Results of groundwater pressure and hydro-chemical monitoring as part of environmental monitoring investigation in backfilling of shafts and tunnels of Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (2020-2021)

Takeuchi, Ryuji; Murakami, Hiroaki; Nishio, Kazuhisa*

JAEA-Data/Code 2022-008, 184 Pages, 2023/01

JAEA-Data-Code-2022-008.pdf:8.2MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2022-008-appendix1(DVD-ROM).zip:327.79MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2022-008-appendix2(DVD-ROM).zip:284.46MB

The Tono Geoscience Center of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been conducting the groundwater pressure and hydro-chemical monitoring to confirm the restoration process of the surrounding geological environment associated with the backfilling of shafts and tunnels of Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory. This report summarizes the results of the groundwater pressure and hydro-chemical monitoring conducted from FY2020 to FY2021.

Demonstration of the groundwater observation network system in backfilled underground facility

Murakami, Hiroaki; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Iwatsuki, Teruki

JAEA-Technology 2022-022, 34 Pages, 2022/10

JAEA-Technology-2022-022.pdf:3.47MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been conducting the hydro-pressure and hydrochemical monitoring for more than two decades to understand the hydrochemical disturbance due to the excavation of tunnels at Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU). To understand the environmental influence due to the backfilling of research tunnels that started in 2019, environmental monitoring of groundwater has been performed and recovery status of groundwater is being confirmed. In order to observe the deep-groundwater environment from the ground, the groundwater pressure monitoring and sampling, which have been performed in the research tunnel, are to be performed from the ground. However, backfilling of a large-scale underground facilities such as MIU is globally unprecedented, thus it was necessary to develop a new observation system. Accordingly, we developed a new observation network to observe the environment around the research tunnels of the MIU. This system enables monitoring of groundwater pressure and water sampling of the backfilled tunnel from the ground while utilizing the existing-monitoring system installed in the tunnels. Accordingly, we demonstrated its technology through the environmental monitoring of groundwater. The results of the environmental monitoring and the existing groundwater data of MIU indicate that this system is able to monitor the groundwater environment in the backfilled tunnels.

Analysis of the radioactivity concentrations in low-level radioactive waste generated from JRR-3 and JPDR facilities

Tsuchida, Daiki; Haraga, Tomoko; Tobita, Minoru*; Omori, Hiroyuki*; Omori, Takeshi*; Murakami, Hideaki*; Mitsukai, Akina; Aono, Ryuji; Ishimori, Kenichiro; Kameo, Yutaka

JAEA-Data/Code 2020-022, 34 Pages, 2021/03

JAEA-Data-Code-2020-022.pdf:1.74MB

Radioactive wastes generated from nuclear research facilities in Japan Atomic Energy Agency are planning to be buried in the near surface disposal field. Therefore, it is required to establish the method to evaluate the radioactivity concentrations of radioactive wastes until the beginning of disposal. In order to contribute to this work, we collected and analyzed concrete samples generated from JRR-3 and JPDR. In this report, we summarized the radioactivity concentrations of 22 radionuclides(H, C, Cl, Ca, Co, Ni, Sr, Nb, Ag, Ba, Cs, Eu, Eu, Ho, U, U, Pu, Pu, Am, Am, Cm) which were obtained from radiochemical analysis of the samples.

Study of groundwater sampling casing for monitoring device

Okihara, Mitsunobu*; Yahagi, Ryoji*; Iwatsuki, Teruki; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Murakami, Hiroaki

JAEA-Technology 2019-021, 77 Pages, 2020/03

JAEA-Technology-2019-021.pdf:5.33MB

One of the major subjects of the ongoing geoscientific research program, the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) Project in the Tono area, central Japan, is accumulation of knowledge on monitoring techniques of the geological environment. In this report, the conceptual design of the monitoring system for groundwater pressure and water chemistry was carried out. The currently installed and used system in research galleries at various depths was re-designed to make it possible to collect groundwater and observe the water pressure on the ground.

Verification of safety margin of reactor pressure vessel exposed to various thermal transients based on probabilistic approach

Suzuki, Masahide*; Murakami, Kenta*; Suzuki, Takashi*; Okayama, Ryuta*; Katsuyama, Jinya; Li, Y.

E-Journal of Advanced Maintenance (Internet), 11(4), p.172 - 178, 2020/02

https://www.jsm.or.jp/ejam/Vol.11No.4/AA/AA171/AA171.html

no abstracts in English

Burial environment of bronze artifacts and behavior of bronze metal components at Yanagisawa archaeological site in Nagano Prefecture

Mitsui, Seiichiro; Murakami, Ryu*; Ueda, Norio*; Hirabayashi, Akira*; Hirota, Kazuho*

Bunkazai Kagaku, (77), p.1 - 14, 2018/10

Well-preserved bronze artifacts comprising five bells and eight halberds from the Yayoi Period were excavated at the Yanagisawa archaeological site in Nakano City, Nagano Prefecture in 2007. Comprehensive analysis of soil and groundwater samples at the site was carried out and geochemical calculations were made to better understand the local conditions that led to the artifacts being so well preserved. Analysis of the soil surface adjacent to the bronze artifacts identified cuprite (CuO) as the main corrosion product. Migration behavior of the bronze metal components, copper, tin, and lead, both inside and outside of the burial pit, was also investigated. Copper and lead had migrated 2 m from the burial pit, whereas tin was confined to the immediate vicinity of the bronze artifacts. The difference in migration behavior of these elements can be explained in terms of the chemical stability of the solid phases. The main factor contributing to the well-preserved state of the bronze artifacts was the tin content, which is thought to have formed a protective layer of cassiterite (SnO) on the outer surface of the bronze artifacts.

