JAEA activities related to the use of computer programs and databases in the nuclear field

Suzuki, Yoshio; Otani, Takayuki; Sakamoto, Kensaku; Takakura, Masahiro*; Kuwabara, Yasuhiro*

Proceedings of Joint International Conference on Supercomputing in Nuclear Applications + Monte Carlo 2020 (SNA + MC 2020), p.287 - 294, 2020/10

HPC Technology Promotion Office, Center for Computational Science and e-systems (CCSE) of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) is responsible for the administration of computer programs (CPs) and databases (DBs) developed in JAEA to disseminate R&D results in JAEA to the outside and improve R&D efficiency. The information of these CPs and DBs can be found using Program and Database retrieval System (PRODAS) (https://prodas.jaea.go.jp), which is developed by our team. Those in Japan can also obtain CPs and DBs in the nuclear field possessed in OECD NEA Data Bank (NEADB), Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC) in the United States, and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In this paper, the recent situation of possession and dispatch of CPs and DBs developed within JAEA and the frameworks to obtain and provide CPs and DBs in nuclear field worldwide are presented.

Recent verification activities on probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis code PASCAL4 for reactor pressure vessel

Lu, K.; Katsuyama, Jinya; Li, Y.; Miyamoto, Yuhei*; Hirota, Takatoshi*; Itabashi, Yu*; Nagai, Masaki*; Suzuki, Masahide*; Kanto, Yasuhiro*

Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 7(3), p.19-00573_1 - 19-00573_14, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1299/mej.19-00573

The -electron state of the heavy fermion superconductor NpPdAl and the isostructural family

Metoki, Naoto; Aczel, A. A.*; Aoki, Dai*; Chi, S.*; Fernandez-Baca, J. A.*; Griveau, J.-C.*; Hagihala, Masato*; Hong, T.*; Haga, Yoshinori; Ikeuchi, Kazuhiko*; et al.

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 30, p.011123_1 - 011123_6, 2020/03

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.30.011123

Rare earths (4) and actinides (5) provide variety of interesting states realized with competing interactions between the increasing number of electrons. Since crystal field splitting of many-body electron system is smaller than the bandwidth, (1) high resolution experiments are needed, (2) essentially no clear spectrum with well defined peaks is expected in itinerant Ce and U compounds, and (3) Np and Pu is strictly regulated. Therefore, systematic research on magnetic excitations by neutron scattering experiments of localized compounds and rare earth iso-structural reference is useful. We describe the electron states of heavy electron compounds NpPdAl and actinide and rare earth based iso-structural family.

Minor actinides separation by -hexaoctyl nitrilotriacetamide (HONTA) using mixer-settler extractors in a hot cell

Ban, Yasutoshi; Suzuki, Hideya*; Hotoku, Shinobu; Tsutsui, Nao; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, 37(7), p.489 - 499, 2019/11

https://doi.org/10.1080/07366299.2019.1693486

A continuous counter-current experiment to separate minor actinides (MAs: Am and Cm) was performed with -hexaochyl nitrilotriacetamide (HONTA) as an extractant. Nitric acid of 0.08 M (mol/dm) containing MAs and rare earths (REs) recovered from high-level waste was used as the Feed, and the experiment was conducted for 14 h. The ratios of Am and Cm recovered into the MA fraction measured 94.9% and 78.9%, respectively. HONTA hardly extracted Y, La, and Eu in the Feed (99.9% for Y, 99.9% for La, and 96.7% for Eu), most of which were distributed to the RE fraction. A portion of Nd was extracted by HONTA, and consequently the ratio of Nd in the RE fraction was 83.5%. The concentrations of MAs and some REs in each stage were calculated using a simulation code, and the results are consistent with the experimental values. This code indicates that the ratios of MAs in the MA fraction and REs in the RE fraction could be 99% by optimizing separation conditions.

Verification of a probabilistic fracture mechanics code PASCAL4 for reactor pressure vessels

Lu, K.; Katsuyama, Jinya; Li, Y.; Miyamoto, Yuhei*; Hirota, Takatoshi*; Itabashi, Yu*; Nagai, Masaki*; Suzuki, Masahide*; Kanto, Yasuhiro*

Proceedings of 27th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-27) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2019/05

Neutron inelastic scattering study of the -electron states in NdPdAl

Metoki, Naoto; Yamauchi, Hiroki; Suzuki, Hiroyuki*; Kitazawa, Hideaki*; Kamazawa, Kazuya*; Ikeuchi, Kazuhiko*; Kajimoto, Ryoichi; Nakamura, Mitsutaka; Inamura, Yasuhiro

Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 87(8), p.084708_1 - 084708_7, 2018/08

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSJ.87.084708

Inelastic neutron scattering experiments were carried out in order to study the -electron states of NdPdAlThe CEF levels at 0K, 35.4K, 88.3K, 101.5K, and 198.8K were clarified from the excitation spectra. The ground state contains the orbital with as a main component due to a large negative BK, which is the origin of the strong uniaxial anisotropy. The estimated magnetic moment, the calculated susceptibility, magnetization curve, and specific heat are in good agreement with the experimental data. The existence of a common charge distribution with CePdAl and PrPdAl. Indicates that a localized character is important even in actinide-based iso-structural compounds as actually observed in UPdAl and also NpPdAl, in which the valence crossover plays important role for the heavy fermion superconductivity.

