Applicability evaluation of Type A transport container for off-site transportation of small-amount of fuel debris

Sakamoto, Masahiro; Okumura, Keisuke; Kanno, Ikuo; Matsumura, Taichi; Terashima, Kenichi; Riyana, E. S.; Mizokami, Masato*; Mizokami, Shinya*

JAEA-Research 2024-017, 14 Pages, 2025/03

JAEA-Research-2024-017.pdf:1.34MB

In the TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F), a trial retrieval of fuel debris with small-amount from Unit 2 is planned. The retrieved fuel debris will be transported out of 1F to Institutes in Ibaraki prefecture for analysis. The analyzed results will be utilized for the improvement of the processes (retrieval, transportation and storage) in the fuel debris management as feedback, and also for the development of technologies necessary in the future. The weight of fuel debris in the trial retrieval is planned to be a few grams. After the trial, the scale of retrieval will be expanded step by step. In the trial retrieval, a rational transportation container should be considered beforehand, according to the laws and regulations associated with the off-site transportation. The transportation container has a classification and the classification is decided according to the radioactivity of the material in the container. In this report, we evaluated the applicability of the Type A transport container to contribute to the safety assessment of retrieved fuel debris.

Application of transition-edge sensors for micro-X-ray fluorescence measurements and micro-X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy; a case study of uranium speciation in biotite obtained from a uranium mine

Yomogida, Takumi; Hashimoto, Tadashi; Okumura, Takuma*; Yamada, Shinya*; Tatsuno, Hideyuki*; Noda, Hirofumi*; Hayakawa, Ryota*; Okada, Shinji*; Takatori, Sayuri*; Isobe, Tadaaki*; et al.

Analyst, 149(10), p.2932 - 2941, 2024/03

https://doi.org/10.1039/D4AN00059E

In this study, we successfully applied a transition-edge sensor (TES) spectrometer as a detector for microbeam X-ray measurements from a synchrotron X-ray light source to determine uranium (U) distribution at the micro-scale and its chemical species in biotite obtained from the U mine. It is difficult to separate the fluorescent X-ray of the U L line at 13.615 keV from that of the Rb K line at 13.395 keV in the X-ray fluorescence spectrum with an energy resolution of approximately 220 eV of the conventional silicon drift detector (SDD). Meanwhile, the fluorescent X-rays of U L and Rb K were fully separated by TES with 50 eV energy resolution at the energy of around 13 keV. The successful peak separation by TES led to an accurate mapping analysis of trace U in micro-X-ray fluorescence measurements and a decrease in the signal-to-background ratio in micro-X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy.

Dynamic interaction between dislocations and obstacles in BCC iron based on atomic potentials derived using neural networks

Mori, Hideki*; Tsuru, Tomohito; Okumura, Masahiko; Matsunaka, Daisuke*; Shiihara, Yoshinori*; Itakura, Mitsuhiro

Physical Review Materials (Internet), 7(6), p.063605_1 - 063605_8, 2023/06

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.7.063605

The introduction of obstacles (e.g., precipitates) for controlling dislocation motion in molecular structures is a prevalent method for designing the mechanical strength of metals. Owing to the nanoscale size of the dislocation core ( 1 nm), atomic modeling is required to investigate the interactions between the dislocation and obstacles. However, conventional empirical potentials are not adequately accurate, in contrast to the calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). Therefore, the atomic-level details of the interactions between the dislocations and obstacles remain unclarified. To this end, this study applied an artificial neural network (ANN) framework to construct an atomic potential by leveraging the high accuracy of DFT. Using the constructed ANN potential, we investigated the dynamic interaction between the edge dislocation and obstacles in BCC iron. When the dislocation crossed the void, an ultrasmooth and symmetric half-loop was observed for the bowing-out dislocation. Except for the screw dislocation, the Peierls stress of all the dislocations predicted using the ANN was less than 100 MPa. More importantly, the results confirmed the formation of an Orowan loop in the interaction between a rigid sphere and dislocation. Furthermore, we discovered a phenomenon in which the Orowan loop disintegrated into two small loops during its interaction with the rigid sphere and dislocation.

High-sensitive XANES analysis at Ce L-edge for Ce in bauxites using transition-edge sensors; Implications for Ti-rich geological samples

Li, W.*; Yamada, Shinya*; Hashimoto, Tadashi; Okumura, Takuma*; Hayakawa, Ryota*; Nitta, Kiyofumi*; Sekizawa, Oki*; Suga, Hiroki*; Uruga, Tomoya*; Ichinohe, Yuto*; et al.

Analytica Chimica Acta, 1240, p.340755_1 - 340755_9, 2023/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2022.340755

no abstracts in English

Dynamical response of transition-edge sensor microcalorimeters to a pulsed charged-particle beam

Okumura, Takuma*; Azuma, Toshiyuki*; Bennet, D. A.*; Caradonna, P.*; Chiu, I.-H.*; Doriese, W. B.*; Durkin, M. S.*; Fowler, J. W.*; Gard, J. D.*; Hashimoto, Tadashi; et al.

