Initialising ...
Initialising ...
Initialising ...
Initialising ...
Initialising ...
Initialising ...
Initialising ...
Uesawa, Shinichiro; Ono, Ayako; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Haikan Gijutsu, 68(4, 増刊号), p.52 - 56, 2026/03
This paper introduces a new measurement technique for visualizing the three-dimensional distribution of bubbles in a complex channel such as a nuclear reactor fuel assembly. Bubbly flow is important in many engineering fields, and especially in nuclear engineering, where bubble behavior significantly affects the performance and safety of nuclear reactors, and thus requires detailed understanding. Conventional rule-based image recognition has difficulty identifying bubbles overlapping in the line-of-sight direction, but in this study, deep learning (Mask R-CNN and Swin Transformer) is used to achieve highly accurate bubble detection with a small amount of training data. Furthermore, the tracking technique using ByteTrack made it possible to track many bubbles with complex motions, and by combining images taken from different viewpoints using two high-speed cameras and reconstructing the 3D shape of the bubbles using the ellipsoid approximation, 3D instantaneous local information such as bubble position, diameter, and velocity was obtained. To eliminate the effects of refraction and obstruction of vision by structures in the channel, a simulated fuel rod was made of a transparent material (PFA tube) with a refractive index similar to that of water, enabling distortion-free imaging and measurement even in channels with complex structures. This enabled 3D visualization of bubble behavior in complex channels, which had been difficult to achieve in the past. Since this technology enables highly accurate 3D visualization with a small number of cameras and a small amount of learning, it is expected to be applied to objects other than bubbles.
Tachi, Yukio; Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Ozaki, Yusuke; Hayano, Akira; Ono, Hirokazu; Takeda, Masaki; Mochizuki, Akihito; Dei, Shuntaro; Minaka, Jumpei; Murakami, Hiroaki; et al.
NEA/NE(2025)20 (Internet), 118 Pages, 2025/11
Uesawa, Shinichiro; Ono, Ayako; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Gazo Rabo, p.1 - 5, 2025/08
This paper introduces a new measurement technique for visualizing the three-dimensional distribution of bubbles in a complex channel such as a nuclear reactor fuel assembly. Bubbly flow is important in many engineering fields, and especially in nuclear engineering, where bubble behavior significantly affects the performance and safety of nuclear reactors, and thus requires detailed understanding. Conventional rule-based image recognition has difficulty identifying bubbles overlapping in the line-of-sight direction, but in this study, deep learning (Mask R-CNN and Swin Transformer) is used to achieve highly accurate bubble detection with a small amount of training data. Furthermore, the tracking technique using ByteTrack made it possible to track many bubbles with complex motions, and by combining images taken from different viewpoints using two high-speed cameras and reconstructing the 3D shape of the bubbles using the ellipsoid approximation, 3D instantaneous local information such as bubble position, diameter, and velocity was obtained. To eliminate the effects of refraction and obstruction of vision by structures in the channel, a simulated fuel rod was made of a transparent material (PFA tube) with a refractive index similar to that of water, enabling distortion-free imaging and measurement even in channels with complex structures. This enabled 3D visualization of bubble behavior in complex channels, which had been difficult to achieve in the past. Since this technology enables highly accurate 3D visualization with a small number of cameras and a small amount of learning, it is expected to be applied to objects other than bubbles.
Muhammad, I.; Nagatake, Taku; Uesawa, Shinichiro; Ono, Ayako
Proceedings of 21st International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-21) (Internet), 12 Pages, 2025/08
This research aims to validate ACE-3D using data from a two-phase flow experiment. For this purpose, a two-phase flow experiment was conducted in a four-by-four unheated fuel assembly. In the experiment, the time-averaged void fraction distribution was measured using a wire mesh sensor system under high temperatures and high-pressure conditions. The experimental results were analyzed, and the data were visualized to understand better the behavior and characteristics of the two-phase flow in the fuel assembly. A two-phase flow data set is being developed, covering a wide range of experimental conditions, including higher-pressure regions, which can be used for validating thermal-hydraulic codes. Finally, the ACE-3D code was applied to the two-phase flow experiment. The calculation results were then compared to the experimental ones, and the issues were identified for improving ACE-3D in future simulations.
