Investigation of deposits on filter element of primary gas circulators in HTTR

Hasegawa, Toshinari; Nagasumi, Satoru; Nemoto, Takahiro; Nakajima, Kunihiro; Yokoyama, Keisuke; Fujiwara, Yusuke; Arakawa, Ryoki; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; Inoi, Hiroyuki; Kawamoto, Taiki

Proceedings of 2024 International Congress on Advanced in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2024) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2024/06

The filter element of the primary gas circulators (PGC) in High Temperature engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) and its deposits were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observation and Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis to find the cause of the increase of the filter differential pressure during the operation in 2021. SEM observation showed that the clumpy deposits and fibrous deposits smaller than the filtration pore size and the rod-shaped deposits larger than the pore size were present on the filter element. EDX analysis showed that the clumpy deposits and fibrous deposits could include silicone oil in the primary helium purification system (PHPS) gas circulators and that the rod-shaped deposits were thermal insulators inside of the co-axial double pipes in the primary cooling system. It is considered that silicone oil leaked from the PHPS gas circulators due to deterioration in the absorption performance of the activated charcoal filter. Next, it could be vaporized and reach PGC's filter element after passing through the reactor core. Since those deposits including silicone oil were present over the entire surface of the filter element, the filter differential pressure could be increased due to a reduction in the pore size and a rise in its flow resistance. The thermal insulator was unrelated to filter clogging because it was present mainly in the lower part of the filter element. Therefore, silicone oil could increase the filter differential pressure, and the graphite powder, which is the cause of the previous issue was unrelated.

Space weather benchmarks on Japanese society

Ishii, Mamoru*; Shiota, Daiko*; Tao, Chihiro*; Ebihara, Yusuke*; Fujiwara, Hitoshi*; Ishii, Takako*; Ichimoto, Kiyoshi*; Kataoka, Ryuho*; Koga, Kiyokazu*; Kubo, Yuki*; et al.

Earth, Planets and Space (Internet), 73(1), p.108_1 - 108_20, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-021-01420-5

We surveyed the relationship between the scale of space weather events and their occurrence rate in Japan and we discussed the social impact of these phenomena during the Project for Solar-Terrestrial Environment Prediction (PSTEP). The information was compiled for domestic users of space weather forecasts for appropriate preparedness against space weather disasters. This paper gives a comprehensive summary of the survey, focusing on the fields of electricity, satellite operations, communication and broadcasting, satellite positioning usage, aviation, human space activity, and daily life on the Earth's surface, using the cutting-edge knowledge of space weather. Quantitative estimations of the economic impact of space weather events on electricity and aviation are also given.

High temperature gas-cooled reactors

Takeda, Tetsuaki*; Inagaki, Yoshiyuki; Aihara, Jun; Aoki, Takeshi; Fujiwara, Yusuke; Fukaya, Yuji; Goto, Minoru; Ho, H. Q.; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; Imai, Yoshiyuki; et al.

High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors; JSME Series in Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation, Vol.5, 464 Pages, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/C2018-0-05383-9

As a general overview of the research and development of a High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) in JAEA, this book describes the achievements by the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) on the designs, key component technologies such as fuel, reactor internals, high temperature components, etc., and operational experience such as rise-to-power tests, high temperature operation at 950C, safety demonstration tests, etc. In addition, based on the knowledge of the HTTR, the development of designs and component technologies such as high performance fuel, helium gas turbine and hydrogen production by IS process for commercial HTGRs are described. These results are very useful for the future development of HTGRs. This book is published as one of a series of technical books on fossil fuel and nuclear energy systems by the Power Energy Systems Division of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Study on source of radioactive material in primary coolant of HTTR

Ishii, Toshiaki; Shimazaki, Yosuke; Ono, Masato; Fujiwara, Yusuke; Ishitsuka, Etsuo; Hamamoto, Shimpei

Proceedings of 9th International Topical Meeting on High Temperature Reactor Technology (HTR 2018) (USB Flash Drive), 3 Pages, 2018/10

Loss of core cooling test with one cooling line inactive in Vessel Cooling System of High-Temperature Engineering Test Reactor

Fujiwara, Yusuke; Nemoto, Takahiro; Tochio, Daisuke; Shinohara, Masanori; Ono, Masato; Takada, Shoji

Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science, 3(4), p.041013_1 - 041013_8, 2017/10

https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4036985

In HTTR, the test was carried out at the reactor thermal power of 9 MW under the condition that one cooling line of VCS was stopped to simulate the partial loss of cooling function from the surface of RPV in addition to the loss of forced cooling flow in the core simulation. The test results showed that temperature change of the core internal structures and the biological shielding concrete was slow during the test. Temperature of RPV decreased several degrees during the test. The temperature decrease of biological shielding made of concrete was within 1C. The numerical result simulating the detail configuration of the cooling tubes of VCS showed that the temperature rise of cooling tubes of VCS was about 15C, which is sufficiently small, which did not significantly affect the temperature of biological shielding concrete. As the results, it was confirmed that the cooling ability of VCS can be kept in case that one cooling line of VCS is lost.