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, 31(5), p.2101704_1 - 2101704_4, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2021.3067793

A superconducting transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeter is an ideal X-ray detector for experiments at accelerator facilities because of good energy resolution and high efficiency. To study the performance of the TES detector with a high-intensity pulsed charged-particle beam, we measured X-ray spectra with a pulsed muon beam at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) in Japan. We found substantial temporal shifts of the X-ray energy correlated with the arrival time of the pulsed muon beam, which was reasonably explained by pulse pileup due to the incidence of energetic particles from the initial pulsed beam.

Commissioning of Versatile Compact Neutron Diffractometer (VCND) at the B-3 beam port of Kyoto University Research Reactor (KUR)

Mori, Kazuhiro*; Okumura, Ryo*; Yoshino, Hirofumi*; Kanayama, Masaya*; Sato, Setsuo*; Oba, Yojiro; Iwase, Kenji*; Hiraka, Haruhiro*; Hino, Masahiro*; Sano, Tadafumi*; et al.

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 33, p.011093_1 - 011093_6, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.33.011093

no abstracts in English

Pressure resistance thickness of disposal containers for spent fuel direct disposal

Sugita, Yutaka; Taniguchi, Naoki; Makino, Hitoshi; Kanamaru, Shinichiro*; Okumura, Taisei*

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai Wabun Rombunshi, 19(3), p.121 - 135, 2020/09

https://doi.org/10.3327/taesj.J19.007

A series of structural analysis of disposal containers for direct disposal of spent fuel was carried out to provide preliminary estimates of the required pressure resistance thickness of the disposal container. Disposal containers were designed to contain either 2, 3 or 4 spent fuel assemblies in linear, triangular or square arrangements, respectively. The required pressure resistance thickness was evaluated using separation distance of the housing space for each spent fuel assembly as a key model parameter to obtain the required thickness of the body and then the lid of the disposal container. This work also provides additional analytical technical knowledge, such as the validity of the setting of the stress evaluation line and the effect of the model length on the analysis. These can then be referred to and used again in the future as a basis for conducting similar evaluations under different conditions or proceeding with more detailed evaluations.

Method to reduce long-lived fission products by nuclear transmutations with fast spectrum reactors

Chiba, Satoshi*; Wakabayashi, Toshio*; Tachi, Yoshiaki; Takaki, Naoyuki*; Terashima, Atsunori*; Okumura, Shin*; Yoshida, Tadashi*

Scientific Reports (Internet), 7(1), p.13961_1 - 13961_10, 2017/10

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-14319-7

Transmutation of long-lived fission products (LLFPs: Se, Zr, Tc, Pd, I, and Cs) into short-lived or non-radioactive nuclides by fast neutron spectrum reactors without isotope separation has been proposed as a solution to the problem of radioactive wastes disposal. Despite investigation of many methods, such transmutation remains technologically difficult. To establish an effective and efficient transmutation system, we propose a novel neutron moderator material, yttrium deuteride (YD), to soften the neutron spectrum leaking from the reactor core. Neutron energy spectra and effective half-lives of LLFPs, transmutation rates, and support ratios were evaluated with the continuous-energy Monte Carlo code MVP-II/MVP-BURN and the JENDL-4.0 cross section library. With the YD moderator in the radial blanket and shield regions, effective half-lives drastically decreased from 10 to 10 years and the support ratios reached 1.0 for all six LLFPs. This successful development and implementation of a transmutation system for LLFPs without isotope separation contribute to developing a self-consuming cycle of LLFPs using fast spectrum reactors to reduce radioactive waste.

Symposium on "Science of nuclear fuel cycle and backend; Research and education" with a memory of Professor Joonhong Ahn, the University of California, Berkeley

Nakayama, Shinichi; Okumura, Masahiko*; Nagasaki, Shinya*; Enokida, Yoichi*; Umeki, Hiroyuki*; Takase, Hiroyasu*; Kawasaki, Daisuke*; Hasegawa, Shuichi*; Furuta, Kazuo*

Genshiryoku Bakkuendo Kenkyu (CD-ROM), 23(2), p.131 - 148, 2016/12

http://nuce.aesj.or.jp/jnuce/vol23/Jnuce-Vol23-2-p131-148.pdf

A symposium "Science of nuclear fuel cycle and backend - Research and education -" was held at the Univer-sity of Tokyo in June 25, 2016. This aimed at developing the research on nuclear fuel cycle and backend. The time and the number of participants of the symposium were limited, but the active discussion was conducted, and the common perception for the future was shared among the experienced participants in those fields. This paper provides the discussions made in the symposium, and also, as a memory to Professor Ahn, the University of California, Berkeley, his prominent achievements in academic research and education.

News from Broader Approach activities, 59

Hoshino, Kazuo; Matsunaga, Go; Okumura, Yoshikazu

Purazuma, Kaku Yugo Gakkai-Shi, 92(2), p.146 - 147, 2016/02

http://www.jspf.or.jp/Journal/PDF_JSPF/jspf2016_02/jspf2016_02-146.pdf

no abstracts in English