Study on eutectic melting behavior of control rod materials in core disruptive accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactors, 1; Project overview and progress until 2018

Yamano, Hidemasa; Takai, Toshihide; Furukawa, Tomohiro; Kikuchi, Shin; Emura, Yuki; Kamiyama, Kenji; Fukuyama, Hiroyuki*; Higashi, Hideo*; Nishi, Tsuyoshi*; Ota, Hiromichi*; et al.

Proceedings of 2020 International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 2020) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE2020-16075

One of the key issues in a core disruptive accident (CDA) evaluation in sodium-cooled fast reactors is eutectic reactions between boron carbide (BC) and stainless steel (SS) as well as its relocation. Such behaviors have never been simulated in CDA numerical analyses in the past, therefore it is necessary to develop a physical model and incorporate the model into the CDA analysis code. This study focuses on BC-SS eutectic melting experiments, thermophysical property measurement of the eutectic melt, and physical model development for the eutectic melting reaction. The eutectic experiments involve the visualization experiments, eutectic reaction rate experiments and material analyses. The thermophysical properties are measured in a range from solid to liquid state. The physical model is developed for a severe accident computer code based on the measured data of the eutectic reaction rate and the physical properties. This paper describes the project overview and progress of experimental and analytical studies conducted until 2018. Specific results in this paper are boron concentration distributions of solidified BC-SS eutectic sample in the eutectic melting experiments, which would be used for the validation of the eutectic physical model implemented into the computer code.

Gamma-ray glow preceding downward terrestrial gamma-ray flash

Wada, Yuki*; Enoto, Teruaki*; Nakamura, Yoshitaka*; Furuta, Yoshihiro; Yuasa, Takayuki*; Nakazawa, Kazuhiro*; Morimoto, Takeshi*; Sato, Mitsuteru*; Matsumoto, Takahiro*; Yonetoku, Daisuke*; et al.

Communications Physics (Internet), 2(1), p.67_1 - 67_9, 2019/06

https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-019-0168-y

Quantum dynamics of hydrogen in the iron-based superconductor LaFeAsOD measured with inelastic neutron spectroscopy

Yamaura, Junichi*; Hiraka, Haruhiro*; Iimura, Soshi*; Muraba, Yoshinori*; Bang, J.*; Ikeuchi, Kazuhiko*; Nakamura, Mitsutaka; Inamura, Yasuhiro; Honda, Takashi*; Hiraishi, Masatoshi*; et al.

Physical Review B, 99(22), p.220505_1 - 220505_6, 2019/06

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.99.220505

Inelastic neutron scattering was performed for an iron-based superconductor, where most of D (deuterium) replaces oxygen, while a tiny amount goes into interstitial sites. By first-principle calculation, we characterize the interstitial sites for D (and for H slightly mixed) with four equivalent potential minima. Below the superconducting transition temperature Tc = 26 K, new excitations emerge in the range 5-15 meV, while they are absent in the reference system LaFeAsOF. The strong excitations at 14.5 meV and 11.1 meV broaden rapidly around 15 K and 20 K, respectively, where each energy becomes comparable to twice of the superconducting gap. The strong excitations are ascribed to a quantum rattling, or a band motion of hydrogen, which arises only if the number of potential minima is larger than two.

Gamma-ray spectrum from thermal neutron capture on gadolinium-157

Hagiwara, Kaito*; Yano, Takatomi*; Das, P. K.*; Lorenz, S.*; Ou, Iwa*; Sakuda, Makoto*; Kimura, Atsushi; Nakamura, Shoji; Iwamoto, Nobuyuki; Harada, Hideo; et al.

Progress of Theoretical and Experimental Physics (Internet), 2019(2), p.023D01_1 - 023D01_26, 2019/02

https://doi.org/10.1093/ptep/ptz002

Gapless magnetic excitation in a heavily electron-doped antiferromagnetic phase of LaFeAsOD

Tamatsukuri, Hiromu*; Hiraka, Haruhiro*; Ikeuchi, Kazuhiko*; Iimura, Soshi*; Muraba, Yoshinori*; Nakamura, Mitsutaka; Sagayama, Hajime*; Yamaura, Junichi*; Murakami, Yoichi*; Kuramoto, Yoshio*; et al.

