Void reactivity in lead and bismuth sample reactivity experiments at Kyoto University Critical Assembly

Pyeon, C. H.*; Katano, Ryota; Oizumi, Akito; Fukushima, Masahiro

Nuclear Science and Engineering, 197(11), p.2902 - 2919, 2023/11

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2023.2172311

Sample reactivity and void reactivity experiments are carried out in the solid-moderated and solid-reflected cores at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA) with the combined use of aluminum (Al), lead (Pb) and bismuth (Bi) samples, and Al spacers simulating the void. MCNP6.2 eigenvalue calculations together with JENDL-4.0 provide good accuracy of sample reactivity with the comparison of experimental results; also experimental void reactivity is attained by using MCNP6.2 together with JENDL-4.0 and ENDF/B-VII.1 with a marked accuracy of relative difference between experiments and calculations. Uncertainty quantification of sample reactivity and void reactivity is acquired by using the sensitivity coefficients based on MCNP6.2/ksen and covariance library data of SCALE6.2 together with ENDF/B-VII.1, arising from the impact of uncertainty induced by Al, Pb and Bi cross sections. A series of reactivity analyses with the Al spacer simulating the void demonstrates the means of analyzing the void in the solid-moderated and solid-reflected cores at KUCA

Cost-reduced depletion calculation including short half-life nuclides for nuclear fuel cycle simulation

Okamura, Tomohiro*; Katano, Ryota; Oizumi, Akito; Nishihara, Kenji; Nakase, Masahiko*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Takeshita, Kenji*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(6), p.632 - 641, 2023/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2131646

The Okamura explicit method (OEM) for depletion calculation was developed by modifying the matrix exponential method for dynamic nuclear fuel cycle simulation. The OEM suppressed the divergence of the calculation for short half-life nuclides, even for long time steps. The computational cost of the OEM was small, equivalent to the Euler method, and it maintained sufficient accuracy for the fuel cycle simulation.

Impact of uncertainty reduction on lead-bismuth coolant in accelerator-driven system using sample reactivity experiments

Katano, Ryota; Oizumi, Akito; Fukushima, Masahiro; Pyeon, C. H.*; Yamamoto, Akio*; Endo, Tomohiro*

Nuclear Science and Engineering, 20 Pages, 2023/00

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2023.2246779

In this study, we have demonstrated that data assimilation using lead and bismuth sample reactivities measured in the Kyoto University Critical Assembly A-core can successfully reduce the uncertainty of the coolant void reactivity in accelerator-driven systems derived from inelastic-scattering cross-sections of lead and bismuth. We re-evaluated and highlighted the experimental uncertainties and correlations of the sample reactivities for the data assimilation formula. We used the MCNP6.2 code to evaluate the sample reactivities and their uncertainties, and performed data assimilation using the reactor analysis code system MARBLE. The high-sensitivity coefficients of the sample reactivities to lead and bismuth allowed us to reduce the cross-section-induced uncertainty of the void reactivity of the accelerator-driven system from 6.3% to 4.8%, achieving a provisional target accuracy of 5% in this study. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the uncertainties arising from other dominant factors, such as minor actinides and steel, can be effectively reduced by using integral experimental data sets for the unified cross-section dataset ADJ2017.

Evaluation of detector performances of new thin position-sensitive scintillation detectors for SENJU diffractometer

Nakamura, Tatsuya; To, Kentaro; Koizumi, Tomokatsu; Kiyanagi, Ryoji; Ohara, Takashi; Ebine, Masumi; Sakasai, Kaoru

Proceedings of 2022 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference and Room Temperature Semiconductor Detector Conference (2022 IEEE NSS MIC RTSD) (Internet), 2 Pages, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.1109/NSS/MIC44845.2022.10399279

A new thin position-sensitive scintillation neutron detectors have been developed to replace present scintillation detectors in SENJU diffractometer at J-PARC MLF. The SENJU diffractometer originally composed of 37 position-sensitive detectors, where each detector has neutron sensitive area of 256 256 mm with a pixel size of 4 4 mm. To renew some original detectors the new detectors have been developed based on ZnS scintillator and wavelength-shifting fibers technology. The developed replacement detectors were designed with a thin thickness of 12 cm, which is 40% of the original detector. The new detectors have also improved detector performances to the original ones in terms of detection efficiency (60% for 2-A neutrons) and count uniformity (5-8%). The produced six detector modules have been implemented to the beamline after checking their detector performances in the lab.