Progress report of Japanese simulation research projects using the high-performance computer system Helios in the International Fusion Energy Research Centre

Ishizawa, Akihiro*; Idomura, Yasuhiro; Imadera, Kenji*; Kasuya, Naohiro*; Kanno, Ryutaro*; Satake, Shinsuke*; Tatsuno, Tomoya*; Nakata, Motoki*; Nunami, Masanori*; Maeyama, Shinya*; et al.

Purazuma, Kaku Yugo Gakkai-Shi, 92(3), p.157 - 210, 2016/03

http://www.jspf.or.jp/Journal/PDF_JSPF/jspf2016_03/jspf2016_03-157.pdf

The high-performance computer system Helios which is located at The Computational Simulation Centre (CSC) in The International Fusion Energy Research Centre (IFERC) started its operation in January 2012 under the Broader Approach (BA) agreement between Japan and the EU. The Helios system has been used for magnetised fusion related simulation studies in the EU and Japan and has kept high average usage rate. As a result, the Helios system has contributed to many research products in a wide range of research areas from core plasma physics to reactor material and reactor engineering. This project review gives a short catalogue of domestic simulation research projects. First, we outline the IFERC-CSC project. After that, shown are objectives of the research projects, numerical schemes used in simulation codes, obtained results and necessary computations in future.

Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory Project, Annual report for fiscal year 2013

Hama, Katsuhiro; Mikake, Shinichiro; Nishio, Kazuhisa; Kawamoto, Koji; Yamada, Nobuto; Ishibashi, Masayuki; Murakami, Hiroaki; Matsuoka, Toshiyuki; Sasao, Eiji; Sanada, Hiroyuki; et al.

JAEA-Review 2014-038, 137 Pages, 2014/12

JAEA-Review-2014-038.pdf:162.61MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) at Tono Geoscience Center (TGC) is pursuing a geoscientific research and development project namely the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) Project in crystalline rock environment in order to construct scientific and technological basis for geological disposal of High-level Radioactive Waste (HLW). The MIU Project has three overlapping phases: Surface-based Investigation phase (Phase I), Construction phase (Phase II), and Operation phase (Phase III). The MIU Project has been ongoing the Phase II and the Phase III in fiscal year 2013. This report presents the results of the investigations, construction and collaboration studies in fiscal year 2013, as a part of the Phase II and Phase III based on the MIU Master Plan updated in 2010.

Electrically insulated MLI and thermal anchor

Kamiya, Koji; Furukawa, Masato; Hatakenaka, Ryuta*; Miyakita, Takeshi*; Murakami, Haruyuki; Kizu, Kaname; Tsuchiya, Katsuhiko; Koide, Yoshihiko; Yoshida, Kiyoshi

AIP Conference Proceedings 1573, p.455 - 462, 2014/01

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4860736

The thermal shield of JT-60SA is kept at 80 K and will use the Multi Layered Insulator (MLI) to reduce radiation heat load to the superconducting coils at 4.4 K from the cryostat at 300 K. Due to plasma pulse operation, the MLI is affected by eddy current in toroidal direction. The MLI is designed to suppress the current by electrically insulating every 20 degree in the toroidal direction by covering the MLI with polyimide films. In this paper, two kinds of designs for insulated MLI are proposed focusing on a way to overlap MLI. A boil-off calorimeter method and temperature measurement has been performed to determine the thermal performance of MLI. The design of electrical insulated thermal anchor between the toroidal field (TF) coil and the thermal shield is also explained.

Visualization of H2AX foci caused by heavy ion particle traversal; Distribution between core track versus non-track damage

Nakajima, Nakako*; Brunton, H.*; Watanabe, Ritsuko; Shrikhande, A.*; Hirayama, Ryoichi*; Matsufuji, Naruhiro*; Fujimori, Akira*; Murakami, Takeshi*; Okayasu, Ryuichi*; Jeggo, P.*; et al.

PLOS ONE (Internet), 8(8), p.e70107_1 - e70107_14, 2013/08

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0070107

Heavy particle irradiation can produce complex DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) within the particle trajectory. Additionally, secondary electrons, termed delta-electrons, can create low linear energy transfer (LET) damage distant from the track. Using imaging with deconvolution, we show that at 8 hours after exposure to Fe ions, H2AX foci forming at DSBs within the particle track are large and encompass multiple smaller and closely localised foci, which we designate as clustered H2AX foci. We also identified simple H2AX foci distant from the track. They are rapidly repaired. Clustered H2AX foci induced by heavy particle radiation cause prolonged checkpoint arrest compared to simple H2AX foci. However, mitotic entry was observed when 10 clustered foci remain. Thus, cells can progress into mitosis with multiple clusters of DSBs following the traversal of a heavy particle.