Uesawa, Shinichiro; Ono, Ayako; Nagatake, Taku; Yamashita, Susumu; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 62(5), p.432 - 456, 2025/05
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Nuclear Science & Technology)We performed electrostatic simulations of a wire-mesh sensor (WMS) for a single spherical bubble and bubbly flow to clarify the accuracy of the WMS. The electrostatic simulation for the single bubble showed the electric current density distribution and the electric current path from the excited transmitter to receivers for various bubble locations. It indicated systematic errors based on the nonuniform current density distribution around the WMS. The electrostatic simulation for the bubbly flow calculated by the computational fluid dynamics code, JAEA Utility Program for Interdisciplinary Thermal-hydraulics Engineering and Research (JUPITER), indicated that the WMS had difficulty in quantitatively measuring the intermediate values of the instantaneous void fraction between 0 and 1 because they cannot be estimated by previous transformation methods from the WMS signal to the void fraction, such as linear approximation or Maxwell's equation, and have a significant deviation of the void fraction of 
0.2 for the WMS signal. However, the electrostatic simulation indicated that the time-averaged void fractions around the center of the flow channel can be estimated using linear approximation, and the time-averaged void fraction near the wall of the flow channel can be estimated using Maxwell's equation.
Uesawa, Shinichiro; Ono, Ayako; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Konsoryu, 39(1), p.61 - 71, 2025/03
Bubble visualization using a high-speed video-camera has been used as a measurement technique of bubble diameters and velocities. However, the bubble detection was difficult under the condition of the high void fraction because the overlapping bubbles for the sight direction of the camera increased with the void fraction. Additionally, the visualization for a system with objects, such as rod bundle flow channels, becomes more difficult. In this study, we applied a deep learning-based bubble detection technique with Shifted Window Transformer to bubble images shoot from two directions to identify the bubble size, three-dimensional (3D) positions of bubbles, 3D bubble trajectories in the rod bundle flow channel. Furthermore, we used perfluoroalkoxy alkane tubes with almost the same reflection as water in the channel to visualize the bubbly flow in the whole of the flow channel. We confirmed that the detection technique can segment individual bubbles in overlapping bubbles and bubbles behind the rod. By using the detection results, we estimated the diameter and velocity of each bubble and cross-sectional void fraction.
Uesawa, Shinichiro; Ono, Ayako; Yamashita, Susumu; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Proceedings of 13th Korea-Japan Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS13) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2024/11
A conductance-typed wire-mesh sensor (WMS), utilizing the difference in conductivity between gas and liquid phases between the electrodes, is one of the practical measurement techniques of a cross-sectional void fraction distribution in a flow path. In this study, we performed two-phase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and electrostatic simulations around a WMS for a single spherical bubble and bubbly flow to clarify the systematic error in the WMS. The results for the single bubble indicated that there were systematic errors based on the non-uniform current density distribution around the WMS. The correlation between instantaneous void fractions and WMS signals is not uniquely determined for positions of the single bubble moving across the WMS, even for the same bubble. Moreover, the correlation between the instantaneous void fractions and the WMS signals did not fit in a linear approximation and Maxwell's equation, which traditionally used transformation methods from the WMS signal to the void fraction. The results for the bubbly flow indicated that the WMS had difficulty in quantitative measurements of the instantaneous void fraction because the values had a significant deviation of the void fraction of approximately 0.2. On the other hand, time-averaged void fraction values had relatively small deviation. Thus, we concluded that the WMS, using existing transformation methods, can measure time-averaged void fractions, but it is difficult to measure quantitatively instantaneous void fractions.
Uesawa, Shinichiro; Ono, Ayako; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Konsoryu Shimpojiumu 2024 Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 2 Pages, 2024/09
Bubble visualization using a high-speed video-camera has been used as measurement techniques of bubble diameters, interfacial area concentrations, and void fractions in dispersed bubbly flow. However, the bubble detection was difficult under the condition of the high void fraction because the overlapping bubbles for the sight direction of the camera increased with the increase in the void fraction. In this study, we developed the deep learning-based bubble detector with Shifted window Transformer (Swin Transformer) to overcome the issue. To verify the performance, we used the synthetic bubble images obtained by Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) and obtained average precisions (APs) for the number of the training dataset. The result showed that the AP was large enough for 50 datasets, and bubble detection was possible even with a small number of the training data. Additionally, we confirmed that the detector can detect and segment individual bubbles in overlapping bubbles obtained in the visualization experiments of pipe and bundle flows. By using the detection results, we estimated the interfacial area concentrations and void fractions. In comparison with commonly used relations, the results were in good agreement with the relations. Thus, the detector can measure not only bubble diameters but also interfacial area concentrations and void fractions.
