OECD/NEA benchmark on pellet-clad mechanical interaction modelling with fuel performance codes; Influence of pellet geometry and gap size

Soba, A.*; Prudil, A.*; Zhang, J.*; Dethioux, A.*; Han, Z.*; Dostal, M.*; Matocha, V.*; Marelle, V.*; Lasnel-Payan, J.*; Kulacsy, K.*; et al.

Proceedings of TopFuel 2021 (Internet), 10 Pages, 2021/10

Compositional and structural analysis of Fukushima-derived particulates using high-resolution X-ray imaging and synchrotron characterisation techniques

Martin, P. G.*; Jones, C. P.*; Cipiccia, S.*; Batey, D. J.*; Hallam, K. R.*; Satou, Yukihiko; Griffiths, I.*; Rau, C.*; Richards, D. A.*; Sueki, Keisuke*; et al.

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10(1), p.1636_1 - 1636_11, 2020/01

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-58545-y

Provenance of uranium particulate contained within Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 ejecta material

Martin, P. G.*; Louvel, M.*; Cipiccia, S.*; Jones, C. P.*; Batey, D. J.*; Hallam, K. R.*; Yang, I. A. X.*; Satou, Yukihiko; Rau, C.*; Mosselmans, J. F. W.*; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 10, p.2801_1 - 2801_7, 2019/06

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10937-z

Synchrotron radiation (SR) analysis techniques alongside secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) measurements have been made on sub-mm particulate material derived from reactor Unit 1 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP). Using these methods, it has been possible to investigate the distribution, state and isotopic composition of micron-scale U particulate contained within the larger Si-based ejecta material. Through combined SR micro-focused X-ray fluorescence (SR-micro-XRF) and absorption contrast SR micro-focused X-ray tomography (SR-micro-XRT), the U particulate was found to be located around the exterior circumference of the highly-porous particle. Synchrotron radiation micro-focused X-ray absorption near edge structure (SR-micro-XANES) analysis of a number of these entrapped particles revealed them to exist within the U(IV) oxidation state, as UO, and identical in structure to reactor fuel. Confirmation that this U was of nuclear origin (U-enriched) was provided through secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis with an isotopic enrichment ratio characteristic of a provenance from reactor Unit 1 at the FDNPP. These results provide clear evidence of the event scenario (that a degree of core fragmentation and release occurred from reactor Unit 1), with such spent fuel ejecta existing; (i) within the stable U(IV) oxidation state; and (ii) contained within a bulk Si-based particle. While this U is unlikely to represent an environmental or health hazard, such assertions would likely change, however, should break-up of the Si-containing bulk particle occur. However, more important to the long-term decommissioning of the reactors (and clean-up) on the FDNPP, is the knowledge that core integrity of reactor Unit 1 was compromised with nuclear material existing outside of the reactors primary containment.

OECD/NEA benchmark on pellet-clad mechanical interaction modelling with fuel performance codes; Impact of number of radial pellet cracks and pellet-clad friction coefficient

Dostl, M.*; Rossiter, G.*; Dethioux, A.*; Zhang, J.*; Amaya, Masaki; Rozzia, D.*; Williamson, R.*; Kozlowski, T.*; Hill, I.*; Martin, J.-F.*

Proceedings of Annual Topical Meeting on Reactor Fuel Performance (TopFuel 2018) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2018/10

The Martian surface radiation environment; A Comparison of models and MSL/RAD measurements

Matthi, D.*; Ehresmann, B.*; Lohf, H.*; Khler, J.*; Zeitlin, C.*; Appel, J.*; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Slaba, T. C.*; Martin, C.*; Berger, T.*; et al.

Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate (Internet), 6, p.A13_1 - A13_17, 2016/03

https://doi.org/10.1051/swsc/2016008

The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) has been measuring the radiation environment on the surface of Mars since August 6th 2012. In this work, several models such as GEANT4, PHITS, and HZETRN/OLTARIS are used to predict the radiation environment caused by galactic cosmic rays on Mars in order to compare and validate them with the experimental results. Although good agreement is found in many cases for GEANT4, PHITS and HZETRN/OLTARIS, some models still show large, sometimes order of magnitude, discrepancies in certain particle spectra. We have found that RAD data is helping make better choices of input parameters and physical models. These results help to predict dose rates for future manned missions as well as to perform shield optimization studies.