Continuous extraction and separation of Am(III) and Cm(III) using a highly practical diamide amine extractant

Suzuki, Hideya; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Kurosawa, Tatsuya*; Sagawa, Hiroshi*; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 54(11), p.1163 - 1167, 2017/11

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2017.1299050

A highly practical diamide-type extractant, which is an alkyl diamide amine with 2-ethylhexyl alkyl chains (ADAAM(EH)), was investigated for mutual separation of Am(III) and Cm(III). ADAAM(EH) is a multidentate ligand with one soft N-donor atom and two hard O-donor atoms in its central frame. This tridentate arrangement of donor atoms provides selective binding to Am(III) compared to that with Cm(III) in highly acidic media, resulting in separation factors of up to 5.5. A continuous liquid-liquid extraction and stripping test was conducted using a multistage countercurrent mixer-settler extractor with ADAAM(EH) in n-dodecane. In this test, separation of Am(III) and Cm(III) was achieved with very high yield.

Verification of probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis code PASCAL

Li, Y.; Katsumata, Genshichiro*; Masaki, Koichi*; Hayashi, Shotaro*; Itabashi, Yu*; Nagai, Masaki*; Suzuki, Masahide*; Kanto, Yasuhiro*

Proceedings of 25th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-25) (CD-ROM), 10 Pages, 2017/07

In Japan, a PFM analysis code PASCAL (PFM Analysis of Structural Components in Aging LWR) has been developed by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency to evaluate the through-wall cracking frequencies of Japanese reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) considering neutron irradiation embrittlement and pressurized thermal shock transients. In this study, as a part of the verification activities, a working group was established in Japan, with seven organizations from industry, universities and institutes voluntarily participating as members. The source program of PASCAL was released to the members of the working group. Through one year activities, the applicability of PASCAL for structural integrity assessments of domestic RPVs was confirmed with great confidence. This paper presents the details of the verification activities of the working group including the verification plan, approaches and results.

Countercurrent extraction/stripping experiments using TDdDGA solvent extractant in a centrifugal contactor system,2; Evaluation on the improved flowsheet for MA recovery

Kibe, Satoshi; Fujisaku, Kazuhiko*; Sakamoto, Atsushi; Sano, Yuichi; Takeuchi, Masayuki; Suzuki, Hideya; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Matsumura, Tatsuro

JAEA-Research 2016-024, 40 Pages, 2017/02

JAEA-Research-2016-024.pdf:6.73MB

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been developing some flowsheets with TDdDGA (N,N,N,Ntetradodecyldiglycolamide) extractant to recover MA (minor actinide) from raffinate. In this study, countercurrent experiments with the improved flowsheet, e.g. the addition of alcohol into the solvent for preventing the precipitation, were performed using miniature centrifugal contactors in order to compare the extraction/stripping behavior of each element with the mixer-settler type. As a result, no entrainments were observed and sufficient phase separation was achieved by centrifugal contactors without any abnormal fluid behavior, such as overflow. The extraction and stripping of Ln(III) which show the similar tendencies as MA could be achieved successfully, especially their stripping proceeded more efficiently in centrifugal contactors. This might be due to the increase in stripping rates by improving the flowsheet and to superior phase separation performance of centrifugal contactors.

Uranium and plutonium extraction by -dialkylamides using multistage mixer-settler extractors

Ban, Yasutoshi; Hotoku, Shinobu; Tsutsui, Nao; Suzuki, Asuka; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Procedia Chemistry, 21, p.156 - 161, 2016/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proche.2016.10.022

A continuous counter-current experiment was carried out to demonstrate the validity of a process using -dialkylamides for recovering U and Pu. This process consisted of two cycles, and the 1st cycle and the 2nd cycle employed -di(2-ethylhexyl)-2,2-dimethylpropanamide and -di(2-ethylhexyl)butanamide as extractants, respectively. The feed solution for the 1st cycle was 5.1 mol/dm (M) nitric acid containing 0.92 M U, 1.6 mM Pu, and 0.6 mM Np. The raffinate collected in the 1st cycle was used as the feed for the 2nd cycle. The ratios of U recovered in the U fraction and U-Pu fraction were 99.1% and 0.8%, respectively. The ratio of Pu recovered in the U-Pu fraction was 99.7%. The concentration ratio of U with respect to Pu in the U-Pu fraction was 9, and this indicated that Pu was not isolated. The decontamination factor of U with respect to Pu in the U fraction was obtained as 4.510. These results supported the validity of the proposed process.