ORIGEN and ORIGEN-S libraries produced from JENDL-5

Konno, Chikara; Kochiyama, Mami; Hayashi, Hirokazu

Proceedings of 30th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE30) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2023/05

JENDL-5 released in 2021 includes enough cross section data for neutron activation calculations. Thus we have produced ORIGEN and ORIGEN-S libraries from JENDL 5. We also produced the similar libraries from JENDL/AD-2017 for comparison. Analyses of the JPDR decommissioning data with these libraries demonstrated that the libraries had no problem.

Measurement of density and viscosity for molten salts

Sato, Rika*; Nishi, Tsuyoshi*; Ota, Hiromichi*; Hayashi, Hirokazu; Sugawara, Takanori; Nishihara, Kenji

Dai-43-Kai Nihon Netsu Bussei Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (CD-ROM), 3 Pages, 2022/10

no abstracts in English

Electrochemical recovery of Zr and Cd from molten chloride salts for reprocessing of used nitride fuels

Murakami, Tsuyoshi*; Hayashi, Hirokazu

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 558, p.153330_1 - 153330_7, 2022/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.153330

Excess amounts of dissolution agents, CdCl and ZrCl, are required to dissolve transuranium (TRU: Pu and minor actinides) nitrides into LiCl-KCl melts at the chemical dissolution step, which is the first step in the reprocessing of used nitride fuels. We propose an electrochemical process where the remaining Zr and Cd are recovered from the melts to be recycled as dissolution agents for the chemical dissolution step, leaving TRU in the melts. Since the initial concentration ratio of CdCl/ZrCl remaining in the melts would depend on the condition of the chemical dissolution step and would vary during the proposed electrochemical recovery process, electrochemical behaviors of Zr and Cd were investigated in LiCl-KCl melts with various concentration ratios of CdCl/ZrCl at 723 K to confirm the basic feasibility of the proposed process. Potentiostatic electrolysis was performed using a liquid Cd cathode at -1.05 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), which was a more positive potential than the redox potentials of TRU on the liquid Cd electrode. The obtained results showed that the current efficiency for recovering Zr and Cd from the melts was as high as 100% regardless of the CdCl/ZrCl concentration ratio in the melts.

Development of module for ADS nitride fuel performance analysis

Shibata, Hiroki; Saito, Hiroaki; Hayashi, Hirokazu; Takano, Masahide

JAEA-Data/Code 2019-023, 138 Pages, 2020/03

JAEA-Data-Code-2019-023.pdf:6.99MB

Transmutation of minor actinides in the form of nitride fuel by the accelerator driven system has been developed to reduce the radiotoxicity and volume in the radioactive wastes. Nitride fuel behavior under irradiation condition is necessary for its design and development. Nitride fuel performance analysis module based on light water reactor fuel performance code, FEMAXI-7, was developed by introducing fundamental properties of nitride pellet, 9Cr-1Mo ferrite cladding, and Pi-Bi coolant. As a result of test analysis with this module, we have understood that the nitride fuel shows excellent behavior under irradiation due to its high thermal conductivity. We found that, however, it may be a main concern that fuel cladding integrity is maintained during irradiation in which pellet-cladding mechanical interaction is increased by He gas release, low creep rate of nitride pellet at low temperatures, and high creep rate of cladding above 873 K.

Study on the basic system of the common non-destructive radioactivity measuring equipment for disposal of radioactive wastes generated from research, industrial and medical facilities

Izumo, Sari; Hayashi, Hirokazu; Nakata, Hisakazu; Amazawa, Hiroya; Motoyama, Mitsushi*; Sakai, Akihiro

JAEA-Technology 2018-018, 39 Pages, 2019/03

JAEA-Technology-2018-018.pdf:2.8MB

JAEA has planed the near surface disposal of LLW generated from research, industrial, and medical facilities. Maximum radioactivity concentration of each waste and total radioactivity of disposed wastes are needed to be less than the permitted values in the license of disposal facility. Thus, it is important not to evaluate the radioactivity of each waste in unduly conservative ways so as to dispose of the total amount of the waste that is originally planned. Accordingly, the detection limit is required to be as low as the clearance level for the very low level radioactive waste planned to be disposed of trench-type. In this report, the feasibility of the non-destructive assay method is studied by model calculations for gamma emitters. It is confirmed that the detection limit less than the clearance level can be achieved as regards the box type metal container that is difficult to measure. This report summarizes the requirements for the non-destructive measuring equipment.

Study on the evaluation methodology of the radioactivity concentration in low-level radioactive wastes generated from JRR-2 & JRR-3

Hayashi, Hirokazu; Izumo, Sari; Nakata, Hisakazu; Amazawa, Hiroya; Sakai, Akihiro

JAEA-Technology 2018-001, 66 Pages, 2018/06

JAEA-Technology-2018-001.pdf:4.12MB
JAEA-Technology-2018-001(errata).pdf:0.54MB

It is necessary to establish evaluation methodology of radioactivity concentrations of each radionuclide in waste packages for operation of the Near-surface Trench disposal and Sub-surface Pit disposal facility in near future, which has been preparing for low-level radioactive wastes generated from research facilities in JAEA. The radionuclides containing in waste packages generated from both JRR-2 and JRR-3, which are H-3, C-14, Cl-36, Co-60, Ni-63, Sr-90, Nb-94, Tc-99, Ag-108m, I-129, Cs-137, Eu-152, Eu-154, U-234, U-238, Pu-239+240, Pu-238+Am-241, Cm-243+244, were evaluated their density based on radiochemical analysis data, and the Evaluation Methodology of the Radioactivity Concentration such as Scaling Factor method and mean activity concentration method was studied in this report.

