Modification and resumption of the Static Experiment Critical Facility (STACY)

Ishii, Junichi; Seki, Masakazu; Aizawa, Eiju; Sumiya, Masato; Maekawa, Tomoyuki; Arakaki, Yu; Hasegawa, Kenta; Araki, Shohei; Izawa, Kazuhiko; Gunji, Satoshi

Proceedings of Nuclear Criticality Safety Division 2025 Conference (NCSD 2025) (Internet), p.39 - 48, 2025/09

The removal of fuel debris is one of the most important and challenging tasks in the decommissioning of power reactors damaged in the 2011 accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (1F). The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has implemented a renewal program of the Static Experiment Critical Facility (STACY), transitioning it from a homogeneous solution system to a heterogeneous water-moderated system, in order to verify the criticality calculations that consider the fuel debris from the 1F accident. The first criticality of the modified STACY was achieved in April 2024. After a series of performance inspections, an experimental campaign for the investigation of fuel debris characteristics was started in August 2024. In this paper, we describe the main equipment of the modified STACY. In addition, the experimental equipment for the debris-simulated core configuration is also introduced.

Integrated thermal power measurement in the modified STACY for the performance inspections

Araki, Shohei; Aizawa, Eiju; Murakami, Takahiko; Arakaki, Yu; Tada, Yuta; Kamikawa, Yutaka; Hasegawa, Kenta; Yoshikawa, Tomoki; Sumiya, Masato; Seki, Masakazu; et al.

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 217, p.111323_1 - 111323_8, 2025/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2025.111323

JAEA has modified the STACY from a homogeneous system using solution fuel to a heterogeneous system using fuel rods in order to obtain criticality characteristics of fuel debris. The modification of the STACY was completed in December 2023. A series of performance inspections were conducted for the start of experimental operations. A new thermal power calibration is required for the performance inspections in order to operate at less than 200 W, which is the permitted thermal power. However, the thermal power measurement method and calibration data used in the former STACY is no longer available due to the modification of the modified STACY. We measured the thermal power of the STACY using the activation method that was improved to adapt to the measurement condition and calibrated the power meter system. Since the positions where activation foils could be installed were very limited, the thermal power was evaluated using numerical calculations supplemented by experimental data. Neutron flux data at the positions of the activation foil was measured by the activation method. Neutron distribution in the core was calculated by the Monte Carlo code MVP. A response function of the activation foil was calculated using the PHITS. The uncertainty of the thermal power measurement was conservatively estimated to be about 15%. Four operations were conducted for the thermal power measurement. The power meter was calibrated by using three operational data and tested with the one operational data. It was found that the indicated value of the meter adjusted by the STACY before the modification work would tend to overestimate the actual output by about 40%. In addition, the current calibration was able to calibrate the meter to within 3% accuracy.

Dynamic observation and theoretical analysis of initial O molecule adsorption on polar and -plane surfaces of GaN

Sumiya, Masatomo*; Sumita, Masato*; Asai, Yuya*; Tamura, Ryo*; Uedono, Akira*; Yoshigoe, Akitaka

Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 124(46), p.25282 - 25290, 2020/11

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.0c07151

The initial oxidation of different GaN surfaces [the polar Ga-face (+c) and N-face (-c) and the nonpolar (100) ()plane] under O molecular beam irradiation was studied by real-time synchrotron radiation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and DFT molecular dynamics calculation. The results predict that triplet O either dissociates or chemisorbs at the bridge position on the +c-surface, while on N-terminated -c-surface the O2 molecule only undergoes dissociative chemisorption. On the -GaN surface, although the dissociation of O is dominant, the bond length and angle were found to fluctuate from those of O molecules adsorbed on the polar surfaces. The computational model including both the surface spin and polarity of GaN is useful for understanding the interface between GaN and oxide layers in metal-oxide electronic.

Annual report on the environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant FY2012

Sumiya, Shuichi; Watanabe, Hitoshi; Miyagawa, Naoto; Nakano, Masanao; Nakada, Akira; Fujita, Hiroki; Takeyasu, Masanori; Isozaki, Tokuju; Morisawa, Masato; Mizutani, Tomoko; et al.

JAEA-Review 2013-056, 181 Pages, 2014/03

JAEA-Review-2013-056.pdf:6.22MB

Environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant has been performed by the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, based on "Safety Regulations for the Reprocessing Plant of Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Chapter IV - Environmental Monitoring". This annual report presents the results of the environmental monitoring and the dose estimation to the hypothetical inhabitant due to the radioactivity discharged from the plant to the atmosphere and the sea during April 2012 to March 2013. In this report, some data include the influence of the accidental release from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant of Tokyo Electric Power Co. in March 2011.

Operation databook of the fuel treatment system of the Static Experiment Critical Facility (STACY) and the Transient Experiment Critical Facility (TRACY); JFY 2004 to JFY 2008

Kokusen, Junya; Sumiya, Masato; Seki, Masakazu; Kobayashi, Fuyumi; Ishii, Junichi; Umeda, Miki

JAEA-Technology 2012-041, 32 Pages, 2013/02

JAEA-Technology-2012-041.pdf:1.6MB

Uranyl nitrate solution fuel used in the STACY and the TRACY is adjusted in the Fuel Treatment System, in which such parameters are varied as concentration of uranium, free nitric acid, soluble neutron poison, and so on. Operations for concentration and denitration of the solution fuel were carried out with an evaporator from JFY 2004 to JFY 2008 in order to adjust the fuel to the experimental condition of the STACY and the TRACY. In parallel, the solution fuel in which some kinds of soluble neutron poison were doped was also adjusted in JFY 2005 and JFY 2006 for the purpose of the STACY experiments to determine neutron absorption effects brought by fission products, etc. After these experiments in the STACY, a part of the solution fuel including the soluble neutron poison was purified by the solvent extraction method with mixer-settlers in JFY 2006 and JFY 2007. This report summarizes operation data of the Fuel Treatment System from JFY 2004 to JFY 2008.