Matrix diffusion and sorption of Cs, Na, I and HTO in granodiorite; Laboratory-scale results and their extrapolation to the in situ condition

Tachi, Yukio; Ebina, Takanori*; Takeda, Chizuko*; Saito, Toshihiko*; Takahashi, Hiroaki*; Ouchi, Yuji*; Martin, A. J.*

Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 179, p.10 - 24, 2015/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2015.05.003

Matrix diffusion and sorption are important processes in the assessment of radionuclide transport in crystalline rocks. Diffusion and sorption parameters for Cs, Na, I and HTO were determined by through-diffusion and batch sorption experiments using granodiorite samples from the Grimsel Test Site, Switzerland. The De values were in the order Cs, Na, HTO, I. The capacity factor and Kd values show the same trends. The dual depth profiles for Cs and Na can be interpreted by a near-surface Kd increment. The microscopic analysis indicated that this is caused by high porosity and sorption capacities in disturbed biotite minerals on the sample surface. The Kd values derived from the dual profiles are likely to correspond to Kd dependence on the grain sizes of crushed samples in the batch experiments. The results of the in situ LTD experiments were interpreted reasonably well by using transport parameters derived from laboratory data and extrapolating them to in situ conditions.

LTD experiment; Postmortem modelling of monopole I

Soler, J. M.*; Landa, J.*; Havlov, V.*; Tachi, Yukio; Ebina, Takanori*; Sardini, P.*; Siitari-Kauppi, M.*; Martin, A.*

Nagra NAB 12-53, 80 Pages, 2013/02

An in-situ long-term diffusion (LTD) experiment was performed at the Grimsel Test Site (Switzerland). Tracers, HTO, Na, Cs, were continuously circulated through a packed-off borehole and the tracer concentrations in the solution was monitored for 2.5 years. Subsequently, the borehole section was overcored and the tracer profiles in the rock analyzed. The drop in activity for Cs in the solution was much pronounced. Transport distances were about 20 cm for HTO, 10 cm for Na and 1 cm for Cs. The dataset was analyzed with diffusion-sorption models by different teams using different codes, with the goal of obtaining effective diffusion coefficients () and rock capacity () values. There was a rather good agreement between the values from different teams, implied that and values in the BDZ are larger than those in the bulk rock. However, HTO seems to display large discrepancies between measured and modeled results, which have to be investigated in more detail.

Overview of high priority ITER diagnostic systems status

Walsh, M.*; Andrew, P.*; Barnsley, R.*; Bertalot, L.*; Boivin, R.*; Bora, D.*; Bouhamou, R.*; Ciattaglia, S.*; Costley, A. E.*; Counsell, G.*; et al.

Proceedings of 23rd IAEA Fusion Energy Conference (FEC 2010) (CD-ROM), 8 Pages, 2011/03

http://www-naweb.iaea.org/napc/physics/FEC/FEC2010/html/node50.htm#12730

Development of safety assessment method under uncertainty for Horonobe URL project (Contract research)

Takase, Hiroyasu*; Inagaki, Manabu*; Noguchi, Toshihide*; Shimaoka, Akiko*; Martin, A. J.*; Wakamatsu, Hisanori*; Takase, Kyoko*; Tabara, Michiko*; Matsui, Hiroya

JAEA-Research 2007-066, 215 Pages, 2007/08

JAEA-Research-2007-066-01.pdf:43.05MB
JAEA-Research-2007-066-02.pdf:58.73MB
JAEA-Research-2007-066-03.pdf:13.08MB

In this study a systematic approach to explicitly address type and size of uncertainties associated with safety assessment due mainly to incomplete knowledge on a spatially heterogeneous geological environment was developed. In this approach a wide range of model variations including the ones with relatively law plausibility are taken into account so that ambiguity remaining in the knowledge is illustrated, which is a distinctive feature of the approach compared with the conventional methodology where only a limited number of best plausible model variations are considered. The study also proposed an approach to assessing plausibility of each model variation based on multiple pieces of evidence by using evidential support logic (ESL). Furthermore the approach was applied to Horonobe area to demonstrate its applicability to the similar class of geological environment as an example.

Progress in the ITER physics basis, 2; Plasma confinement and transport

Doyle, E. J.*; Houlberg, W. A.*; Kamada, Yutaka; Mukhovatov, V.*; Osborne, T. H.*; Polevoi, A.*; Bateman, G.*; Connor, J. W.*; Cordey, J. G.*; Fujita, Takaaki; et al.

Nuclear Fusion, 47(6), p.S18 - S127, 2007/06

https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/47/6/S02

no abstracts in English