Differential pressure rise event for filters of HTTR primary helium gas circulators, 1; Investigation of differential pressure rise event

Nemoto, Takahiro; Arakawa, Ryoki; Kawakami, Satoru; Nagasumi, Satoru; Yokoyama, Keisuke; Watanabe, Masashi; Onishi, Takashi; Kawamoto, Taiki; Furusawa, Takayuki; Inoi, Hiroyuki; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2023-005, 33 Pages, 2023/05

JAEA-Technology-2023-005.pdf:5.25MB

During shut down of the HTTR (High Temperature engineering Test Reactor) RS-14 cycle, an increasing trend of filter differential pressure for the helium gas circulator was observed. In order to investigate this phenomenon, the blower of the primary helium purification system was disassembled and inspected. As a result, it is clear that the silicon oil mist entered into the primary coolant due to the deterioration of the charcoal filter performance. The replacement and further investigation of the filter are planning to prevent the reoccurrence of the same phenomenon in the future.

The Damage analysis for irradiation tolerant spin-driven thermoelectric device based on single-crystalline YFeO/Pt heterostructures

Ieda, Junichi; Okayasu, Satoru; Harii, Kazuya*; Kobata, Masaaki; Yoshii, Kenji; Fukuda, Tatsuo; Ishida, Masahiko*; Saito, Eiji

IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 58(8), p.1301106_1 - 1301106_6, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.2022.3145888

The combination of spin-driven thermoelectric (STE) devices based on spin Seebeck effect (SSE), and radioactive isotopes as heat sources, has potential as a next-generation method of power generation in applications such as power supplies for space probes. However, there has been very limited knowledge available indicating the irradiation tolerance of spin thermoelectric devices. Through analysis using a heavy ion-beam accelerator and the hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HAXPES) measurements, we show that a prototypical STE device based on YFeO/Pt heterostructures has tolerance to irradiation of high-energy heavy-ion beams. We used 320 MeV gold ion beams modeling cumulative damages due to fission products emitted from the surface of spent nuclear fuels. By varying the dose level, we confirmed that the thermoelectric and magnetic properties of the SSE elements are not affected by the ion-irradiation dose up to ions/cm fluence and that the SSE signal is extinguished around ions/cm, in which the ion tracks almost fully cover the sample surface. In addition, the HAXPES measurements were performed to understand the effects at the interface of YFeO/Pt. The HAXPES measurements suggest that the chemical reaction that diminishes the SSE signals is enhanced with the increase of the irradiation dose. We share the current understandings of the damage analysis in YFeO/Pt for developing better STE devices applicable to harsh environmental usages.

Impact assessment for internal flooding in HTTR (High temperature engineering test reactor)

Tochio, Daisuke; Nagasumi, Satoru; Inoi, Hiroyuki; Hamamoto, Shimpei; Ono, Masato; Kobayashi, Shoichi; Uesaka, Takahiro; Watanabe, Shuji; Saito, Kenji

JAEA-Technology 2021-014, 80 Pages, 2021/09

JAEA-Technology-2021-014.pdf:5.87MB

In response to the new regulatory standards established in response to the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in March 2011, measures and impact assessments related to internal flooding at HTTR were carried out. In assessing the impact, considering the characteristics of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor, flooding due to assumed damage to piping and equipment, flooding due to water discharge from the system installed to prevent the spread of fire, and flooding due to damage to piping and equipment due to an earthquake. The effects of submersion, flooding, and flooding due to steam were evaluated for each of them. The impact of the overflow of liquids containing radioactive materials outside the radiation-controlled area was also evaluated. As a result, it was confirmed that flooding generated at HTTR does not affect the safety function of the reactor facility by taking measures.

Manufacture of substitutive assemblies for MONJU reactor decommissioning

Sakakibara, Hiroshi; Aoki, Nobuhiro; Muto, Masahiro; Otabe, Jun; Takahashi, Kenji*; Fujita, Naoyuki*; Hiyama, Kazuhiko*; Suzuki, Hirokazu*; Kamogawa, Toshiyuki*; Yokosuka, Toru*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2020-020, 73 Pages, 2021/03

JAEA-Technology-2020-020.pdf:8.26MB

The decommissioning is currently in progress at the prototype fast breeder reactor Monju. Fuel assemblies will be taken out of its core for the first step of the great task. Fuel assemblies stand on their own spike plugged into a socket on the core support plate and support with adjacent assemblies through their housing pads each other, resulting in steady core structure. For this reason, some substitutive assemblies are necessary for the purpose of discharging the fuel assemblies of the core. Monju side commissioned, therefore, Plutonium Fuel Development Center to manufacture the substitutive assemblies and the Center accepted it. This report gives descriptions of design, manufacture, and shipment in regard to the substitutive assemblies.

Tolerance of spin-Seebeck thermoelectricity against irradiation by swift heavy ions

Okayasu, Satoru; Harii, Kazuya*; Kobata, Masaaki; Yoshii, Kenji; Fukuda, Tatsuo; Ishida, Masahiko*; Ieda, Junichi; Saito, Eiji

Journal of Applied Physics, 128(8), p.083902_1 - 083902_7, 2020/08

AA2020-0071.pdf:0.69MB

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0014229

Hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of Pt/YFeO

Kobata, Masaaki; Yoshii, Kenji; Fukuda, Tatsuo; Kawasaki, Ikuto; Okane, Tetsuo; Yamagami, Hiroshi; Yaita, Tsuyoshi; Harii, Kazuya; Ieda, Junichi; Okayasu, Satoru; et al.