Physical Review B, 98(17), p.174415_1 - 174415_6, 2018/11

AA2018-0436.pdf:0.85MB

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.98.174415

Magnetic excitations in a heavily electron-doped antiferromagnet, LaFeAsOD, have been investigated using powder inelastic neutron scattering. Unlike other parent compounds of the iron-based superconductors, the magnetic excitation gap in LaFeAsOD was not detected down to the lowest measured temperature of 4 K. This result can be understood as a result of quasi-isotropy within the ab plane, which is consistent with the band calculation result that the orbital plays the dominant role in the magnetism of LaFeAsOH. In addition, the intensities of the magnetic excitations in this phase are much stronger than those in nondoped LaFeAsO. Even in the paramagnetic phase, the magnetic excitation in LaFeAsOD persists. These results corroborate recent studies showing that the electron doping enhances the localized nature in this system.

Some characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flow in vertical large-diameter channels

Shen, X.*; Schlegel, J. P.*; Hibiki, Takashi*; Nakamura, Hideo

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 333, p.87 - 98, 2018/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2018.04.001

Considerations on phenomena scaling for BEPU

Nakamura, Hideo

Proceedings of ANS International Conference on Best Estimate Plus Uncertainties Methods (BEPU 2018) (USB Flash Drive), 8 Pages, 2018/00

no abstracts in English

Technical developments for accurate determination of amount of samples used for TOF measurements

Terada, Kazushi; Nakao, Taro; Nakamura, Shoji; Kimura, Atsushi; Iwamoto, Osamu; Harada, Hideo; Takamiya, Koichi*; Hori, Junichi*

EPJ Web of Conferences, 146, p.03019_1 - 03019_4, 2017/09

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201714603019

The research project entitled "Research and development for Accuracy Improvement of neutron nuclear data on Minor ACtinides (AIMAC)" has been started to improve the reliability of the neutron cross section date of MAs. In order to obtain accurate cross section data, it is indispensable to determine the amount of MA sample accurately and non-destructively. However, the uncertainty concerning the amount of sample is not assured in some cases. Therefore, as a part of the AIMAC project, this study is aimed to development the technique for accurate determination of the amount of samples by two different methods: -ray spectroscopic method and calorimetric method. This contribution presents the developed techniques together with results obtained by two independent techniques.

Developments of a new data acquisition system at ANNRI

Nakao, Taro; Terada, Kazushi; Kimura, Atsushi; Nakamura, Shoji; Iwamoto, Osamu; Harada, Hideo; Katabuchi, Tatsuya*; Igashira, Masayuki*; Hori, Junichi*

EPJ Web of Conferences, 146, p.03021_1 - 03021_4, 2017/09

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201714603021

A new data acquisition system (DAQ system) in J-PARC Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) ANNRI was developed. Increasing beam power of MLF in recent years allows beam line users to obtain high quantity experimental data yields. Compared to 2008, more than 20 times beam current is achieved in 2015. For the purpose to correspond strong beam power of MLF, a new DAQ system for the array of the Ge detectors in ANNRI is developed. The DAQ system is also going to be used for processing signals from a Li glass detector, which is under development at ANNRI for measurement of total neutron cross sections. Commissioning experiment of a new DAQ system at ANNRI was performed by using 0.1mmt Au sample with 500kW J-PARC proton beam power. An applicability of time-of-flight method for both neutron capture and total cross-sections measurements was checked. ADC and TDC nonlinearity, energy resolution, multi-channel coincidence and dead time performance for the array of the Ge detectors were also evaluated. The dead time value for Ge detectors was successfully decreased to 1/4 from the previous DAQ system with minor deterioration on energy resolution. The author would like to thank the accelerator and technical staff at J-PARC for operation of the accelerator and the neutron production target and for the other experimental supports. Present study includes the result of "Research and Development for accuracy improvement of neutron nuclear data on minor actinides" entrusted to the Japan Atomic Energy Agency by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT).

Axial flow characteristics of bubbly flow in a vertical large-diameter square duct

Shen, X.*; Sun, Haomin; Deng, B.*; Hibiki, Takashi*; Nakamura, Hideo

Proceedings of 17th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-17) (USB Flash Drive), 14 Pages, 2017/09

An experimental study on the upward bubbly air-water flows in a vertical large-diameter square duct have been performed by using four-sensor probes. The four-sensor probe were applied in the local measurements at 3 axial positions along the flow direction to obtain interfacial area concentration, 3-D bubble velocity vector and bubble diameter. The obtained void fraction, interfacial area concentration, 3-D bubble velocity vector and bubble diameter provided valuable insight into the flow structure and will serve as a valuable database to develop the mechanistic models for interfacial area transport equation sources and sinks.