Status of the laser stripping of H beam at J-PARC RCS

Saha, P. K.; 原田 寛之; 米田 仁紀*; 道根 百合奈*; 佐藤 篤*; 柴田 崇統*; 金正 倫計

Proceedings of 20th Annual Meeting of Particle Accelerator Society of Japan (インターネット), p.59 - 63, 2023/11

https://www.pasj.jp/web_publish/pasj2023/proceedings/PDF/WEOB/WEOB5.pdf

To overcome the issues and practical limitations associated with the stripper foil used for the charge-exchange injection (CEI) of H beam for high-intensity proton accelerators, we are studying a foil-less H CEI by using only lasers at J-PARC RCS. To establish our principle, we are preparing for a POP (proof-of-principle) demonstration of 400 MeV H stripping to proton by using lasers. We will use both IR and UV lasers in the process of H stripping to protons. A prototype YAG laser system has been developed through experimental studies of 3 MeV H neutralization. We have also developed a multi-reflection laser cavity system to sufficiently reduce the seed laser energy. We have succeeded for 32 reflections to gain on the laser energy up to 16 to obtain a neutralization fraction of 25%. To realize a perfect benefit of the cavity, we also recently developed higher efficient vacuum windows by which we can achieve the laser energy gain to almost 32, proportional to the number of reflections. As a result, the average power of the seed laser can be reduced to 1/32, which is more useful for the UV laser. The laser setup at the 400 MeV beam line is in progress to start POP experimental studies in 2024.

高温ガス炉と水素製造施設の接続技術開発; HTTR-熱利用試験計画

石井 克典; 守田 圭介; 野口 弘喜; 青木 健; 水田 直紀; 長谷川 武史; 永塚 健太郎; 野本 恭信; 清水 厚志; 飯垣 和彦; et al.

第27回動力・エネルギー技術シンポジウム講演論文集(インターネット), 4 Pages, 2023/09

https://doi.org/10.1299/jsmepes.2023.27.A242

JAEA initiated the HTTR heat application test project coupling a hydrogen production facility to the HTTR (high temperature engineering test reactor). The project aims to establish "coupling technologies" between HTGR and hydrogen production achieving large-scale, stable and economically competitive carbon-free hydrogen production using the HTGR heat. Important considerations towards establishment of coupling technologies are development of system technologies for HTGR hydrogen production systems and components required for coupling between two facilities. This paper explains a system concept of the HTTR heat application system which can maintain safe and stable operation of the HTTR against temperature transients induced by abnormal events in a hydrogen production plant with the results of operational scheme as well as heat and mass balance of the system. Development plans for hot gas duct, high temperature isolation valves and helium gas circulators are also presented.

Validation of evaluation model for analysis of steam reformer in HTGR hydrogen production plant

石井 克典; 青木 健; 井坂 和義; 野口 弘喜; 清水 厚志; 佐藤 博之

Proceedings of 30th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE30) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2023/05

JAEA initiated High Temperature engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) heat application test project to establish coupling technologies between HTGR and a hydrogen production plant necessary to achieve large-scale, low cost, and carbon-free hydrogen production. One important element for the coupling technologies is a system analysis code which can simulate dynamic behavior of a HTGR hydrogen production system to design a plant control system for the effects of circulated helium heat through both facilities. The code is required to deal with a complex system which involves several subsystems and different physics with different timescales. As a first step of the development, we developed a heat and mass balance evaluation model of a helium-heated steam reformer. This report will present the outline of the developed model and simulation results with comparison to the experimental results.

Development plan for coupling technology between high temperature gas-cooled reactor HTTR and hydrogen production facility, 1; Overview of the HTTR heat application test plan to establish high safety coupling technology

野本 恭信; 水田 直紀; 守田 圭介; 青木 健; 沖田 将一朗; 石井 克典; 倉林 薫; 安田 貴則; 田中 真人; 井坂 和義; et al.

