring plan were carried out.
Kokubu, Yoko; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Nishio, Kazuhisa*; Ikeda, Koki
JAEA-Review 2024-066, 67 Pages, 2025/03
JAEA-Review-2024-066.pdf:8.25MB
The Tono Geoscience Center of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency has undertaken backfilling and restoration activities at the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) site since fiscal year 2020. These activities are being conducted in accordance with "The MIU Project from FY2020 Onwards," outlining the procedures for backfilling, restoration, and environmental monitoring at the MIU site. The backfilling activity was completed in January 2022, and thereafter, the observation of the backfilled shafts was commenced. On November 6, 2023, the settlement of the backfilled surface was observed in the Main Shaft and the Ventilation Shaft. By December 5, 2023, the depth of the settlement reached 12.9 m in the Main Shaft and 27.7 m in the Ventilation Shaft. After an evaluation by the MIU safety confirmation committee, which assessed the settlement condition and recommended countermeasures, the affected areas were backfilled for safety reasons. This report summarizes the observed settlement of the backfilled surface, the subsequent rebackfilling efforts, and the condition of the surface settlement areas. The condition of the backfilled sections has been confirmed up to June 2024.
Safety Division, J-PARC Center
JAEA-Review 2024-060, 139 Pages, 2025/03
JAEA-Review-2024-060.pdf:5.78MB
This annual report describes the activities on radiation safety and general safety in Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) in FY 2023. Activities on radiation safety such as radiation control in each facility, environmental monitoring, individual monitoring, maintenance of monitoring instruments and other activities on radiation matters are represented. Activities on general safety such as safety committees, meetings, lectures, trainings and periodical checks are described. In addition, activities on promotion of safety culture and the technological developments etc., including research activities and noteworthy safety managements on safety issues, are also summarized in each separate section.
Taniguchi, Takumi; Matsumoto, Saori; Hiraki, Yoshihisa; Sato, Junya; Fujita, Hideki*; Kaneda, Yoshihisa*; Kuroki, Ryoichiro; Osugi, Takeshi
JAEA-Review 2024-059, 20 Pages, 2025/03
JAEA-Review-2024-059.pdf:1.0MB
The basic performance required for solidifying waste into cement, such as fluidity before curing and strength after curing, is expected to be affected by the chemical effects of substances and components contained in the waste. The fluidity before curing and the strength properties after curing are greatly influenced by the curing speed of the cement. We investigated existing knowledge with a focus on chemical substances that affect the curing speed of cement. In this report, chemical substances that affect fluidity are broadly classified into inorganic substances such as (1) anion species, (2) metal elements such as heavy metals, (3) inorganic compounds as cement admixtures, and (4) organic compounds as cement admixtures. Based on the investigation, we actually added chemicals and measured the setting time. As a result, it was found that there are multiple mechanisms contributing to accelerated hardening. We investigated chemical substances that inhibit the curing reaction of cement, and were able to compile information to consider ingredients that are contraindicated in cement curing.