Loss of core cooling test without one cooling line in Vessel Cooling System (VCS) of High Temperature engineering Test Reactor (HTTR)

Fujiwara, Yusuke; Nemoto, Takahiro; Tochio, Daisuke; Shinohara, Masanori; Ono, Masato; Hamamoto, Shimpei; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; Takada, Shoji

Proceedings of 24th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-24) (DVD-ROM), 7 Pages, 2016/06

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE24-60858

In HTTR, the test was carried out at the reactor thermal power of 9 MW under the condition that one cooling line of VCS was stopped to simulate the partial loss of cooling function from the surface of RPV in addition to the loss of forced cooling flow in the core simulation. The test results showed that temperature change of the core internal structures and the biological shielding concrete was slow during the test. Temperature of RPV decreased several degrees during the test. The temperature decrease of biological shielding made of concrete was within 1C. The numerical result simulating the detail configuration of the cooling tubes of VCS showed that the temperature rise of cooling tubes of VCS was about 15 degree C, which is sufficiently small, which did not significantly affect the temperature of biological shielding concrete. As the results, it was confirmed that the cooling ability of VCS can be kept in case that one cooling line of VCS is lost.

Thermal mixing behavior in the annulus of co-axial double-walled piping in HTGR

Tochio, Daisuke; Fujiwara, Yusuke; Ono, Masato; Shinohara, Masanori; Hamamoto, Shimpei; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; Takada, Shoji

Proceedings of 24th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-24) (DVD-ROM), 9 Pages, 2016/06

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE24-60843

From the HTTR operational experience, it is needed to clear the thermal mixing characteristics of the helium gas at the annulus of the co-axial double-walled piping in HTGR. In this paper, thermal-hydraulic analysis on the helium gas at the annular flow path of the co-axial double pipe with T-junction was conducted. The analysis was performed under the condition of the different annular flow path height and with the different flow rate of the higher- and the lower-temperature helium gas. It is shown that the thermal mixing behavior is not so much affected by the flow rate of higher- and lower-temperature helium gas, and it is difficult to mix the helium gas with the smaller height of the annular flow path. It is confirmed that it is difficult to mix the helium gas in the annular flow path of the co-axial double-walled piping by using the hydraulic behavior, and it is necessary to arrange the mixing promotor in the annular flow path.

Removal of cesium using cobalt-ferrocyanide-impregnated polymer-chain-grafted fibers

Ishihara, Ryo*; Fujiwara, Kunio*; Harayama, Takato*; Okamura, Yusuke*; Uchiyama, Shoichiro*; Sugiyama, Mai*; Someya, Takaaki*; Amakai, Wataru*; Umino, Satoshi*; Ono, Tsubasa*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 48(10), p.1281 - 1284, 2011/10

AA2011-0190.pdf:0.45MB

https://doi.org/10.3327/jnst.48.1281

Azimuthal correlations of electrons from heavy-flavor decay with hadrons in and Au+Au collisions at = 200 GeV

Adare, A.*; Afanasiev, S.*; Aidala, C.*; Ajitanand, N. N.*; Akiba, Yasuyuki*; Al-Bataineh, H.*; Alexander, J.*; Aoki, Kazuya*; Aphecetche, L.*; Aramaki, Y.*; et al.

Physical Review C, 83(4), p.044912_1 - 044912_16, 2011/04

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.83.044912

Measurements of electrons from the decay of open-heavy-flavor mesons have shown that the yields are suppressed in Au+Au collisions compared to expectations from binary-scaled collisions. Here we extend these studies to two particle correlations where one particle is an electron from the decay of a heavy flavor meson and the other is a charged hadron from either the decay of the heavy meson or from jet fragmentation. These measurements provide more detailed information about the interaction between heavy quarks and the quark-gluon matter. We find the away-side-jet shape and yield to be modified in Au+Au collisions compared to collisions.

Overview of national centralized tokamak program; Mission, design and strategy to contribute ITER and DEMO

Ninomiya, Hiromasa; Akiba, Masato; Fujii, Tsuneyuki; Fujita, Takaaki; Fujiwara, Masami*; Hamamatsu, Kiyotaka; Hayashi, Nobuhiko; Hosogane, Nobuyuki; Ikeda, Yoshitaka; Inoue, Nobuyuki; et al.

Journal of the Korean Physical Society, 49, p.S428 - S432, 2006/12

To contribute DEMO and ITER, the design to modify the present JT-60U into superconducting coil machine, named National Centralized Tokamak (NCT), is being progressed under nationwide collaborations in Japan. Mission, design and strategy of this NCT program is summarized.