Proceedings of 30th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE30) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2023/05

JAEA initiated an HTTR heat application test plan to develop for coupling technology between HTGR and hydrogen production facility. The principal objective of this test plan is to establish the high safety coupling technology for coupling a hydrogen production facility to HTGR through the demonstration of a hydrogen production by the proven technology of methane steam reforming method utilizing the HTTR as a high temperature heat source. The other objective is to develop for coupling equipment such as a high temperature isolation valve, a helium gas circulator and a high temperature insulation pipe. This paper describes the overview of an HTTR heat application test plan such as a draft test schedule and test targets for the demonstration of a hydrogen production. This paper also presents basic specifications of an HTTR heat application test facility such as the HTTR modification strategy, overall system configuration and heat and mass balance at rated test operation for the demonstration of a hydrogen production. Furthermore, the operation plan during the normal start-up and shut-down processes is proposed.

Fast-neutron capture cross section data measurement of minor actinides for development of nuclear transmutation systems

片渕 竜也*; 岩本 修; 堀 順一*; 木村 敦; 岩本 信之; 中村 詔司; Rovira Leveroni, G.; 遠藤 駿典; 芝原 雄司*; 寺田 和司*; et al.

EPJ Web of Conferences, 281, p.00014_1 - 00014_4, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202328100014

Long-lived minor actinides (MA) in nuclear waste from nuclear power plants are a long-standing issue to continue nuclear energy production. To solve the issue, researchers have suggested nuclear transmutation, in which long-lived radionuclides are transmuted into stable or shorter-life nuclides via neutron-induced nuclear reactions. Development of nuclear transmutation systems as an accelerator-driven system requires accurate neutron nuclear reaction data. The present research project entitled "Study on accuracy improvement of fast-neutron capture reaction data of long-lived MAs for development of nuclear transmutation systems" have been conducted as a joint collaboration, including Tokyo Tech, Japan Atomic Energy Agency and Kyoto University. This project focuses on the neutron capture reaction of MAs, especially Np, Am and Am, in the fast neutron energy region. The final goal of this project is to improve the accuracies of the neutron capture cross sections of Np, Am and Am employing a high-intensity neutron beam from a spallation source of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) that reduces uncertainties of measurement. To achieve the goal, a neutron beam filter system in J-PARC, sample characteristic assay, and theoretical reaction model study were developed. In this contribution, the overview and results of the project will be presented.

Am neutron capture cross section measurement using the NaI(Tl) spectrometer of the ANNRI beamline of J-PARC

Rovira Leveroni, G.; 木村 敦; 中村 詔司; 遠藤 駿典; 岩本 修; 岩本 信之; 片渕 竜也*; 児玉 有*; 中野 秀仁*; 佐藤 八起*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 19 Pages, 2023/00

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2023.2239885

The neutron capture cross-section of Am was measured from 10 meV to about 1 MeV using the NaI(Tl) spectrometer of the Accurate Neutron-Nucleus Reaction Measurement Instrument (ANNRI) beamline in the Materials and Life Science (MLF) facility of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC). The total energy detection principle was applied in conjunction with the pulse-height weighting technique to derive the neutron capture yield. The present cross-section results were normalized using a Au sample measurement by applying the saturated resonance method. The thermal cross section was measured to be 708 22 b, in agreement within uncertainties to the present evaluation in JENDL-5 of 709 b. Moreover, the results of a shape resonance analysis of the resolved resonance region are also provided in the present dissertation.

Design and actual performance of J-PARC 3 GeV rapid cycling synchrotron for high-intensity operation

山本 風海; 金正 倫計; 林 直樹; Saha, P. K.; 田村 文彦; 山本 昌亘; 谷 教夫; 高柳 智弘; 神谷 潤一郎; 菖蒲田 義博; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(9), p.1174 - 1205, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2038301

J-PARC 3GeVシンクロトロン(RCS)は、最大1MWの大強度ビームを25Hzという早い繰り返しで中性子実験及び下流の主リングシンクロトロンに供給することを目的に設計された。2007年の加速器調整運転開始以降、RCSではビーム試験を通じて加速器の設計性能が満たされているかの確認を進め、必要に応じてより安定に運転するための改善を行ってきた。その結果として、近年RCSは1MWのビーム出力で連続運転を行うことが可能となり、共用運転に向けた最後の課題の抽出と対策の検討が進められている。本論文ではRCSの設計方針と実際の性能、および改善点について議論する。

On the adsorption and reactivity of element 114, flerovium

Yakushev, A.*; Lens, L.*; Dllmann, Ch. E.*; Khuyagbaatar, J.*; Jger, E.*; Krier, J.*; Runke, J.*; Albers, H. M.*; 浅井 雅人; Block, M.*; et al.

