Preliminary missions for the decommissioning of the laboratory building No.1 for the plutonium research program

Segawa, Yukari; Horita, Takuma; Kitatsuji, Yoshihiro; Kumagai, Yuta; Aoyagi, Noboru; Nakada, Masami; Otobe, Haruyoshi; Tamura, Yukito*; Okamoto, Hisato; Otomo, Takashi; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2016-039, 64 Pages, 2017/03

JAEA-Technology-2016-039.pdf:5.24MB

The laboratory building No.1 for the plutonium research program (Bldg. Pu1) was chosen as one of the facilities to decommission by Japan Atomic Energy Agency Reform in September, 2013. The research groups, users of Bldg. Pu1, were driven by necessity to remove used equipment and transport nuclear fuel to other facilities from Bldg. Pu1. Research Group for Radiochemistry proactively established the Used Equipment Removal Team for the smooth operation of the removal in April, 2015. The team classified six types of work into the nature of the operation, removal of used equipment, disposal of chemicals, stabilization of mercury, stabilization of nuclear fuel, transportation of nuclear fuel and radioisotope, and survey of contamination status inside the glove boxes. These works were completed in December, 2015. This report circumstantially shows six works process, with the exception of the approval of the changes on the usage of nuclear fuel in Bldg. Pu1 to help prospective decommission.

Inspection and repair techniques in the reactor vessel of the experimental fast reactor Joyo; Replacement of upper core structure

Ito, Hiromichi*; Ota, Katsu; Kawahara, Hirotaka; Kobayashi, Tetsuhiko; Takamatsu, Misao; Nagai, Akinori

JAEA-Technology 2016-008, 87 Pages, 2016/05

JAEA-Technology-2016-008.pdf:18.11MB

In the experimental fast reactor Joyo, as a part of the restoration work of a partial dysfunction of fuel handling, the replacement of the upper core structure (UCS) was started from March 2014, and was completed in December 2014. In the jack-up test, the UCS was jacked-up to 1000 mm without significant sodium shearing resistance and interference. In the replacement of the UCS, a procedure was prepared with the use of wire-jack equipment assuming the interference. As a result, with the procedure and wire-jack were effectively functioned, the work was successfully completed.

Inspection and repair techniques in the reactor vessel of the experimental fast reactor Joyo; Development of cover gas recycling system with precise pressure control

Ushiki, Hiroshi*; Okuda, Eiji; Suzuki, Nobuhiro; Takamatsu, Misao; Nagai, Akinori

JAEA-Technology 2015-042, 37 Pages, 2016/02

JAEA-Technology-2015-042.pdf:16.51MB

The reactor vessel of a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) is filled with sodium coolant and cover gas (argon gas). In case of a cover gas boundary open (ie., in-vessel repair), installation of a temporary cover gas boundary and controlling the cover gas pressure slightly positive are required to prevent the cover gas release and the contamination of impurities, and during upper core structure (UCS) replacement in the experimental SFR Joyo from March to December 2014, a vinyl bag was installed as a part of the temporary cover gas boundary. However, because it has inferior thermal resistance, supply a cooling gas too much was required to maintain proper temperature for two months. On the basis of this requirement, a cover gas recycling system with precise pressure control was developed and adopted for UCS replacement. The system has a good pressure controllability and recyclability. The successful results of this system contributed to the certain promotion of UCS replacement. In addition, the insights and the experience gathered in this development are expected to improve the in-vessel repair techniques in sodium-cooled fast reactors.

Inspection and repair techniques in the reactor vessel of the experimental fast reactor Joyo; Observation techniques development in a reactor vessel of the fast reactor, 2

Okuda, Eiji; Sasaki, Jun; Suzuki, Nobuhiro; Takamatsu, Misao; Nagai, Akinori

JAEA-Technology 2015-005, 36 Pages, 2015/03

JAEA-Technology-2015-005.pdf:44.42MB

In-Vessel Observations (IVO) techniques for Sodium cooled Fast Reactors (SFRs) are important in confirming its safety and integrity. In order to secure the reliability of IVO techniques, it was necessary to demonstrate the performance under the actual reactor environment with high temperature, high radiation dose and remained sodium. The IVO equipment for the Upper Core Structure (UCS) fitting area was specifically developed in the experimental fast reactor "Joyo". And the IVO was successfully completed as shown below. (1) Improvement of picture quality and resolution. The IVO of UCS fitting area with the gap of 5mm in minimum was achieved using the IVO equipment with video-scope under the actual reactor environment. The picture quality and resolution could be improved comparing with the radiation resistant fiberscope which was used in past IVO. (2) Prevention of video-scope hypofunction by high temperature / radiation dose. Since video-scope is inferior in thermal and radiation resistance, the IVO equipment was designed to be able to withdraw and insert video-scopes with cooling gas. This measure could achieve the observation in short radiation time with available temperature under the actual reactor environment. The IVO equipment for UCS fitting area provided useful information on UCS replacement. In addition, the experience provided valuable insights into further improvements for IVO techniques in SFRs.

