A Phoswich alpha/beta detector for monitoring in the site of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

Morishita, Yuki; Takasaki, Koji; Kitayama, Yoshiharu; Tagawa, Akihiro; Shibata, Takuya; Hoshi, Katsuya; Kaneko, Junichi*; Higuchi, Mikio*; Oura, Masatoshi*

Radiation Measurements, 160, p.106896_1 - 106896_10, 2023/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2022.106896

This study proposes a newly developed phoswich alpha/beta detector that can discriminate alpha and beta particles emitted from the alpha and beta contaminations in the FDNPS site. The phoswich alpha/beta detector is made up of two layers of scintillators that detect alpha and beta particles. The pulse shape discrimination (PSD) method was used to detect alpha particles in high beta particle and high gamma-ray (comparable to gamma-ray dose rate near the FDNPS reactor building) environments. Due to a 23.3% full width at half maximum (FWHM) energy resolution for alpha particles, the detector can be used to distinguish between nuclear fuel materials such as plutonium and its radon progeny (Po-214). Moreover, the detector could distinguish alpha particles from Cs gamma rays with a dose rate background up to 9.0 mSv/h. It is the first to demonstrate that the developed phoswich detector can be used to discriminate and measure alpha and beta particles of the actual contaminated FDNPS samples.

Event tree analysis for material relocation on core catcher in a sodium-cooled fast reactor

Yamano, Hidemasa; Kubo, Shigenobu; Kan, Taro*; Shibata, Akihiro*; Hourcade, E.*; Dirat, J. F.*

Proceedings of 29th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 29) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2022/08

In this paper, the approach to event tree development and the scope of the event tree analysis were described with key points on core catcher loading. For the analytical conditions, two core catcher loading conditions were given as bounding and conservative cases. For important heading of the event tree, key important phenomena were included: strong back design, fuel-coolant interaction and quench in the sodium plenum design, jet attack, criticality and coolability on the core catcher. In this paper, preliminary trial quantification was attempted using a probability ranking table which is based on engineering judgement. This event tree analysis has identified the dominant sequence, and clarified the effect of the core catcher loading and effectiveness of design measures. This study suggests that the criticality measure is very important for the core catcher study.

France-Japan collaboration on the SFR severe accident studies; Outcomes and future work program

Kubo, Shigenobu; Payot, F.*; Yamano, Hidemasa; Bertrand, F.*; Bachrata, A.*; Saas, L.*; Journeau, C.*; Gosse, S.*; Quaini, A.*; Shibata, Akihiro*; et al.

Proceedings of International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles; Sustainable Clean Energy for the Future (FR22) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2022/04

Advanced analysis technology for new material and product development

Sasaki, Hirokazu*; Nishikubo, Hideo*; Nishida, Shinsuke*; Yamazaki, Satoshi*; Nakasaki, Ryusuke*; Isomatsu, Takemi*; Minato, Ryuichiro*; Kinugawa, Kohei*; Imamura, Akihiro*; Otomo, Shinya*; et al.

Furukawa Denko Jiho, (138), p.2 - 10, 2019/02

https://www.furukawa.co.jp/rd/review/fj138/fj138_02.pdf

no abstracts in English

Uplift and denudation history of the Akaishi Range, a thrust block formed by arc-arc collision in central Japan; Insights from low-temperature thermochronometry and thermokinematic modeling

Sueoka, Shigeru; Ikeda, Yasutaka*; Kano, Kenichi*; Tsutsumi, Hiroyuki*; Tagami, Takahiro*; Kohn, B. P.*; Hasebe, Noriko*; Tamura, Akihiro*; Arai, Shoji*; Shibata, Kenji*

Journal of Geophysical Research; Solid Earth, 122(8), p.6787 - 6810, 2017/08

http://doi.org/10.1002/2017JB014320

no abstracts in English

Establishment of experimental system for Mo/Tc production by neutron activation method

Ishida, Takuya; Shiina, Takayuki*; Ota, Akio*; Kimura, Akihiro; Nishikata, Kaori; Shibata, Akira; Tanase, Masakazu*; Kobayashi, Masaaki*; Sano, Tadafumi*; Fujihara, Yasuyuki*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2015-030, 42 Pages, 2015/11

JAEA-Technology-2015-030.pdf:4.82MB

The research and development (R&D) on the production of Mo/Tc by neutron activation method ((n, ) method) using JMTR has been carried out in the Neutron Irradiation and Testing Reactor Center. The specific radioactivity of Mo by (n, ) method is extremely low compared with that by fission method ((n,f) method), and as a result, the radioactive concentration of the obtained Tc solution is also lowered. To solve the problem, we propose the solvent extraction with methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) for recovery of Tc from Mo produced by (n, ) method. We have developed the Mo/Tc separation/extraction/concentration devices and have carried out the performance tests for recovery of Tc from Mo produced by (n, ) method. In this paper, in order to establish an experimental system for Mo/Tc production, the R&D results of the system are summarized on the improvement of the devices for high-recovery rate of Tc, on the dissolution of the pellets, which is the high-density molybdenum trioxide (MoO) pellets irradiated in Kyoto University Research Reactor (KUR), on the production of Tc, and on the inspection of the recovered Tc solutions.

