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.

Generation of particles and fragments by quasicontinuous wave fiber laser irradiation of stainless steel, alumina, and concrete materials

Daido, Hiroyuki*; Yamada, Tomonori; Furukawa, Hiroyuki*; Ito, Chikara; Miyabe, Masabumi; Shibata, Takuya; Hasegawa, Shuichi*

Journal of Laser Applications, 33(1), p.012001_1 -  012001_16, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.2351/7.0000190

Measurement of niobium reaction rate for material surveillance tests in fast reactors

Ito, Chikara; Maeda, Shigetaka; Inoue, Toshihiko; Tomita, Hideki*; Iguchi, Tetsuo*

Radiation Protection, 40(6), p.491 - 495, 2020/11

A highly accurate and precise technique for measurement of the Nb(n,n')Nb reaction rate was established for the material surveillance tests, etc. in fast reactors. The self-absorption effect on the measurement of the characteristic X-rays emitted by Nb was decreased by the solution and evaporation to dryness of niobium dosimeter. A highly precise count of the number of Nb atoms was obtained by measuring the niobium solution concentration using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. X-rays of Nb were measured accurately by means of comparing the X-ray intensity of irradiated niobium solution with that of the solution in which stable Nb was added. The difference between both intensities indicates the effect of Ta, which is generated from an impurity tantalum, and the intensity of X-rays from Nb was evaluated. Measurement error of the Nb(n,n')Nb reaction rate was reduced to be less than 4%, which was equivalent to the other reaction rate errors of dosimeters used for Joyo dosimetry. In addition, an advanced technique using Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry was proposed for the precise measurement of Nb yield, and Nb will be resonance-ionized selectively by discriminating the hyperfine splitting of the atomic energy levels between Nb and Nb at high resolution.

Development of remote sensing technique using radiation resistant optical fibers under high-radiation environment

Ito, Chikara; Naito, Hiroyuki; Ishikawa, Takashi; Ito, Keisuke; Wakaida, Ikuo

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 24, p.011038_1 - 011038_6, 2019/01

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.24.011038

A high-radiation resistant optical fiber has been developed in order to investigate the interiors of the reactor pressure vessels and the primary containment vessels at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The tentative dose rate in the reactor pressure vessels is assumed to be up to 1 kGy/h. We developed a radiation resistant optical fiber consisting of a 1000 ppm hydroxyl doped pure silica core and 4 % fluorine doped pure silica cladding. We attempted to apply the optical fiber to remote imaging technique by means of fiberscope. The number of core image fibers was increased from 2000 to 22000 for practical use. The transmissive rate of infrared images was not affected after irradiation of 1 MGy. No change in the spatial resolution of the view scope by means of image fiber was noted between pre- and post-irradiation. We confirmed the applicability of the probing system, which consists of a view scope using radiation-resistant optical fibers.

Measurement and analysis of in-vessel component activation and gamma dose rate distribution in Joyo, 2

Yamamoto, Takahiro; Ito, Chikara; Maeda, Shigetaka; Ito, Hideaki; Sekine, Takashi

JAEA-Technology 2017-036, 41 Pages, 2018/02

JAEA-Technology-2017-036.pdf:7.86MB

In the experimental fast reactor Joyo, the damaged upper core structure (UCS) was retrieved into the cask in May 2014 The dose rate on UCS surface was quite high due to the activation for over 30 years operation. In order to attain the optimum safety design, manufacture and operation of equipment for UCS replacement, the method to evaluate UCS surface dose rate was developed on the basis of C/E obtained by the in-vessel dose rate measurement in Joyo. In order to verify the evaluation method, the axial gamma-ray distribution measurement on the surface of the cask, which contained UCS, was conducted using a plastic scintillating optical fiber (PSF) detector. This paper describes the comparison results between calculation and measurement as follows. (1) The measured axial gamma-ray distribution on the cask surface had a peak on proper location with considering the cask shielding structure and agree well with the calculated distribution. (2) The C/E of axial gamma-ray distribution on the cask surface was ranged from 1.1 to 1.7. It was confirmed that the calculation for UCS replacement equipment design had a margin conservatively. Then, the results showed that the developed evaluation method for UCS replacement equipment design was sufficiently reliable.

