Performance tests of radiation detectors for inspection of Mo/Tc solution, 1

Suzuki, Yumi*; Nakano, Hiroko; Suzuki, Yoshitaka; Ishida, Takuya; Shibata, Akira; Kato, Yoshiaki; Kawamata, Kazuo; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko

JAEA-Technology 2015-031, 58 Pages, 2015/11

JAEA-Technology-2015-031.pdf:14.57MB

Technetium-99m (Tc) is one of the most commonly used radioisotopes in the field of nuclear medicine. In the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), the research and development (R&D) have been carried out for production of molybdenum-99 (Mo) by (n, ) method, a parent nuclide of Tc, with the Japan Material Testing Reactor (JMTR). On the other hand, the new project as "Domestic Production of Medical Radioisotope (Technetium preparation) in Japan" was adopted in the Tsukuba International Strategic Zone on October, 2013 and the demonstration tests will be planned for the domestic production of Mo/Tc with the JMTR. Thus, new facilities and analysis devices were equipped in the JMTR Hot Laboratory in 2014 as the part of this project. As the part of the analytical device equipment, the -TLC analyzer and the radiation detector connected with the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) were installed for quality inspection of the Mo/Tc solution and the extracted Tc solution in the JMTR Hot Laboratory. The performance tests of these devices such as detection sensitivity, resolution, linearity and selectivity of energy range were carried out with Cs and Eu as alternative radionuclides of Mo and Tc, respectively. In the results, bright prospects were obtained concerning the quality inspection of the Mo/Tc and Tc solutions using these devices. This report describes the results of those performance tests.

Current post irradiation examination techniques at the JMTR Hot laboratory

Shibata, Akira; Kato, Yoshiaki; Oishi, Makoto; Taguchi, Taketoshi; Ito, Masayasu; Yonekawa, Minoru; Kawamata, Kazuo

KAERI/GP-418/2015, p.151 - 165, 2015/05

The JMTR stopped its operation in 2006 for refurbishment. The reactor facilities have been refurbished from 2007. After refurbishment, JMTR Hot laboratory is expected to perform various post irradiation examinations. In this report, installations of experimental apparatuses and recent experimental method are introduced. (1) A nano-indenter with radius spherical indenter. Inverse analysis using FEM could presume material constants from load-depth curve of indentation. Mechanical properties of oxide layer of zirconium alloy and irradiated stainless steel will be analyzed. (2) Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). TEM is capable of imaging at a significantly higher resolution than light microscopes or normal SEM. JAEA installed a TEM apparatus (JEOL JEM-2800) in JMTR Hot laboratory. The maximum magnification is 150,000,000 times. It can be operated from a remote location using a computer network. This contributes to the convenience of remote researchers and reducing the amount of exposure.

Conceptual design of multipurpose compact research reactor; Annual report FY2011

Watahiki, Shunsuke; Hanakawa, Hiroki; Imaizumi, Tomomi; Nagata, Hiroshi; Ide, Hiroshi; Komukai, Bunsaku; Kimura, Nobuaki; Miyauchi, Masaru; Ito, Masayasu; Nishikata, Kaori; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2013-021, 43 Pages, 2013/07

JAEA-Technology-2013-021.pdf:5.12MB

The number of research reactors in the world is decreasing because of their aging. On the other hand, the necessity of research reactor, which is used for human resources development, progress of the science and technology, industrial use and safety research is increasing for the countries which are planning to introduce the nuclear power plants. From above background, the Neutron Irradiation and Testing Reactor Center began to discuss a basic concept of Multipurpose Compact Research Reactor (MCRR) for education and training, etc., on 2010 to 2012. This activity is also expected to contribute to design tool improvement and human resource development in the center. In 2011, design study of reactor core, irradiation facilities with high versatility and practicality, and hot laboratory equipment for the production of Mo-99 was carried out. As the result of design study of reactor core, subcriticality and operation time of the reactor in consideration of an irradiation capsule, and about the transient response of the reactor to the reactivity disturbance during automatic control operation, it was possible to do automatic operation of MCRR, was confirmed. As the result of design study of irradiation facilities, it was confirmed that the implementation of an efficient mass production radioisotope Mo-99 can be expected. As the result of design study with hot laboratory facilities, Mo-99 production, RI export devised considered cell and facilities for exporting the specimens quickly was designed.

Development of post-irradiation test facility for domestic production of Mo

Taguchi, Taketoshi; Yonekawa, Minoru; Kato, Yoshiaki; Kurosawa, Makoto; Nishikata, Kaori; Ishida, Takuya; Kawamata, Kazuo

UTNL-R-0483, p.10_5_1 - 10_5_13, 2013/03

JMTR focus on the activation method. By carrying out the preliminary tests using irradiation facilities existing, and verification tests using the irradiation facility that has developed in the cutting-edge research and development strategic strengthening business, as irradiation tests towards the production of Mo, we have been conducting research and development that can contribute to supply about 25% for Mo demand in Japan and the stable supply of radiopharmaceutical. This report describes a summary of the status of the preliminary tests for the production of Mo: Maintenance of test equipment in the facility in JMTR Hot Laboratory in preparation for research and development for the production of Mo in JMTR and using MoO pellet irradiated at Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute (KUR).