Zirconia membrane ECP electrode for water chemistry experiments in the JMTR

Hanawa, Satoshi; Hata, Kuniki; Shibata, Akira; Chimi, Yasuhiro; Kasahara, Shigeki; Tsutsui, Nobuyuki*; Iwase, Akihiro*; Nishiyama, Yutaka

Proceedings of 2014 Nuclear Plant Chemistry Conference (NPC 2014) (USB Flash Drive), 9 Pages, 2014/10

no abstracts in English

Development of in-reactor observation system using Cherenkov light, 4

Kimura, Nobuaki; Takeuchi, Tomoaki; Shibata, Akira; Takemoto, Noriyuki; Kimura, Akihiro; Naka, Michihiro; Nishikata, Kaori; Tanimoto, Masataka; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko; Sano, Tadafumi*; et al.

KURRI Progress Report 2012, P. 209, 2013/10

http://www.rri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/PUB/report/PR/ProgRep2012/CO3.pdf

In research reactors, CCD cameras are used to observe reactor core for reactor operation management, e.g. to prevent debris from falling. In order to measure the reactor power and fuel burnup exactly by means of observation of Cherenkov light, the development of the on-line measurement device started in 2009. In this study, the wavelength and the absolute irradiance of the Cherenkov light were measured by a spectrometer, and the Cherenkov light was observed by the CCD camera. As a result, the measurement value is good agreement with the nominal value. On the other hand, the value by the visible imaging system was obtained the same tendency of nominal transmittance value of ND-filters.

Decolorization of secondary treated water from livestock urine waste

Takigami, Machiko*; Nagasawa, Naotsugu; Hiroki, Akihiro; Kasai, Noboru; Yoshii, Fumio; Tamada, Masao; Takigami, Shoji*; Shibata, Takuya*; Aketagawa, Yasushi*; Ozaki, Masuo*

Transactions of the Materials Research Society of Japan, 35(3), p.647 - 650, 2010/09

https://doi.org/10.14723/tmrsj.35.647

There are many livestock farmers in Gunma Prefecture. Many of the farms are located under Mt. Akagi and Haruna, which attract tourists. Furthermore, rivers around the mountains are source of water supply to metropolitan area. Therefore, the waste treatments are very important. Regulations of smell and COD (chemical oxygen demand) are severe in Gunma Prefecture. Although there is no regulation for color of drain water, color in secondary treated water from livestock urine waste has been one of the major concerns for livestock farmers. The color is a metabolite of microorganisms and not easy to be removed. People have tried to remove the color by ozone treatment, absorption using activated carbon or soils. An absorbent was prepared by radiation grafting; fibers were irradiated with Co -rays and some kinds of monomers were grafted onto the fibers. The absorbent thus prepared were used to decolorize the secondary treated water. The color and COD were removed by the absorbent, however, COD removal was more difficult than decolorization. Degree of grafting (weight increase expressed in % by grafting reaction to initial weight of the fiber), treated water/absorbent ratio, flow rate of treated water, and direction of flow affected color and COD removal. The used absorbent could be used repeatedly after washing.

measurements of Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd and Tb using a total absorption BGO detector

Hayashi, Hiroaki*; Akita, Yukinori*; Suematsu, Osamu*; Shibata, Michihiro*; Asai, Masato; Sato, Tetsuya; Ichikawa, Shinichi; Nishinaka, Ichiro; Nagame, Yuichiro; Osa, Akihiko; et al.

European Physical Journal A, 34(4), p.363 - 370, 2007/12

https://doi.org/10.1140/epja/i2006-10522-9

values of Eu and Gd were measured for the first time using a total absorption BGO detector, and the data of Pm, Sm, and Tb obtained previously were reanalyzed. These nuclei were produced by the proton-induced fission of U at the JAEA-Tokai tandem accelerator facility, and separated from the reaction products using an on-line isotope separator. The deduced mass excesses and two-neutron separation energies were compared with those of atomic mass evaluations and theoretical predictions.