User manual of NMB4.0

Okamura, Tomohiro*; Nishihara, Kenji; Katano, Ryota; Oizumi, Akito; Nakase, Masahiko*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Takeshita, Kenji*

JAEA-Data/Code 2021-016, 43 Pages, 2022/03

JAEA-Data-Code-2021-016.pdf:3.06MB

The quantitative prediction and analysis of the future nuclear energy utilization scenarios are required in order to establish the advanced nuclear fuel cycle. However, the nuclear fuel cycle consists of various processes from front- to back-end, and it is difficult to analyze the scenarios due to the complexity of modeling and the variety of scenarios. Japan Atomic Energy Agency and Tokyo Institute of Technology have jointly developed the NMB code as a tool for integrated analysis of mass balance from natural uranium needs to radionuclide migration of geological disposal. This user manual describes how to create a database and scenario input for the NMB version 4.0.

NMB4.0: Development of integrated nuclear fuel cycle simulator from the front to back-end

Okamura, Tomohiro*; Katano, Ryota; Oizumi, Akito; Nishihara, Kenji; Nakase, Masahiko*; Asano, Hidekazu*; Takeshita, Kenji*

EPJ Nuclear Sciences & Technologies (Internet), 7, p.19_1 - 19_13, 2021/11

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjn/2021019

Nuclear Material Balance code version 4.0 (NMB4.0) has been developed through collaborative R&D between Tokyo Institute of Technology and JAEA. Conventional nuclear fuel cycle simulation codes mainly analyze actinides and are specialized for front-end mass balance analysis. However, quantitative back-end simulation has recently become necessary for considering R&D strategies and sustainable nuclear energy utilization. Therefore, NMB4.0 was developed to realize the integrated nuclear fuel cycle simulation from front- to back-end. There are three technical features in NMB4.0: 179 nuclides are tracked, more than any other code, throughout the nuclear fuel cycle; the Okamura explicit method is implemented, which contributes to reducing the numerical cost while maintaining the accuracy of depletion calculations on nuclides with a shorter half-life; and flexibility of back-end simulation is achieved. The main objective of this paper is to show the newly developed functions, made for integrated back-end simulation, and verify NMB4.0 through a benchmark study to show the computational performance.

Measurement of Np and Am fission reaction rates in lead region at A-core of KUCA

Oizumi, Akito; Katano, Ryota; Kojima, Ryohei; Fukushima, Masahiro; Tsujimoto, Kazufumi; Pyeon, C. H.*

KURNS Progress Report 2020, P. 104, 2021/08

In the nuclear transmutation system such as ADS, the nuclear data validation of MA is required to reduce the uncertainty caused by the nuclear data of MA. This study aims to measure the fission reaction rate ratios (FRRRs) of Neptunium-237 (Np) or Americium-243 (Am) to Uranium-235 (U) by using a single fission chambers in the KUCA. The results showed that the measured FRRRs of Np/U and Am/U were 0.0480.003 and 0.0420.004, respectively. The measured values will be used for verification of evaluated nuclear data by conducting detailed analyses.

Testing enrichment meter based on nuclear resonance fluorescence

Omer, M.; Shizuma, Toshiyuki*; Hajima, Ryoichi*; Koizumi, Mitsuo

Nihon Kaku Busshitsu Kanri Gakkai Dai-40-Kai Nenji Taikai Puroshidhingusushu, p.59 - 62, 2019/11

Radiation imaging system using a compact -ray imager mounted on a remotely operated machine

Sato, Yuki; Kawabata, Kuniaki; Ozawa, Shingo*; Izumi, Ryo*; Kaburagi, Masaaki; Tanifuji, Yuta; Terasaka, Yuta; Miyamura, Hiroko; Kawamura, Takuma; Suzuki, Toshikazu*; et al.

IFAC-PapersOnLine, 50(1), p.1062 - 1066, 2017/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2017.08.218

Contrast variation by dynamic nuclear polarization and time-of-flight small-angle neutron scattering, 1; Application to industrial multi-component nanocomposites

Noda, Yohei*; Koizumi, Satoshi*; Masui, Tomomi*; Mashita, Ryo*; Kishimoto, Hiromichi*; Yamaguchi, Daisuke; Kumada, Takayuki; Takata, Shinichi; Oishi, Kazuki*; Suzuki, Junichi*

Journal of Applied Crystallography, 49(6), p.2036 - 2045, 2016/12

https://doi.org/10.1107/S1600576716016472