Zr + 
at 27 MeV/nucleonHwang, J.*; Chillery, T.*; Dozono, Masanori*; Imai, Nobuaki*; Michimasa, Shinichiro*; Sumikama, Toshiyuki*; Chiga, Nobuyuki*; Ota, Shinsuke*; Nakayama, Shinsuke; 49 of others*
Progress of Theoretical and Experimental Physics (Internet), 2024(9), p.093D03_1 - 093D03_12, 2024/09
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Physics, Multidisciplinary)Nuclear transmutation emerges as a promising approach for reprocessing high-level waste, specifically treating long-lived nuclides like Zr from spent fuel. It is essential to accumulate reaction data for these nuclei to advance this prominent treatment and to build a comprehensive understanding of reaction mechanisms. In this study, the residual production cross-sections resulting from proton-induced reactions on Zr were measured at 27 MeV/nucleon in inverse kinematics. At the RIKEN-RIBF facility the OEDO beamline was used to deduce production cross-sections for isotopes, 
Nb, 
Zr, and 
Y. Comparing the results from this study and prior research with calculated excitation functions, a moderate agreement is found with theoretical predictions derived from TALYS and CCONE. Despite the potential limitations of low-energy proton-induced reactions for Zr transmutation, the measured cross-sections offer valuable insights for future considerations in nuclear-waste treatment facilities. This is particularly relevant for facilities exploring innovative methods, such as accelerator-driven systems.
Uesawa, Shinichiro; Ono, Ayako; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Dai-52-Kai Kashika Joho Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 2 Pages, 2024/07
In order to obtain 3D behavior of bubbles, visualization using high-speed video-cameras has been used to identify 3D positions of bubbles. However, it was difficult to apply the technique to bubbly flow with the high void fraction because overlapping bubbles for the sight direction of the camera increased with the increase in the void fraction. JAEA has developed the deep learning-based bubble detector with Shifted window Transformer (Swin Transformer) to overcome the issue for the overlapping bubbles. In this study, we applied the bubble detection technique to images of bubble swarms visualized from two directions other than the direction of main flow and visualized 3D behavior of dispersed bubbles. The result showed that individual bubbles in bubble swarms were detected, and bubble diameters and aspect ratios were measured. Additionally, we obtained 3D positions of bubbles and 3D bubble velocities by linking the bubble positions for the direction of main flow in both images.
4 simulated fuel bundle for validation of thermal-hydraulics simulation codesOno, Ayako; Nagatake, Taku; Uesawa, Shinichiro; Shibata, Mitsuhiko; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Proceedings of Specialist Workshop on Advanced Instrumentation and Measurement Techniques for Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics and Severe Accidents (SWINTH-2024) (USB Flash Drive), 7 Pages, 2024/06
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) is developing a neutronics/thermal-hydraulics coupling simulation code for light-water reactors. Thermal-hydraulic simulation codes applied to the coupling code are expected to calculate the void fraction distribution in a rod bundle under operational conditions, which are necessary for neutron transport simulation, and need to be validated using void fraction distribution data in a rod bundle under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. Therefore, we have conducted the measurement of the instantaneous void distribution in the 4 4 simulated fuel bundle using a developed wire mesh sensor, which is installed in the pressurized two-phase flow experimental loop of JAEA to obtain the data for code validation.
Zr + d reaction cross sections measured at 28 MeV/nucleonChillery, T.*; Hwang, J.*; Dozono, Masanori*; Imai, Nobuaki*; Michimasa, Shinichiro*; Sumikama, Toshiyuki*; Chiga, Nobuyuki*; Ota, Shinsuke*; Nakayama, Shinsuke; 49 of others*
Progress of Theoretical and Experimental Physics (Internet), 2023(12), p.121D01_1 - 121D01_11, 2023/12
Times Cited Count：5 Percentile：55.44(Physics, Multidisciplinary)The deuteron is a loosely bound system which can easily break up into its constituent proton and neutron whilst in the presence of Coulomb and nuclear fields. Previous experimental studies have shown that this breakup process has a significant impact on residual nucleus production from deuteron bombardment in the high energy range of 50 - 210 MeV/nucleon. However, there remains a lack of cross-section data at energies below 50 MeV/nucleon. The current study determined Zr + d reaction cross sections under inverse kinematics at approximately 28 MeV/nucleon using the BigRIPS separator, OEDO beamline, and SHARAQ spectrometer. Cross sections from this research were compared with previous measurements and theoretical calculations. The experimental results show a large enhancement of the production cross sections of residual nuclei, especially those produced from a small number of particle emissions, compared to the proton-induced reaction data at similar bombarding energy. The DEURACS calculation, which quantitatively takes deuteron-breakup effects into account, reproduces the data well. As a long-lived fission product, Zr remains a challenge for nuclear waste disposal and treatment. This study's low-energy data may assist future consideration of nuclear-waste treatment facilities, where Zr + d may feasibly transmute the waste into short-lived/stable nuclei.