Restoration work for obstacle and upper core structure in reactor vessel of experimental fast reactor "Joyo", 2

Takamatsu, Misao; Ashida, Takashi; Kobayashi, Tetsuhiko; Kawahara, Hirotaka; Ito, Hideaki; Nagai, Akinori

Proceedings of International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles; Safe Technologies and Sustainable Scenarios (FR-13) (USB Flash Drive), 10 Pages, 2013/03

http://www.iaea.org/NuclearPower/Downloadable/Meetings/2013/2013-03-04-03-07-CF-NPTD/T9.2/T9.2.takamatsu.pdf

In the experimental fast reactor Joyo, it was confirmed that the top of the irradiation test Sub-Assembly (S/A) of "MARICO-2" (material testing rig with temperature control) had bent onto the in-vessel storage rack (IVS) as an obstacle and had damaged the Upper Core Structure (UCS). This incident necessitates the replacement of the UCS and the retrieval of MARICO-2 S/A for Joyo re-start. Along with four stages involving jack-up and retrieval of the existing damaged UCS (ed-UCS), retrieval of the MARICO-2 S/A, and installation of the new UCS (n-UCS) in the restoration work plan, current conditions at Joyo are being carefully investigated, and the results are applied to the designs of special handling equipment, which is being manufactured and scheduled for operation in 2014.

Maintenance experience of experimental fast reactor Joyo, 3; The Countermeasure for wear of the crankshaft bearing of the diesel generator

Funaki, Isao; Tobita, Shigeharu; Nagai, Akinori; Nishino, Kazunari

Nihon Hozen Gakkai Dai-7-Kai Gakujutsu Koenkai Yoshishu, p.263 - 266, 2010/07

no abstracts in English

Development of observation techniques in reactor vessel of experimental fast reactor Joyo

Takamatsu, Misao; Imaizumi, Kazuyuki; Nagai, Akinori; Sekine, Takashi; Maeda, Yukimoto

Journal of Power and Energy Systems (Internet), 4(1), p.113 - 125, 2010/00

https://doi.org/10.1299/jpes.4.113

During the investigation of an incident that occurred with the experimental fast reactor Joyo, in-vessel observations using a standard Video Camera (VC) and a Radiation-Resistant Fiberscope (RRF) took place at (1) the top of the Sub-Assemblies (S/As) and the In-Vessel Storage rack (IVS), (2) the bottom face of the Upper Core Structure (UCS) under the condition with the level of sodium at -50 mm below the top of the S/As. A simple 6 m overhead view of each S/A, through the fuel handling or inspection holes etc, was photographed using a VC fixed to the rotating-plug with the acrylic panel for making observations of the top of S/As and IVS. About 650 photographs were required to create a composite photograph of the top of the entire S/As and IVS, and a resolution was estimated to be approximately 1 mm. In order to observe the bottom face of the UCS, a remote handling device equipped with RRFs (approximately 13 m long) was specifically developed for Joyo with a tip that could be bent into an L-shape and inserted into the 70 mm gap between the top of the S/As and the bottom of the UCS. A total of about 35,000 photographs were needed for the full investigation. Regarding the resolution, the sodium flow regulating grid of 0.8 mm in thickness could be discriminated, and the base of thermocouple sleeves 6 mm in diameter located 450 mm above the top of S/As were also clearly observed. In both types of observations, it was confirmed that lighting adjustments play a critical role. Particularly in narrow space observations, scattered lighting with automatic dimming controlled light source was available for achieving close observations of the in-vessel structures. In addition to the successful result of the incident investigation, these experiments provided valuable insights for use in further improving and verifying in-vessel observation techniques in sodium cooled fast reactors.

In-vessel visual inspection of experimental fast reactor Joyo

Itagaki, Wataru; Sekine, Takashi; Imaizumi, Kazuyuki; Maeda, Shigetaka; Ashida, Takashi; Takamatsu, Misao; Nagai, Akinori; Maeda, Yukimoto

Proceedings of 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications (ANIMMA 2009) (USB Flash Drive), 7 Pages, 2009/06

no abstracts in English

A Study on the optimized fuel cycle systems during the transition period from LWR era to FBR era

Ojima, Hisao; Hayashi, Naoto; Nagai, Toshihisa; Fujita, Yuji; Kawata, Tomio

Proceedings of International Conference on Nuclear Energy System for Future Generation and Global Sustainability (GLOBAL 2005) (CD-ROM), 5 Pages, 2005/10

This paper mentions a preliminary evaluation on the typical LWR-to-FBR transition scenarios. Deployment rate of FBRs is strongly connected with replacement rate of LWRs, however, the transition should be seen as a matter of the optimization of fuel cycle systems. Based on the Pu balance evaluation, it seems definitely necessary to save an adequate amount of LWR spent fuels before beginning the deployment of FBRs. The mission of the second LWR fuel reprocessing plant in Japan will most provably be to feed Pu needed for starting up new FBRs. Along with the Pu utilization, especially as LWR-MOX fuel, the accumulation of minor actinides(MAs) in the high-level radioactive waste will become dominant and finally result in larger number of vitrified HLW because of heat generation from MAs. MA recovery cycle combined with the FBR will gives successful solution on this matter. Requirements on the next generation reprocessing plant, which corresponds to the transition scenario, are studied and innovative concept named

None

Nagai, Toshihisa; Nomura, Shigeo; Ojima, Hisao

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai Homu Peji (Internet), , 

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