Fuel Unloading Operations -2019- in the decommissioning of prototype fast breeder reactor "Monju"

Yabe, Takanori; Murakami, Makio; Shiota, Yuki; Isobe, Yuta; Shiohama, Yasutaka; Hamano, Tomoharu; Takagi, Tsuyohiko; Nagaoki, Yoshihiro

JAEA-Technology 2022-002, 66 Pages, 2022/07

JAEA-Technology-2022-002.pdf:10.45MB

In the first stage of "Monju" decommissioning project, "Fuel Unloading Operations" have been carrying out. The operations consists of two processes. The first process is "Fuel Treatment and Storage" is that the fuel assemblies unloaded from the Ex-Vessel fuel Storage Tank are canned after sodium cleaning, and then transferred to the storage pool. The second process is "Fuel Unloading" that the fuel assemblies in the reactor core are replaced with dummy fuel assemblies and stored in the Ex-Vessel fuel Storage Tank. "Fuel Treatment and Storage" and "Fuel Unloading" are performed alternately until 370 fuel assemblies in the core and 160 fuel assemblies in the Ex-Vessel fuel Storage Tank are all transferred to the storage pool. In fiscal 2018, as "Fuel Treatment and Storage", 86 fuel assemblies were transferred to the storage pool. As "Fuel Unloading", 76 dummy fuel assemblies were stored in the Ex-Vessel fuel Storage Tank. In fiscal 2019, as "Fuel Unloading", 60 fuel assemblies and 40 blanket fuel assemblies were unloaded from the core. These assemblies were stored in the Ex-Vessel fuel Storage Tank, and dummy fuel assemblies were loaded into the core instead. During these operations, a total of 38 cases of alarming or equipment malfunctions classified into 24 types occurred. However, no significant events that menaces to safety have occurred. The operations were continued safely by removing the direct factors for the malfunctions in the equipment operation and performance.

Evolution of the reaction and alteration of granite with Ordinary Portland cement leachates; Sequential flow experiments and reactive transport modelling

Bateman, K.*; Murayama, Shota*; Hanamachi, Yuji*; Wilson, J.*; Seta, Takamasa*; Amano, Yuki; Kubota, Mitsuru*; Ouchi, Yuji*; Tachi, Yukio

Minerals (Internet), 12(7), p.883_1 - 883_20, 2022/07

https://doi.org/10.3390/min12070883

Problems on neutron production data of Be-9 in TENDL-2017 and -2019 deuteron sub-libraries

Kwon, Saerom*; Konno, Chikara; Ota, Masayuki*; Sato, Satoshi*

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 169, p.108932_1 - 108932_7, 2022/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2021.108932

Recently, it was reported that one of three ENDF files of Be-9 in the TENDL-2017 alpha sub-library included strange neutron production data. Thus we have tested three ENDF files of Be-9 in the TENDL-2017 deuterium sub-library for nuclear designs of a new fusion neutron source A-FNS. As a result, we found out that neutron production cross sections and secondary neutron spectra were different among three ENDF files and specified reasons. We confirmed that the latest TENDL, TENDL-2019, still had some of the issues.

Development of an continuous air monitor for the measurement of highly radioactive alpha-emitting particulates (-aerosols) under high humidity environment

Tsubota, Yoichi; Honda, Fumiya; Tokonami, Shinji*; Tamakuma, Yuki*; Nakagawa, Takahiro; Ikeda, Atsushi

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1030, p.166475_1 - 166475_7, 2022/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2022.166475

In the long-lasting decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F), the dismantling of nuclear fuel debris (NFD) remaining in the damaged reactors is an unavoidable but significant issue with many technical difficulties. The dismantling is presumed to involve mechanical cutting, generating significant concentrations of particulates containing -radionuclides (-aerosols) that pose significant health risk upon inhalation. In order to minimize the radiation exposure of workers with -aerosols during the dismantling/decommissioning process at 1F, it is essential to monitor the concentration of -aerosols at the point of initial generation, i.e. inside the primary containment vessels (PCV) of the damaged reactors. Toward this end, an monitoring system for -aerosols ( alpha air monitor: IAAM) was developed and its technical performance was investigated under the conditions expected for the actual environments at 1F. IAAM was confirmed to fulfill four technical requirements: (1) steady operation under high humidity, (2) operation without using filters, (3) capability of measuring a high counting rate of -radiation, and (4) selective measurement of -radiation even under high radiation background with /-rays. IAAM is capable of selectively measuring -aerosols with a concentration of 3.3 10 Bq/cm or higher without saturation under a high humid environment (100%-relative humidity) and under high background with /-radiation (up to 100 mSv/h of -radiation). These results demonstrate promising potential of IAAM to be utilized as a reliable monitoring system for -aerosols during the dismantling of NFD, as well as the whole long-lasting decommissioning of 1F.

A First glimpse at the shell structure beyond Ca; Spectroscopy of K, Ca, and Ca

Koiwai, Takuma*; Wimmer, K.*; Doornenbal, P.*; Obertelli, A.*; Barbieri, C.*; Duguet, T.*; Holt, J. D.*; Miyagi, Takayuki*; Navrtil, P.*; Ogata, Kazuyuki*; et al.