Katsuta, Nagayoshi*; Umemura, Ayako*; Naito, Sayuri*; Masuki, Yuma*; Itayama, Yui*; Niwa, Masakazu; Shirono, Shinichi*; Yoshida, Hidekazu*; Kawakami, Shinichi*
Spectrochimica Acta, Part B, 210, p.106817_1 - 106817_11, 2023/12
Times Cited Count：2 Percentile：12.24(Spectroscopy)X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanning of lacustrine sediments has been used to extend the approach to a wider range of elemental records in both ages and timescales of variations in past environments and climates. However, one of severe problems with effects of the XRF intensity by grain size and mineralogical composition known as "heterogeneity effects" have been pointed out. This study investigated the heterogeneity effect of Fe intensities on X-ray beam using several binary powder mixtures and lacustrine sediment cores.
Koyama, Shinichi; Ikeuchi, Hirotomo; Mitsugi, Takeshi; Maeda, Koji; Sasaki, Shinji; Onishi, Takashi; Tsai, T.-H.; Takano, Masahide; Fukaya, Hiroyuki; Nakamura, Satoshi; et al.
Hairo, Osensui, Shorisui Taisaku Jigyo Jimukyoku Homu Peji (Internet), 216 Pages, 2023/11
In FY 2021 and 2022, JAEA perfomed the subsidy program for "the Project of Decommissioning and Contaminated Water Management (Development of Analysis and Estimation Technology for Characterization of Fuel Debris (Development of Technologies for Enhanced Analysis Accuracy, Thermal Behavior Estimation, and Abbreviated Analysis))" started in FY 2021. This presentation material summarized the results of the project, which will be available shortly on the website of Management Office for the Project of Decommissioning, Contaminated Water and Treated Water Management.
Ono, Ayato; Takayanagi, Tomohiro; Fuwa, Yasuhiro; Shinozaki, Shinichi; Ueno, Tomoaki*; Horino, Koki*; Sugita, Moe; Yamamoto, Kazami; Kinsho, Michikazu; Ikoma, Naoya*; et al.
Proceedings of 20th Annual Meeting of Particle Accelerator Society of Japan (Internet), p.871 - 876, 2023/11
In J-PARC, an ignitron is used for the crowbar device of the klystron power supply to excite the RF acceleration voltage in a Linac cavity. Mercury, that is used in the ignitron, would be prohibition of use in the future due to environmental protection. Therefore, we designed a semiconductor crowbar switch for short-circuit protection of klystron using a MOS gate thyristor. We have manufactured an oval-type board module that realizes an operating output of 3kV, 40kA, and 50us per board. Because a high voltage of 120 kV is applied on each board, we adopted a self-power supply method to supply a electricity for the control system. This method can create the electricity from a high-voltage DCDC converter. We confirmed the operating performance on a 1/2 scale (60 kV, 40 kA) of the voltage in the existing ignitron system (120 kV, 40 kA). We also studied a test circuit in a higher voltage range of more than 90 kV. Our latest result is well promising for an alternative system of ignitron.
4 simulated fuel bundle for validation of thermal-hydraulics simulation codesNagatake, Taku; Shibata, Mitsuhiko; Uesawa, Shinichiro; Ono, Ayako; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Dai-27-Kai Doryoku, Enerugi Gijutsu Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 5 Pages, 2023/09
JAEA is developing a neutronics/thermal-hydraulics coupling simulation code for light-water reactors. Thermal-hydraulic simulation codes applied to the platform are expected to evaluate void fraction distributions in fuel assemblies under operational conditions, which is necessary for neutron transport simulation, and need to be validated using void fraction distribution data in a rod bundle under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. To obtain the data for code validation, we have been measuring the instantaneous void fraction distribution in a 44 simulated fuel assembly by a wire mesh sensor. In this paper, we report the results of the experiments with pressure and flow rate as parameters at a maximum pressure of 2.6 MPa.