Results of the environmental radiation monitoring following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant; Interim report (Ambient radiation dose rate, radioactivity concentration in the air and radioactivity concentration in the fallout)

Furuta, Sadaaki; Sumiya, Shuichi; Watanabe, Hitoshi; Nakano, Masanao; Imaizumi, Kenji; Takeyasu, Masanori; Nakada, Akira; Fujita, Hiroki; Mizutani, Tomoko; Morisawa, Masato; et al.

JAEA-Review 2011-035, 89 Pages, 2011/08

JAEA-Review-2011-035.pdf:2.97MB

As a correspondence to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the environmental radiation monitoring was performed at the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, JAEA. This report presented the measurement results of ambient radiation dose rate, radioactivity concentration in the air and radioactivity concentration in fallout and meteorological observation result until May 31, 2011. The ambient radiation dose rate increased, with the peak dose rate of several thousand nGy/h at 7 o'clock in March 15, at 5 o'clock in March 16, and at 4 o'clock in March 21. The variation on the radioactivity concentration in the air and in fallout showed the almost same tendency as that of the dose rate. The concentration ratio of I-131/Cs-137 in the air increased to about 100. The dose was estimated resulting from internal exposure due to inhalation.

Measurement of environmental -ray dose rate around the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, JAEA

Mizutani, Tomoko; Onuma, Toshimitsu; Sugai, Masamitsu*; Watanabe, Hajime*; Morisawa, Masato; Takeyasu, Masanori; Sumiya, Shuichi

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 1, p.380 - 383, 2011/02

https://doi.org/10.15669/pnst.1.380

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories (NCL), JAEA operates the Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP), plutonium fuel fabrication facilities and the supplemental facilities. In the terrestrial environment, environmental -ray dose rate was measured continuously using an energy-thermo-compensation-type NaI(Tl) scintillation counter. The data of environmental dose rate measured in 5 monitoring stations and 8 monitoring posts were collected and analyzed to monitor on real-time. This paper summarizes the monitoring data of environmental dose rate around the NCL during the past 10 year (fiscal 1998-2007). The monthly average of the environmental dose rate for all monitoring stations and posts were in the range of 31-48 nGy h, except the value influenced by the criticality accident at the JCO in 1999. The long-term variation in the environmental dose rate was not found. The cases of the short-term increases occurred by the operations of the facilities in the NCL were concluded by the discharges of Kr from the TRP, transportation of MOX fuels or radioactive solid wastes, X-ray generator to calibrate the radiation monitoring instruments. The other cases to affect the change of the environmental dose rate were the scavenging of the airborne natural radionuclides, a patient cured by the radiation therapy and the shield effect by cars.

Manual for environmental radiological surveillance

Sumiya, Shuichi; Matsuura, Kenichi; Nakano, Masanao; Takeyasu, Masanori; Morisawa, Masato; Onuma, Toshimitsu; Fujita, Hiroki; Mizutani, Tomoko; Watanabe, Hajime*; Sugai, Masamitsu*

JAEA-Review 2009-064, 166 Pages, 2010/03

JAEA-Review-2009-064.pdf:11.08MB

Environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant has been conducted by the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, based on "Safety Regulations for the Reprocessing Plant of JAEA, Chapter IV; Environmental monitoring" and Environmental Radiation Monitoring Program decided by the Ibaraki prefectural government. The radiation monitoring installations and equipments were also prepared for emergency. This manual describes; (1) the installations of radiological measurement, (2) the installations of meteorological observation, and (3) environmental data processing system for executing the terrestrial environmental monitoring by Environmental Protection Section, Radiation Protection Department. The environmental monitoring has been operated through the manual published in 1993 (PNC TN8520 93-001). Then the whole articles were revised because the partially of installations and equipments having been updated in recent years.

Status and plans for critical facility modified-STACY

Araki, Shohei; Arakaki, Yu; Maekawa, Tomoyuki; Murakami, Takahiko; Hasegawa, Kenta; Yoshikawa, Tomoki; Tada, Yuta; Kamikawa, Yutaka; Sumiya, Masato; Seki, Masakazu; et al.

no journal, , 

In the TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, fuel debris was formed by fuel melting and mixing with in-core structures. Although the detailed properties of the fuel debris are still unknown, it is thought to contain materials such as iron and concrete. Then, in order to understand the criticality characteristics of fuel debris, JAEA is conducting a comprehensive numerical analysis assuming the composition of fuel debris containing concrete and iron. However, integral experimental data including these materials are scarce, and the validation of the analytical results has not been fully investigated. Thus, JAEA modified the criticality facility STACY in order to obtain experimental data that will contribute to the validation. This report describes the outline and status of the modified-STACY, and the plan is also presented.

Critical experiments on Iron-Loaded Core at the modified STACY

Araki, Shohei; Yoshikawa, Tomoki; Arakaki, Yu; Kamikawa, Yutaka; Hasegawa, Kenta; Tada, Yuta; Sumiya, Masato; Seki, Masakazu; Aizawa, Eiju; Ishii, Junichi; et al.

no journal, , 

In order to understand the criticality characteristics of the fuel debris generated by the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, it is essential to obtain critical experiment data that includes reactor structural materials such as iron and concrete that are considered to be contained in the fuel debris. To gather such critical experiment data, JAEA had conducted a major modification of the critical assembly STACY, and the modified STACY achieved first criticality in March 2024. In this presentation, we will discuss the experiments conducted in the modified STACY, with a particular focus on iron, which is considered to have a significant impact on criticality safety due to its strong neutron absorption effect.