Ultrasensitive resonance ionization mass spectrometer for evaluating krypton contamination in xenon dark matter detectors

Iwata, Yoshihiro; Sekiya, Hiroyuki*; Ito, Chikara

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 797, p.64 - 69, 2015/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2015.06.037

An ultrasensitive resonance ionization mass spectrometer that can be applied to evaluate krypton (Kr) contamination in xenon (Xe) dark matter detectors has been developed for measuring Kr at the parts-per-trillion (ppt) or sub-ppt level in Xe. The gas sample is introduced without any condensation into a time-of-flight mass spectrometer through a pulsed supersonic valve. Using a nanosecond pulsed laser at 212.6 nm, Kr atoms in the sample are resonantly ionized along with other Kr isotopes. Kr ions are then mass separated and detected by the mass spectrometer in order to measure the Kr impurity concentration. With our current setup, approximately 0.4 ppt of Kr impurities contained in pure argon (Ar) gas are detectable with a measurement time of 1,000 s. Although Kr detection sensitivity in Xe is expected to be approximately half of that in Ar, our spectrometer can evaluate Kr contamination in Xe to the sub-ppt level.

Cosmic-ray muon radiography for reactor core observation

Takamatsu, Kuniyoshi; Takegami, Hiroaki; Ito, Chikara; Suzuki, Keiichi*; Onuma, Hiroshi*; Hino, Ryutaro; Okumura, Tadahiko*

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 78, p.166 - 175, 2015/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2014.12.017

In our study, we focused on a nondestructive inspection method by which cosmic-ray muons could be used to observe the internal reactor from outside the RPV and the CV. We conducted an observation test on the HTTR to evaluate the applicability of the method to the internal visualization of a reactor. We also analytically evaluated the resolution of existing muon telescopes to assess their suitability for the HTTR observation, and were able to detect the major structures of the HTTR based on the distribution of the surface densities calculated from the coincidences measured by the telescopes. Our findings suggested that existing muon telescopes could be used for muon observation of the internal reactor from outside the RPV and CV.

Reactor antineutrino monitoring with a plastic scintillator array as a new safeguards method

Oguri, Shugo*; Kuroda, Yasuhiro*; Kato, Yo*; Nakata, Ryoko*; Inoue, Yoshizumi*; Ito, Chikara; Minowa, Makoto*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 757, p.33 - 39, 2014/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2014.04.065

We developed a segmented reactor antineutrino detector made of plastic scintillators for the nuclear safeguard application and demonstrate almost unmanned field operation at a commercial power plant reactor. We observed the difference of the reactor antineutrino flux with the reactor ON and OFF above the ground outside the reactor building.

Development of radiation-resistant optical fiber for application to observation and laser spectroscopy under high radiation dose

Ito, Chikara; Naito, Hiroyuki; Nishimura, Akihiko; Oba, Hironori; Wakaida, Ikuo; Sugiyama, Akira; Chiyatani, Keiji

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 51(7-8), p.944 - 950, 2014/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2014.924883

In the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, it is necessary to survey the locations and conditions of fuel debris inside reactor pressure vessels or primary containment vessels under water and radiation environment in preparation for removing fuel debris. An optical fiber is well known for features such as signal transmission, light weight, superior insulation performance, water resistance and electromagnetic noise resistance. These features allow the optical fiber to simplify the instrumentation systems for in-vessel inspection, as long as provide that the optical fiber can be used under high radiation dose environment. The radiation resistance of an optical fiber was improved by increasing the amount of hydroxyl up to 1000 ppm in pure silica fiber. The improved optical fibers were irradiated with -ray up to 1 10 Gy using a Co source. They indicated a large peak around 600 nm and a peak tail from ultraviolet region, but no large absorption in infrared region except a hydroxyl absorption peak of 945 nm. We have confirmed that the optical fiber containing 1000 ppm hydroxyl has enough radiation resistance for radiation induced transmission losses and the infrared imaging is effective for observation under high radiation doses.

Development and test of JT-60SA central solenoid model coil

Murakami, Haruyuki; Kizu, Kaname; Tsuchiya, Katsuhiko; Koide, Yoshihiko; Yoshida, Kiyoshi; Obana, Tetsuhiro*; Takahata, Kazuya*; Hamaguchi, Shinji*; Chikaraishi, Hirotaka*; Natsume, Kyohei*; et al.

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 24(3), p.4200205_1 - 4200205_5, 2014/06

https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2013.2282276

Central Solenoid (CS) of JT-60SA are designed with the NbSn cable in conduit conductor. CS model coil (CSMC) was manufactured by using the real manufacturing jigs and procedure to validate the CS manufacturing processes before starting mass production. The dimensions of the CSMC are the same as real quad-pancake. The cold test of the CSMC was performed and the test results satisfied the design requirements. These results indicate that the manufacturing processes of the JT-60SA CS has been established. In this paper, the development and the validation of the CS manufacturing processes are described.