Yamashita, Susumu; Uesawa, Shinichiro; Ono, Ayako; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 10(4), p.22-00485_1 - 22-00485_25, 2023/08
A detailed evaluation for air cooling of fuel debris in actual reactors will be essential in fuel debris retrieval under dry conditions. To understand the heat transfer in and around fuel debris, which is assumed as a porous medium in the primary containment vessel (PCV) mechanistically, we newly applied the porous medium model to the multiphase and multicomponent computational fluid dynamics code named JUPITER (JAEA Utility Program for Interdisciplinary Thermal-hydraulics Engineering and Research). We applied the Darcy-Brinkman model as for the porous medium model. This model has high compatibility with JUPITER because it can treat both a pure fluid and a porous medium phase simultaneously in the same manner as the one-fluid model in multiphase flow simulation. We addressed the case of natural convection with a high-velocity flow standing out nonlinear effects by implementing the Forchheimer model, including the term of the square of the velocity as a nonlinear effect to the momentum transport equation of JUPITER. We performed some simple verification and validation simulations, such as the natural convection simulation in a square cavity and the natural convective heat transfer experiment with the porous medium, to confirm the validity of the implemented model. We confirmed that the result of JUPITER agreed well with these simulations and experiments. In addition, as an application of the updated JUPITER, we performed the preliminary simulation of air cooling of fuel debris in the condition of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station unit 2 including the actual core materials. As a result, JUPITER calculated the temperature and velocity field stably in and around the fuel debris inside the PCV. Therefore, JUPITER has the potential to estimate the detailed and accurate thermal-hydraulics behaviors of fuel debris.
Ono, Ayato; Takayanagi, Tomohiro; Fuwa, Yasuhiro; Shinozaki, Shinichi; Ueno, Tomoaki*; Horino, Koki*; Sugita, Moe; Yamamoto, Kazami; Kinsho, Michikazu; Ikoma, Naoya*; et al.
Proceedings of 19th Annual Meeting of Particle Accelerator Society of Japan (Internet), p.395 - 399, 2023/01
At J-PARC, an ignitron is used for the crowbar device of the klystron power supply for high-frequency acceleration of a linear accelerator. Ignitron uses mercury, which is of limited use worldwide, and is expected to be discontinued in the future. Therefore, we designed a semiconductor crowbar switch for short-circuit protection of klystron using a MOS gate thyristor. We have manufactured an oval-type board module that realizes an operating output of 3 kV, 40 kA, and 50 
s per board. For the control power supply to each board module assuming a high voltage of 120 kV, we adopted a self-power supply method that creates a control power supply with a high-voltage DCDC converter from the voltage shared and charged by each board module. It was possible to confirm the operating performance on a 1/2 scale (60 kV, 40 kA) against the voltage of the existing equipment (120 kV, 40 kA) by connecting twenty oval board modules in series. The output test result will be reported.
Takayanagi, Tomohiro; Ono, Ayato; Fuwa, Yasuhiro; Shinozaki, Shinichi; Horino, Koki*; Ueno, Tomoaki*; Sugita, Moe; Yamamoto, Kazami; Oguri, Hidetomo; Kinsho, Michikazu; et al.
Proceedings of 19th Annual Meeting of Particle Accelerator Society of Japan (Internet), p.242 - 246, 2023/01
At J-PARC, semiconductor short pulse power supplies to replace kicker power supplies and semiconductor long pulse power supplies to replace klystron power supply systems are under construction. We have fabricated a 40kV/2kA/1.2s unit power supply that employs a linear transformer drivers (LTD) system for kickers. Currently, we are working on a high voltage insulating cylinder insulator that suppresses corona discharges using only the insulator structure, without using insulating oil. In addition, the MARX system was adopted for klystron power supply system. A main circuit unit for 8kV/60A/830s rectangular pulse output and an 800V/60A correction circuit unit that improves the flat top droop from 10% to 1% were manufactured. Furthermore, a 2.2kV/2.4kW high voltage SiC inverter charger has been fabricated for this MARX power supply. The presentation will report the evaluation results of each test and prospects for semiconductor pulse power supplies.
Yamashita, Susumu; Uesawa, Shinichiro; Ono, Ayako; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Proceedings of 12th Japan-Korea Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS12) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2022/10
no abstracts in English
