Development of three-dimensional distribution visualization technology for boron using energy resolved neutron-imaging system (RADEN)

阿部 雄太; 土川 雄介; 甲斐 哲也; 松本 吉弘*; Parker, J. D.*; 篠原 武尚; 大石 佑治*; 加美山 隆*; 永江 勇二; 佐藤 一憲

Proceedings of 2020 International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 2020) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE2020-16723

Boron carbide is used as a neutron-absorbing material in Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F), producing borides that are twice as hard as oxides (such as UO and ZrO). The high neutron absorption of boron affects the evaluation of re-criticality during the process of debris retrieval. Therefore, it is important not only to determine the presence of boron but also to investigate the distribution of boron inside the material in a non-destructive manner during decommissioning. To address the uncertainties in the core material relocation behavior of boiling water reactor (BWR) during a severe accident (SA), solidified melt specimens of a simulated fuel assembly were prepared by plasma heating. If core material melting and relocation (CMMR) specimens can be used to estimate the B distribution in 1F Unit-3, that will provide valuable information in the decommissioning of 1F. To address this, the authors focused on the energy-resolved neutron imaging system, RADEN, which utilizes a wide energy range, from meV to keV. This is an innovative three-dimensional analysis technology for boride distribution that affects the evaluation of hardness and re-criticality. In the calibration standard samples (ZrB and FeB), there was a good correlation between boron concentration and the energy-dependence of the cross sections of cold and epi-thermal neutrons. In the CMMR specimens, boron distribution was confirmed from the contrast difference between cold and epi-thermal neutrons. In the future, the results of calibration standard samples will be applied to the results of CMMR specimens. With this method, three-dimensional boron distribution will be measured, and the understanding of boride distribution 1F Unit-3 will be improved, which may be reflected in an improved SA code.

中性子イメージング装置RADEN(螺鈿)の活用

甲斐 哲也; 篠原 武尚; 松本 吉弘*

検査技術, 25(2), p.1 - 5, 2020/02

J-PARC物質・生命科学実験施設に設置されたエネルギー分析型中性子イメージング装置RADENは、エネルギー分析を行わない中性子ラジオグラフィ/トモグラフィの利用でも相応の役割を果たしている。本稿では、検査技術の一つとしての検討材料を提供するため、これまでにRADENで中性子ラジオグラフィ/トモグラフィの利用で得られた成果について紹介する。

Feasibility study of two-dimensional neutron-resonance thermometry using molybdenum in 316 stainless-steel

甲斐 哲也; 廣井 孝介; Su, Y.; 瀬川 麻里子; 篠原 武尚; 松本 吉弘*; Parker, J. D.*; 林田 洋寿*; 及川 健一

Materials Research Proceedings, Vol.15, p.149 - 153, 2020/02

https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644900574-23

A two-dimensional thermometry technique based on neutron resonance reactions derives the temperature of specified elements in an object by analyzing the Doppler broadening of a neutron resonance measured by a time-analyzing neutron imaging-detector. This technique is expected to be one of the important applications of the energy-resolved neutron imaging system, RADEN, at J-PARC. The authors focused on molybdenum contained in 316 stainless-steel (with a weight fraction of 2-3 wt%). Energy-dependent transmitted neutrons were measured through a 3 mm thick 316 stainless-steel plate placed in a heater at temperatures between 23 and 500 degrees Celsius at RADEN using a gas-electron multiplier (GEM) detector. Thermal and cold neutrons were eliminated from the incident beam by a cadmium filter. The sample area within the neutron beam was 30 by 50 mm. The feasibility is discussed in the presentation.

Measurement of neutron scattering cross section of nano-diamond with particle diameter of approximately 5 nm in energy range of 0.2 meV to 100 meV

勅使河原 誠; 土川 雄介*; 市川 豪*; 高田 慎一; 三島 賢二*; 原田 正英; 大井 元貴; 河村 幸彦*; 甲斐 哲也; 河村 聖子; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 929, p.113 - 120, 2019/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2019.03.038

ナノダイアモンドは、冷中性子以下のエネルギーにおける反射材として注目されている。ナノダイアモンドを用いた中性子源の高度化には、断面積データの整備が必要である。そのため、この論文では、中性子の透過率の測定から0.2meVから100meVの範囲で全断面積を測定した結果を報告する。測定した全断面積は、エネルギーが低くなるにつれて大きくなり、グラファイトと比較すると0.2meVで約2桁以上高くなることが分かった。その全断面積に占める非弾性散乱の寄与を調べるため、中性子のエネルギー1.2, 1.5, 1.9及び5.9meVで中性子非弾性散乱実験を行った。その結果、測定したエネルギーにおいて、全断面積に占める非弾性散乱の寄与がほぼ無視できることも分かった。さらに、中性子小角散乱実験の結果から、全断面積の高くなる要因として、前方方向、いわゆる小角方向への散乱の寄与が高いことが示された。

J-PARC物質・生命科学実験施設の全体制御システムの進捗状況

酒井 健二; 大井 元貴; 高田 弘; 甲斐 哲也; 中谷 健; 小林 庸男*; 渡邊 聡彦*

JAEA-Technology 2018-011, 57 Pages, 2019/01

JAEA-Technology-2018-011.pdf:4.98MB

核破砕中性子源やミュオン標的などを安全に効率よく運転するために、物質・生命科学実験施設(MLF)は、専用の全体制御システム(GCS)を持ち、運転状況に応じた機器の監視操作やインターロックを運用している。GCSは、その役割に応じて、ネットワーク系(LAN), 統括制御系(ICS), サーバー, インターロック系(ILS), タイミング配信系(TDS)など幾つかのサブシステムで構成される。GCSは、MLF内の機器を独自に運転制御する一方、J-PARCの加速器や他実験施設と連動しながらMLFの安定したビーム運転を実現している。2008年度のビーム運転開始以来、GCSは運転制御コミッショニングに基づく改修を経て、システム性能を継続的に維持する視点から、ICSの大幅なアップグレードやILSの機能拡張を実施してきた(2010年度-2015年度)。この様に運転開始から約10年間、GCSには全般に渡って数多くの追加・変更がなされてきた。したがってGCS高度化の今後の方向性を決めるために、これまでの高度化の履歴とGCSの現況を把握することが重要と考え、2017年度時のGCSの構成・機能・役割を整理して取り纏めた。

Study of the magnetization distribution in a grain-oriented magnetic steel using pulsed polarized neutron imaging

廣井 孝介; 篠原 武尚; 林田 洋寿*; Parker, J. D.*; Su, Y.; 及川 健一; 甲斐 哲也; 鬼柳 善明*

Physica B; Condensed Matter, 551, p.146 - 151, 2018/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physb.2018.05.013

Grain oriented magnetic steel is widely used as a key material for magnetic industrial products. Since magnetic properties of steels are closely related to its magnetic domain structure, observation of the domain structure is important for understanding its magnetic properties. In this study, we attempted to observe the domain structure of a grain oriented steel using polarized pulsed neutron imaging. In the experiment, we first magnetized the sample by applying a magnetic field along the easy-to-magnetize direction via a coil, and confirmed the sample was magnetized almost uniformly from the obtained polarization distribution images. By analyzing the oscillatory behavior in the wavelength dependence of polarization, magnetization of the steel was estimated to be 1.82 T. Then, we removed the field and performed the same measurement. As a result, a striped domain structure was observed, with neighboring domains aligned anti-parallel to each other. From these results, it was demonstrated that our magnetic imaging method could visualize the magnetization and the direction of the domains in the practical steel.

Spatial resolution test targets made of gadolinium and gold for conventional and resonance neutron imaging

瀬川 麻里子; 及川 健一; 甲斐 哲也; 篠原 武尚; 林田 洋寿*; 松本 吉弘*; Parker, J. D.*; 中谷 健; 廣井 孝介; Su, Y.; et al.

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 22, p.011028_1 - 011028_8, 2018/11

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.22.011028

We have fabricated and utilized spatial resolution test targets made of gadolinium and gold for conventional and resonance neutron imaging performed at RADEN, located at beam line BL22 of the J-PARC Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF). RADEN covers a broad energy range from cold neutrons to high-energy neutrons with energy of several tens keV and was designed to perform energy-resolved neutron imaging utilizing two-dimensional detectors combined with the accurate measurement of neutron energy by the time-of-flight method. The test targets were designed to verify the spatial resolution and image uniformity of two kinds of neutron detectors, counting-type detectors and camera-type detectors. In this presentation, we report the details of these two-dimensional test targets, and the results of demonstrations using the test targets with our neutron imaging detectors. This work was supported in part by the Photon and Quantum Basic Research Coordinated Development Program from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.

First ionization potentials of Fm, Md, No, and Lr; Verification of filling-up of 5f electrons and confirmation of the actinide series

佐藤 哲也; 浅井 雅人; Borschevsky, A.*; Beerwerth, R.*; 金谷 佑亮*; 牧井 宏之; 水飼 秋菜*; 永目 諭一郎; 長 明彦; 豊嶋 厚史; et al.

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 140(44), p.14609 - 14613, 2018/11

https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.8b09068

第一イオン化エネルギー(IP)は、原子の価電子軌道に関する情報を与える。99番元素アインスタイニウムよりも重いアクチノイドのIPは、一度に一つの原子しか扱うことのできない実験の難しさから、これまでに実験的に測定された例はなかった。我々は表面電離法を応用した新しい測定手法により、103番元素ローレンシウム(Lr)のIP測定に成功し、Lrが弱く束縛された最外殻電子をもつことを強く示唆する結果を得た。一方、Lrとは対象的に、102番元素ノーベリウムは充填された5f軌道および7s軌道をもつために、アクチノイド中最高のIPをもつと考えられている。表面電離法によるIP決定法をNoおよび100番元素フェルミウム, 101番元素メンデレビウムに適用することにより求められた各IPから、5f軌道への電子の充填に伴ってIPが単調に増加し、Noで最も大きくなることを確かめることができた。このことから、f軌道に電子が充填され、アクチノイド系列がLrで終わることを実験的に確かめた。

短パルス中性子源とエネルギー分析型中性子イメージング装置RADEN(螺鈿)による可視化技術

甲斐 哲也; 篠原 武尚; 廣井 孝介; Su, Y.; 及川 健一

非破壊検査, 67(5), p.209 - 216, 2018/05

RADENの機器構成とその役割、及び中性子ラジオグラフィ、トモグラフィの実例を示し、解説を行う。また、パルス中性子を利用した、ストロボ撮影、中性子共鳴吸収イメージング、ブラッグエッジイメージング、偏極中性子イメージングについても、手法の解説と簡単な測定例の紹介を行う。

Measurements of neutronic characteristics of rectangular and cylindrical coupled hydrogen moderators

甲斐 哲也; 加美山 隆*; 平賀 富士夫*; 大井 元貴; 広田 克也*; 鬼柳 善明*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 55(3), p.283 - 289, 2018/03

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2017.1394235

Extensive simulation calculations were performed in the design studies of the coupled hydrogen moderator for the pulsed spallation neutron source of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Facility (J-PARC). It was indicated that a para-hydrogen moderator had an intensity-enhanced region at the fringe part, and that pulse shapes emitted from a cylindrical para-hydrogen moderator gave higher pulse-peak intensities with narrower pulse widths than those from a rectangular one without penalizing the time-integrated intensities. To validate the peculiar distribution and advantages in pulse shapes experimentally, some measurements were performed at the neutron source of the Hokkaido University electron linear accelerator facility. It was observed that the neutron intensity was enhanced at edges of the para-hydrogen moderators, whereas it decreased at the same part of the ortho-rich-hydrogen moderator, where the dimension of those moderators was 50 mm in thickness and 120 mm in width and height. The spatial distribution and pulse shapes were also measured for a cylindrical coupled para-hydrogen moderator that has the same dimensions as for the coupled moderator employed for J-PARC. The measured results from the cylindrical moderator were consistent with the results obtained in the design studies for the moderator for J-PARC.