Physics Letters B, 827, p.136953_1 - 136953_7, 2022/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2022.136953

no abstracts in English

Structural investigation of borosilicate glasses by using XAFS measurement in Soft X-ray region (Joint research)

Nagai, Takayuki; Okamoto, Yoshihiro; Yamagishi, Hirona*; Ota, Toshiaki*; Kojima, Kazuo*; Inose, Takehiko*; Sato, Seiichi*; Hatakeyama, Kiyoshi*

JAEA-Research 2021-010, 62 Pages, 2022/01

JAEA-Research-2021-010.pdf:6.05MB

The local structure of glass-forming elements and waste elements in borosilicate glasses varies with its chemical composition. In this study, borosilicate glass frit and simulated waste glass samples were prepared and the local structure and chemical state regarding boron(B), oxygen(O), silicon(Si) and waste elements of iron(Fe), cesium(Cs) were estimated by using XAFS measurement in soft X-ray region. Following results were obtained by XAFS measurements of prepared glass frit and simulated waste glass samples: (1) The effect of NaO concentration on B-O coordination structure is greater than that of the waste elements concentration. (2) The height of pre-edge by O K-edge spectrum depends on the concentration of first transition elements such as Fe in glass samples. Following results were obtained by XAFS measurements of simulated waste glass samples after immersion test to investigate the long chemical stability. (1) A new compound was formed on the sample surface after the immersion test, and changes in the surface state were confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. (2) Cs on the sample surface after immersion test dissolves into the leaching solution. The Si K-edge XANES spectra of borosilicate glass frits and simulated waste glass samples included lanthanides oxide were measured, and following was confirmed. (1) As the NaO concentration increases in borosilicate glass frit, the K-edge peak of Si shifts to the low energy side. (2) The peak height of the K-edge of Si differs depending on the kind of lanthanide.

Annual report on the effluent control of low level liquid waste in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories FY2020

Nakano, Masanao; Nakada, Akira; Kanai, Katsuta; Nagaoka, Mika; Koike, Yuko; Yamada, Ryohei; Kubota, Tomohiro; Yoshii, Hideki*; Otani, Kazunori*; Hiyama, Yoshinori*; et al.

JAEA-Review 2021-040, 118 Pages, 2021/12

JAEA-Review-2021-040.pdf:2.48MB

Based on the regulations (the safety regulation of Tokai Reprocessing Plant, the safety regulation of nuclear fuel material usage facilities, the radiation safety rule, the regulation about prevention from radiation hazards due to radioisotopes, which are related with the nuclear regulatory acts, the local agreement concerning with safety and environment conservation around nuclear facilities, the water pollution control law, and by law of Ibaraki Prefecture), the effluent control of liquid waste discharged from the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories of Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been performed. This report describes the effluent control results of the liquid waste in the fiscal year 2020. In this period, the concentrations and the quantities of the radioactivity in liquid waste discharged from the reprocessing plant, the plutonium fuel fabrication facilities, and the other nuclear fuel material usage facilities were much lower than the limits authorized by the above regulations.

Large scale production of Cu and Cu via the Zn(n, p)Cu and Zn(n, np/d)Cu reactions using accelerator neutrons

Kawabata, Masako*; Motoishi, Shoji*; Ota, Akio*; Motomura, Arata*; Saeki, Hideya*; Tsukada, Kazuaki; Hashimoto, Shintaro; Iwamoto, Nobuyuki; Nagai, Yasuki*; Hashimoto, Kazuyuki*

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 330(3), p.913 - 922, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07987-3

Both Cu and Cu are promising radionuclides in nuclear medicine. Production yields of these radionuclides were quantified by irradiating 55.4 g of natural zinc with accelerator neutrons. Clinically suitable Cu and Cu yields were estimated by experimental based numerical simulations using 100 g of enriched Zn and Zn, respectively, and elevated neutron fluxes from 40 MeV, 2 mA deuterons. A combined thermal- and resin-separation method was developed to isolate Cu and Cu from zinc, resulting in 73% separation efficiency and 97% zinc recovery. Such methods can provide large scale production of Cu and Cu for clinical applications.

Evolution of the reaction and alteration of mudstone with ordinary Portland cement leachates; Sequential flow experiments and reactive-transport modelling

Bateman, K.; Murayama, Shota*; Hanamachi, Yuji*; Wilson, J.*; Seta, Takamasa*; Amano, Yuki; Kubota, Mitsuru*; Ouchi, Yuji*; Tachi, Yukio

Minerals (Internet), 11(9), p.1026_1 - 1026_23, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.3390/min11091026

Study on eutectic melting behavior of control rod materials in core disruptive accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactors, 1; Project overview and progress until 2019

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

Proceedings of 28th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 28) (Internet), 11 Pages, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE28-63301

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 CDA 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 2019. Specific results in this paper are the validation of physical model describing BC-SS eutectic reaction in the CDA analysis code, SIMMER-III, through the numerical analysis of the BC-SS eutectic melting experiments in which a BC block was placed in a SS pool.