Frontiers in Chemistry (Internet), 10, p.976635_1 - 976635_11, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2022.976635

114番元素フレロビウム(Fl)は現在その化学的性質が研究されている最も重い元素である。Flに関する最初の化学実験では、Flは貴ガス的な性質を持つ元素であると報告された。一方、2番目の研究では、Flは揮発性金属の性質を示すと報告された。より信頼性の高い結論を得るため、我々は更なる実験的研究を行い、二酸化ケイ素と金表面におけるFlの吸着挙動を調べた。その結果、Flは揮発性金属の水銀よりも高い揮発性と低い反応性を示し、一方、貴ガスのラドンよりは反応性が高いことを明らかにした。

HTTR-熱利用試験施設の安全設計の考え方

青木 健; 清水 厚志; 飯垣 和彦; 沖田 将一朗; 長谷川 武史; 水田 直紀; 佐藤 博之; 坂場 成昭

JAEA-Technology 2022-011, 60 Pages, 2022/07

JAEA-Technology-2022-011.pdf:2.08MB

日本原子力研究開発機構では、高温ガス炉による大量かつ安価なカーボンフリー水素製造技術の実用化を目指し、世界最高の原子炉出口冷却材温度950Cを達成した高温工学試験研究炉(HTTR)を用いて水素製造を行うHTTR-熱利用試験を計画している。HTTR-熱利用試験では、原子力規制委員会からの設置変更許可取得を通じて、高温ガス炉と水素製造施設の接続に関し、高い安全性を実現する安全設計を確立することが求められている。そこで、HTTR安全設計をベースに、施設の変更や水素製造施設の接続に伴い安全設計上新たに考慮すべき事象に対する対策を考慮し、HTTR-熱利用試験施設の安全設計の考え方を検討した。検討に当たっては、原子炉安全の観点からの十分な安全性を確保することを大前提としつつ、水素製造施設に対して、高圧ガス災害に対する安全確保の多くの実績を有する一般産業法規を適用することを基本方針とした。本報では、水素製造施設への高圧ガス保安法適用に係る合理性や条件、HTTR-熱利用試験施設の安全機能の重要度分類や耐震設計上の重要度分類、重要安全施設の選定、原子炉設置変更許可申請に係る安全設計の考え方に関する検討結果を報告する。

Speciation on the reaction of uranium and zirconium oxides treated under oxidizing and reducing atmospheres

上原 章寛*; 秋山 大輔*; 池田 篤史; 沼子 千弥*; 寺田 靖子*; 新田 清文*; 伊奈 稔哲*; 武田 志乃*; 桐島 陽*; 佐藤 修彰*

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 559, p.153422_1 - 153422_11, 2022/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.153422

The reaction products were analysed by a combination of powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and X-ray absorption spectroscopic measurements of the U L- and Zr K-edges. Under an oxidizing atmosphere, the formation of UO and UZrO was observed in equilibrium with UO, monoclinic-ZrO, and tetragonal-ZrO. However, when O gas was purged through the reaction tube during the cooling process to room temperature, pentavalent U in ZrUO was produced by the oxidation of solid solution UO formed at 1774 K during the temperature dropped at 1473 K. Under the inert atmosphere, mixed oxides of uranium were found to form at 1673 K due to a low concentration of O impurity with the Ar gas. This study can pave the way for understanding the interaction between the nuclear fuels and the cladding materials in damaged reactors enabling further simulation of possible decontamination procedures.