Development of remote welding techniques for in-pile IASCC capsules and evaluation of material integrity on capsules for long irradiation period

Shibata, Akira; Nakano, Junichi; Omi, Masao; Kawamata, Kazuo; Nakagawa, Tetsuya; Tsukada, Takashi

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 422(1-3), p.14 - 19, 2012/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2011.11.057

To simulate Irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) behavior by in-pile experiments, it is necessary to irradiate specimens up to a neutron fluence that is higher than the IASCC threshold fluence. Pre-irradiated specimens must be relocated from pre-irradiation capsules to in-pile capsules. Hence, a remote welding machine has been developed. And the integrity of capsule housing for a long term irradiation was evaluated by tensile tests in air and slow strain rate tests in water. Two type specimens were prepared. Specimens were obtained from the outer tubes of capsule irradiated to 1.0-3.9 10 n/m (E 1 MeV). And specimens were irradiated in a leaky capsule to 0.03-1.0 10 n/m. Elongation more than 15% in tensile test at 423 K was confirmed and no IGSCC fraction was shown in SSRT at 423 K which was estimated as temperature at the outer tubes of the capsule under irradiation.

Conceptual design of multipurpose compact research reactor; Annual report FY2010 (Joint research)

Imaizumi, Tomomi; Miyauchi, Masaru; Ito, Masayasu; Watahiki, Shunsuke; Nagata, Hiroshi; Hanakawa, Hiroki; Naka, Michihiro; Kawamata, Kazuo; Yamaura, Takayuki; Ide, Hiroshi; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2011-031, 123 Pages, 2012/01

JAEA-Technology-2011-031.pdf:16.08MB

The number of research reactors in the world is decreasing because of their aging. However, the planning to introduce the nuclear power plants is increasing in Asian countries. In these Asian countries, the key issue is the human resource development for operation and management of nuclear power plants after constructed them, and also the necessity of research reactor, which is used for lifetime extension of LWRs, progress of the science and technology, expansion of industry use, human resources training and so on, is increasing. From above backgrounds, the Neutron Irradiation and Testing Reactor Center began to discuss basic concept of a multipurpose low-power research reactor for education and training, etc. This design study is expected to contribute not only to design tool improvement and human resources development in the Neutron Irradiation and Testing Reactor Center but also to maintain and upgrade the technology on research reactors in nuclear power-related companies. This report treats the activities of the working group from July 2010 to June 2011 on the multipurpose low-power research reactor in the Neutron Irradiation and Testing Reactor Center and nuclear power-related companies.

Neutron shielding reinforcement in the JMTR Hot Laboratory

Ito, Masayasu; Kawamata, Kazuo; Tayama, Yoshinobu; Kanazawa, Yoshiharu; Yonekawa, Minoru; Nakagawa, Tetsuya; Omi, Masao; Iwamatsu, Shigemi

JAEA-Technology 2011-022, 44 Pages, 2011/07

JAEA-Technology-2011-022.pdf:3.29MB

Hot laboratory are facilities that execute the post irradiation examination of sample irradiated in material testing reactors etc. The handling of high burn-up fuel is scheduled in the JMTR (Japan Materials Testing Reactor) Hot Laboratory with JMTR re-operate in FY 2011. This report describes evaluation, production and installation of shielding of the hot cells in the JMTR Hot Laboratory.

Human resource development program using JMTR

Ishitsuka, Etsuo; Kitagishi, Shigeru; Aoyama, Masashi; Kawamata, Kazuo; Nagao, Yoshiharu; Ishihara, Masahiro; Kawamura, Hiroshi

Proceedings of 1st Asian Symposium on Material Testing Reactors (ASMTR 2011), p.111 - 115, 2011/02

Vacuum brazing of the new RFQ for the J-PARC linac

Morishita, Takatoshi; Kondo, Yasuhiro; Hasegawa, Kazuo; Naito, Fujio*; Yoshioka, Masakazu*; Matsumoto, Hiroshi*; Hori, Yoichiro*; Kawamata, Hiroshi*; Saito, Yoshio*; Baba, Hiroshi*

Proceedings of 25th International Linear Accelerator Conference (LINAC 2010) (CD-ROM), p.521 - 523, 2010/09

http://accelconf.web.cern.ch/AccelConf/LINAC2010/papers/tup050.pdf

The fabrication of a new RFQ has been started as a backup machine for the J-PARC linac. The RFQ cavity is divided by three unit tanks in the longitudinal direction. The unit tank consists of two major vanes and two minor vanes, those are brazed together. A one-step vacuum brazing of a unit tank was adopted to unite these four vanes together with the flanges and ports. At the first tank brazing, the vacuum leak has been occurred due to the non-uniform temperature rise during the heating. Repair of this leakage and the results of the improved brazing of the second tank are reported.

Fabrication of the new RFQ for the J-PARC linac

Morishita, Takatoshi; Kondo, Yasuhiro; Hasegawa, Kazuo; Naito, Fujio*; Yoshioka, Masakazu*; Matsumoto, Hiroshi*; Hori, Yoichiro*; Kawamata, Hiroshi*; Saito, Yoshio*; Baba, Hiroshi*

Proceedings of 1st International Particle Accelerator Conference (IPAC '10) (Internet), p.783 - 785, 2010/05

http://accelconf.web.cern.ch/AccelConf/IPAC10/papers/mopd044.pdf

The J-PARC RFQ (length 3.1 m, 4-vane type, 324 MHz) accelerates a negative hydrogen beam from 0.05 MeV to 3 MeV toward the following DTL. The stability of the operating RFQ decreased for a few months at the end of 2008, then, we started a preparation of a new RFQ as a backup machine in the case of RFQ problem. The beam dynamics design of the new RFQ is the same as the current cavity for a quick resumption of operation, however, the engineering and RF designs are changed to improve stability. The processes of the vane machining and the surface treatments have been carefully considered to reduce the discharge problem. The vacuum brazing technique has been chosen for vane jointing. The design of the new RFQ and the fabrication progress is descried in this proceeding.