Research and development on pyrochemical treatment of spent nitride fuels for MA transmutation in JAEA

Hayashi, Hirokazu; Sato, Takumi; Shibata, Hiroki; Tsubata, Yasuhiro

NEA/NSC/R(2017)3, p.427 - 432, 2017/11

Transmutation of long-lived radioactive nuclides including minor actinides (MA: Np, Am, Cm) has been studied in Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). Pb-Bi cooled sub-critical accelerator-driven system (ADS) is regarded as one of the powerful tools for transmutation of MA under the double strata fuel cycle concept. Uranium-free MA-Pu nitride fuel was chosen as the first candidate for MA transmutation. Reprocessing of spent ADS fuel and reusing MA recovered from the spent ADS fuels is necessary to improve the transmutation ratio. A pyrochemical process has been proposed as the first candidate for reprocessing of the spent nitride fuel for MA transmutation, because this technique has some advantages over aqueous process, such as the resistance to radiation damage, which is an important issue for the fuels containing large amounts of highly radioactive MA, and feasibility for recovering expensive N-15 in the spent fuels to be reused. This paper overviews the current status of the technology development, including our recent study. Development of the anode suitable for electro-refining of nitride fuels and that of the apparatus for renitridation of the metals recovered in Cd cathode for 100g-Cd scale cold tests are main topics. Evaluation of the batch sizes of each process, which is necessary for estimating the scale of the engineering-apparatus, with considering the decay heat of MA and FP, will also be introduced.

Development of the reasonable confirmation methods concerning radioactive wastes from research facilities

Hayashi, Hirokazu; Okada, Shota; Izumo, Sari; Hoshino, Yuzuru; Tsuji, Tomoyuki; Nakata, Hisakazu; Sakai, Akihiro; Amazawa, Hiroya; Sakamoto, Yoshiaki

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

A near surface disposal for low-level radioactive waste (LLW) generated from commercial nuclear power plants (NPP) is operating in Japan. However, the disposal of LLW from other nuclear facilities and radioisotope utilization facilities has not yet been implemented. Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) plans to implement the near surface disposal. In order to be disposed of these wastes, it must be confirmed by the regulator that each waste package (radioactive waste solidified with filling materials, such as cement, in a container by a regulated method is termed a waste package) conforms to technical standards that aim for safe disposal. JAEA has studied reasonable confirmation methods to demonstrate the conformity of the waste package to the technical standard as NPP operators have studied it. This report describes the outline of our activities focused on development of the confirmation method applicable to radioactive wastes from research facilities.

Chlorination of UO and (U,Zr)O solid solution using MoCl

Sato, Takumi; Shibata, Hiroki; Hayashi, Hirokazu; Takano, Masahide; Kurata, Masaki

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 52(10), p.1253 - 1258, 2015/10

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2015.1070110

In order to explore the applicability of the chlorination by MoCl as a potential pretreatment technique for waste treatment of fuel debris by pyrochemical methods, chlorination experiments of UO and (UZr)O simulated fuel debris were carried out in two steps: the first one is a chlorination reaction by homogeneous heating, the second one is a volatilization of molybdenum by-product by heating under temperature gradient condition. Most of UO and (UZr)O powder were converted to UCl or UCl and ZrCl mixture at 573 K, respectively. In the case of (UZr)Osintered particle, most of sample was converted to the chlorides because the products evaporated and be separated from sample surface at 773 K, while only the surface of the sample disk was converted to the chlorides at 573 and 673 K. Most of molybdenum by-product and ZrCl were separated from UCl by volatilization at 573 K.

Development of nitride fuel cycle technology for transmutation of minor actinides

Hayashi, Hirokazu; Nishi, Tsuyoshi*; Sato, Takumi; Kurata, Masaki

Proceedings of 21st International Conference & Exhibition; Nuclear Fuel Cycle for a Low-Carbon Future (GLOBAL 2015) (USB Flash Drive), p.1811 - 1817, 2015/09

Transmutation of long-lived radioactive nuclides including minor actinides (MA: Np, Am, Cm) has been studied in Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). Accelerator-driven system (ADS) is regarded as one of the powerful tools for transmutation of MA under the double strata fuel cycle concept. Uranium-free nitride fuel was chosen as the first candidate fuel for MA transmutation using ADS. To improve the transmutation ratio of MA, reprocessing of spent fuel and reusing MA recovered from the spent fuels is necessary. Our target is to transmute 99% of MA arisen from commercial power reactor fuel cycle, with which the period until the radiotoxicity drops below that of natural uranium can be shorten from about 5000 years to about 300 years. A pyrochemical process has been proposed as the first candidate for reprocessing of the spent nitride fuel. This paper overviews the current status of the nitride fuel cycle technology. Our recent study on fuel fabrication, fuel property measurements, reprocessing of spent fuel, development of the property database of MA nitride fuel, and fuel behavior simulation code are introduced. Our research and development (R&D) plan based on the roadmap of the development is also introduced.