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 30, p.011192_1 - 011192_6, 2020/03

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.30.011192

High energy X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) measurements were carried out for the Spin Seebeck system Pt/YFeO(YIG). This system was found to show anomalous Hall effect, possible due to the formation of intermetallic compounds between Fe and Pt. To reveal this possibility, we have measured the Fe 1s photoelectron peaks by using HAXPES. It was found that the Fe ions consist of Fe in YIG and metallic Fe. The formation of the metallic state is consistent with the proposed origin of the anomalous Hall effect. Other spectra such as Pt 4f will be presented at the conference.

Genetic survey of indigenous microbial eukaryotic communities, mainly fungi, in sedimentary rock matrices of deep terrestrial subsurface

Saito, Yoshimoto*; Hirano, Shinichi*; Nagaoka, Toru*; Amano, Yuki

Ecological Genetics and Genomics, 12, p.100042_1 - 100042_9, 2019/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egg.2019.100042

Culture-independent molecular techniques enable us to analyze microflora in various environments. Many uncultured prokaryotes have been detected by the molecular methods from extreme environments, including anaerobic, no light, high-pressure, and high temperature. Recently, microbial eukaryotes were also detected in deep-sea environments, suggesting that microbial eukaryotes can adapt to a wider range of environments than previously thought. Here, we performed a culture-independent analysis of eukaryotes from approximately -250 m depth in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory at Horonobe, Japan. Our results indicate that fungi are the dominant eukaryotic flora in deep sedimentary rocks of Horonobe. We detected a wide range of species, including Zygomycete, Basidiomycete, and Ascomycete fungi from the rocks. This study is the first report of eukaryotic diversity in deep subsurface sedimentary rocks.

Study on optical properties of metallic sodium by vacuum ultra violet in UVSOR

Kawaguchi, Munemichi; Saito, Junichi; Daido, Hiroyuki*; Suemoto, Toru*

UVSOR-46, P. 89, 2019/08

https://www.uvsor.ims.ac.jp/eng/activity/2018/page_02.html

To elucidate theoretically the transparent metallic sodium in the vacuum ultraviolet spectral range, the aim of this research is to obtain the accurate spectrum using UVSOR. The sodium sample maintained metallic luster by designing the special cells to prevent from oxidizing. The results of UVSOR measurement showed the possibility to occur the intransparent layer for vacuum ultraviolet light on the MgF windows. In the near future, we will improve the sodium sample to solve the problems and conduct the measurement again

A Bunch structure measurement of muons accelerated by RFQ using a longitudinal beam-profile monitor with high time resolution

Sue, Yuki*; Iijima, Toru*; Inami, Kenji*; Yotsuzuka, Mai*; Futatsukawa, Kenta*; Kawamura, Naritoshi*; Mibe, Tsutomu*; Miyake, Yasuhiro*; Otani, Masashi*; Hasegawa, Kazuo; et al.

Proceedings of 10th International Particle Accelerator Conference (IPAC '19) (Internet), p.37 - 40, 2019/06

https://doi.org/10.18429/JACoW-IPAC2019-MOZZPLM2

The result of bunch size measurement of muon accelerated by RFQ up to 89 keV is presented in this paper. A four-stage muon linac for precise measurement of muon property is under construction in the J-PARC. The demonstration of the first muon RF acceleration with an RFQ linac was conducted and the transverse profile of the accelerated muons was measured in 2017. As one of the remaining issues for the beam diagnostic system, the longitudinal beam profile after the RFQ should be measured to match the profile to the designed acceptance of the subsequent accelerator. For this purpose, the new longitudinal beam monitor using the microchannel plate is under development. The time resolution of the monitor aims to be around 30 to 40 ps corresponding to 1% of a period of an operating frequency of the accelerator, which is 324 MHz. On November 2018, the bunch size of accelerated negative muonium ion of 89 keV with the RFQ was measured using this monitor at the J-PARC MLF. The measured bunch width is ns, which is consistent with the simulation.

Muon profile measurement after acceleration with a radio-frequency quadrupole linac

Otani, Masashi*; Sue, Yuki*; Fukao, Yoshinori*; Futatsukawa, Kenta*; Kawamura, Naritoshi*; Mibe, Tsutomu*; Miyake, Yasuhiro*; Shimomura, Koichiro*; Yamazaki, Takayuki*; Iijima, Toru*; et al.

Journal of Physics; Conference Series, 1067(5), p.052012_1 - 052012_7, 2018/09

https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1067/5/052012

We have measured the muon beam profile after acceleration using a radio frequency quadrupole linac (RFQ). Positive muons are injected to an aluminum degrader and negative muoniums (Mu) are generated. The generated Mus are extracted by an electrostatic lens and accelerated to 89 keV by the RFQ. The accelerated Mus are transported to a beam profile monitor (BPM) through a quadrupole magnet pair and a bending magnet. The BPM consists of a micro-channel plate, a phospher screen, and a CCD camera. Measured profile in the vertical direction is consistent to the simulation. This profile measurement is one of milestones for realizing a muon linac for measurement of the muon anomalous magnetic moment at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex.