Analysis work report on removal of spent fuel sheared powder for decommissioning of main plant

Aoya, Juri; Mori, Amami; Sato, Hinata; Kono, Soma; Morokado, Shiori; Horigome, Kazushi; Goto, Yuichi; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Taguchi, Shigeo

JAEA-Technology 2023-008, 34 Pages, 2023/06

JAEA-Technology-2023-008.pdf:1.92MB

Flush-out, by which nuclear materials in the Tokai Reprocessing Plant process are recovered, has been started in June 2022 as the first step of decommissioning. Flush-out consists of removal of spent fuel sheared powder, plutonium solution, uranium solution, and the other nuclear materials. Removal of spent fuel sheared powder has been completed in September 2022. During removal of spent fuel sheared powder, uranium concentration, plutonium concentration, acid concentration, radioactivity concentration, and solution density have been analyzed for process control. For nuclear material accountancy, uranium concentration, plutonium concentration, isotope ratio, and solution density have been analyzed. Analysis work including sample pretreatment before transportation to IAEA analytical facility for safeguards, and the other operations related to Flush-out such as calibration of analytical instruments, education, and training of operators are reported.

Completion of waste removal work from the hot cell of Operation Testing Laboratory in Tokai Reprocessing Plant

Goto, Yuichi; Suzuki, Yoshimasa; Horigome, Kazushi; Miyamoto, Toshihiko*; Usui, Masato*; Mori, Eito*; Kuno, Takehiko

JAEA-Technology 2022-005, 42 Pages, 2022/07

JAEA-Technology-2022-005.pdf:4.48MB

Radioactive wastes were generated and stored in the hot cell of Operation Testing Laboratory of Tokai Reprocessing Plant due to the experiments related to the reprocessing technology development from 1974 to 2014. Waste removal work was strengthened by the shift work in the past, however another wastes were generated by the equipment dismantling. From 2006, an improved waste removal method was established by using bag-out technique and wastes were taken from the glove-box connected to the hot cell. The removal period, estimated from the conventional method using Cask No. 10, was reduced from 14 to 5 years. From 2016, upgrade of worker's awareness including related departments was performed by various software and hardware improvements. Also, the worker's skills were improved and equipment in Cask No.10 was checked for preventive maintenance. The prevention measures for past troubles were discussed with Radiation Control Department. In addition, transportation schedule including safety operation with Transportation Department and Waste Receiving Department was optimized to maintain the waste removal cycle. The removal period was reduced from 5 to 3 years by the above efforts. Finally, the work was completed in March 2020.

Validation of ATDMs at early after the lF accident using air dose rate estimated by airborne concentration and surface deposition density

Moriguchi, Yuichi*; Sato, Yosuke*; Morino, Yu*; Goto, Daisuke*; Sekiyama, Tsuyoshi*; Terada, Hiroaki; Takigawa, Masayuki*; Tsuruta, Haruo*; Yamazawa, Hiromi*

KEK Proceedings 2021-2, p.21 - 27, 2021/12

no abstracts in English

Behavior of light elements in iron-silicate-water-sulfur system during early Earth's evolution

Iizuka, Riko*; Goto, Hirotada*; Shito, Chikara*; Fukuyama, Ko*; Mori, Yuichiro*; Hattori, Takanori; Sano, Asami; Funakoshi, Kenichi*; Kagi, Hiroyuki*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 11(1), p.12632_1 - 12632_10, 2021/06

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-91801-3

The Earth's core consist of Fe-Ni alloy with some light elements (H, C, O, Si, S etc.). Hydrogen (H) is the most abundant element in the universe and one of the promising candidates. In this study, we have investigated the effects of sulfur(S) on hydrogenation of iron-hydrous silicate system containing saturated water in the ideal composition of the primitive Earth. We observed a series of phase transitions of Fe, dehydration of the hydrous mineral, and formation of olivine and enstatite with increasing temperature. The FeS formed as the coexisting phase of Fe under high-pressure and temperature condition, but its unit cell volume did not increase, suggesting that FeS is hardly hydrogenated. Recovered samples exhibited that H and S can be incorporated into solid Fe, which lowers the melting temperature as Fe(H)-FeS system. No detection of other light elements (C, O, Si) in solid Fe suggests that they dissolve into molten iron hydride and/or FeS in the later process of Earth's core-mantle differentiation.

Treatment technology of highly radioactive solid waste generated by experimental tests and sample analysis in reprocessing facilities

Goto, Yuichi; Inada, Satoshi; Kuno, Takehiko; Mori, Eito*

Nihon Hozen Gakkai Dai-16-Kai Gakujutsu Koenkai Yoshishu, p.221 - 224, 2019/07

Test equipment, containers, and analytical wastes, generated by experiments using spent fuel pieces in hot cell of Operation Testing Laboratory and by analysis of highly active liquid wastes in hot analytical cell line of Tokai Reprocessing Plant, are treated as highly radioactive solid wastes. These wastes are stored in specific shielded containers called waste cask and then transport to the storage facility. The treatment of these highly radioactive solid wastes have been carried out for 40 years with upgrading waste taking out system and transportation device. As a results, automation of several procedures have been achieved utilizing conventional equipment, and work efficiency and safety have been improved.

Replacement of the glove port equipped with glove box in Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Facility

Horigome, Kazushi; Taguchi, Shigeo; Nishida, Naoki; Goto, Yuichi; Inada, Satoshi; Kuno, Takehiko

Nihon Hozen Gakkai Dai-14-Kai Gakujutsu Koenkai Yoshishu, p.381 - 384, 2017/08

no abstracts in English

Control of fine particles accumulation in the extraction chromatography column system for minor actinide recovery

Watanabe, So; Goto, Ichiro; Sano, Yuichi; Nomura, Kazunori; Koma, Yoshikazu

Proceedings of 2017 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2017) (CD-ROM), 7 Pages, 2017/04

Physical property of seal-gasket for glove box panel in reprocessing facilities

Goto, Yuichi; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Kuno, Takehiko; Surugaya, Naoki

Nihon Hozen Gakkai Dai-13-Kai Gakujutsu Koenkai Yoshishu, p.31 - 34, 2016/07

Chloroprene rubber gaskets are often used to seal the glove box body and its panels. Such gaskets are deformed with compressive pressure and its elastic restoring force keeps sealing property. Therefore, gaskets play an important role in glove box sealing. However, physical properties of those used in glove box have not reported so far. In this study, hardness, elongation, tensile strength and compression set are investigated and its sealing performances are evaluated. The gaskets samples are taken from the glove box, which is used for 37 years. It is found that hardness, elongation and tensile strength of gaskets are changed due to the aging but its values are within the specification of chloroprene rubber. Also, the compression-set is less than the value that sealing performance is decreased. The results show that even the gaskets are used for long time, it has the property to keep sealing performances of glove box.

Development of a new continuous dissolution apparatus with a hydrophobic membrane for superheavy element chemistry

Oe, Kazuhiro*; Attallah, M. F.*; Asai, Masato; Goto, Naoya*; Gupta, N. S.*; Haba, Hiromitsu*; Huang, M.*; Kanaya, Jumpei*; Kaneya, Yusuke*; Kasamatsu, Yoshitaka*; et al.

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 303(2), p.1317 - 1320, 2015/02

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-014-3469-3

A new technique for continuous dissolution of nuclear reaction products transported by a gas-jet system was developed for superheavy element (SHE) chemistry. In this technique, a hydrophobic membrane is utilized to separate an aqueous phase from the gas phase. With this technique, the dissolution efficiencies of short-lived radionuclides of Mo and W were measured. Yields of more than 80% were observed for short-lived radionuclides at aqueous-phase flow rates of 0.1-0.4 mL/s. The gas flow-rate had no influence on the dissolution efficiency within the studied flow range of 1.0-2.0 L/min. These results show that this technique is applicable for on-line chemical studies of SHEs in the liquid phase.

Radionuclide release to stagnant water in Fukushima-1 Nuclear Power Plant

Nishihara, Kenji; Yamagishi, Isao; Yasuda, Kenichiro; Ishimori, Kenichiro; Tanaka, Kiwamu; Kuno, Takehiko; Inada, Satoshi; Goto, Yuichi

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai Wabun Rombunshi, 11(1), p.13 - 19, 2012/03

https://doi.org/10.3327/taesj.J11.040

After the severe accident in the Fukushima-1 Nuclear Power Plant, large amount of contaminated stagnant water has been produced in turbine buildings and those surroundings. This rapid communication reports calculation of radionuclide inventory in the core, collection of measured inventory in the stagnant water, and estimation of radionuclide release ratios from the core to the stagnant water. The present evaluation is based on data obtained before June 3, 2011.