Analysis of fuel assemblies inclination due to upper core support plate deflection for reactivity evaluation

Yoshimura, Kazuo; Doda, Norihiro; Igawa, Kenichi*; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Tanaka, Masaaki; Nemoto, Toshiyuki*

Transactions of the 27th International Conference on Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology (SMiRT 27) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2024/03

To investigate possibility of the insertion of the reactivity by the deflection of the upper core support plate, structural mechanics analyses of the domain consisting of the fuel assemblies and core support plates and evaluation of the reactivity due to the inclination of the fuel assemblies in EBR-II were carried out. As a result, it was indicated that the upper core support plate deflected downward larger at the low flowrate condition than that at the high flowrate condition and positive reactivity was inserted due to the inclination of the fuel assemblies at the low flowrate condition.

Verification of fuel assembly bowing analysis model for core deformation reactivity evaluation

Doda, Norihiro; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Ohgama, Kazuya; Yoshimura, Kazuo; Nemoto, Toshiyuki*; Tanaka, Masaaki; Yamano, Hidemasa

Nihon Kikai Gakkai Kanto Shibu Dai-29-Ki Sokai, Koenkai Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 5 Pages, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.1299/jsmekanto.2023.29.17H21

An evaluation method for reactivity feedback due to core deformation during reactor power increase in sodium-cooled fast reactors is being developed for realistic core design evaluation. In this evaluation method, fuel assembly bowing was modeled with a beam element of the finite element method, and the assembly's pad contact between adjacent assemblies was modeled with a dedicated element which could consider the wrapper tube cross-sectional distortion and the pad stiffness depending on pad contact conditions. This fuel assembly bowing analysis model was verified for thermal bowing of a single assembly and assembly pad contact between adjacent assemblies in a core as past benchmark problems. The calculation results by this model showed good agreement with those of reference solutions of theoretical solutions or results by participating institutions in the benchmark. This study confirmed that the analysis model was able to calculate thermal assembly bowing appropriately.

Development of neutronics, thermal-hydraulics, and structure mechanics coupled analysis method on integrated numerical analysis for design optimization support in fast reactor

Doda, Norihiro; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Nemoto, Toshiyuki*; Yokoyama, Kenji; Tanaka, Masaaki

Keisan Kogaku Koenkai Rombunshu (CD-ROM), 26, 4 Pages, 2021/05

For design optimization of fast reactors, in order to consider the feedback reactivity due to thermal deformation of the core when the core temperature rises, which could not be considered in the conventional design analysis, a neutronics, thermal-hydraulics, and structure mechanics coupled analysis method has been developed. Neutronics code, plant dynamics code, and structural mechanics code are coupled by a control module in python script. This paper outlines the coupling method of analysis codes and the results of its application to an experiment in an actual plant.

Drift simulation of tsunami debris in the North Pacific

Kawamura, Hideyuki; Kobayashi, Takuya; Nishikawa, Shiro*; Ishikawa, Yoichi*; Usui, Norihisa*; Kamachi, Masafumi*; Aso, Noriko*; Tanaka, Yusuke*; Awaji, Toshiyuki*

Global Environmental Research (Internet), 18(1), p.81 - 96, 2014/09

A drift simulation of tsunami debris flushed out from the Tohoku district, Japan, into the North Pacific due to the tsunami on March 11, 2011, has been conducted to monitor and forecast the drift path over the North Pacific. Results showed that tsunami debris was first transported eastward by the intense Kuroshio Extension and westerly, spreading in the north and south directions by both an energetic ocean eddy and a storm track over the ocean. Tsunami debris with larger windage was transported over the North Pacific by ocean surface wind rather than ocean current and arrived at the west coast of the North American Continent in the fall of 2011. Tsunami debris located near the North American Continent migrated, associated with the basin-scale seasonal change in the atmospheric pressure pattern. Our forecast run suggested that the tsunami debris belt will be formed from the North American Continent in the east to the Philippines in the west.

Electrooxidation of hydrazine hydrate using Ni-La catalyst for anion exchange membrane fuel cells

Sakamoto, Tomokazu*; Asazawa, Koichiro*; Martinez, U.*; Halevi, B.*; Suzuki, Toshiyuki*; Arai, Shigeo*; Matsumura, Daiju; Nishihata, Yasuo; Atanassov, P.*; Tanaka, Hirohisa*

Journal of Power Sources, 234, p.252 - 259, 2013/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2013.01.181

Interaction of soft X-ray laser pulse radiation with aluminum surface; Nano-meter size surface modification

Ishino, Masahiko; Faenov, A.*; Tanaka, Momoko; Hasegawa, Noboru; Nishikino, Masaharu; Tamotsu, Satoshi*; Pikuz, S.*; Inogamov, N. A.*; Zhakhovsky, V. V.*; Skobelev, I.*; et al.

AIP Conference Proceedings 1465, p.236 - 240, 2012/07

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4737565

We irradiated the focusing soft X-ray laser pulses having a wavelength of 13.9 nm and the duration of 7 ps to aluminum surface. After the irradiation process, the irradiated surface was observed with a scanning electron microscope. The surface modifications caused by soft X-ray laser single pulse exposure were clearly seen. In addition, it was found that the conical structures having around 100 nm in diameters were formed in the shallow features. The nano-meter size modified surface structures on aluminum induced by the soft X-ray laser pulse is interesting as the newly surface structure. Hence, the soft X-ray laser beam would be a candidate for a tool of micromachining. We also provide a thermomechanical modeling of the soft X-ray laser interaction with aluminum briefly to explain the surface modification.

Surface modifications of metals induced by soft X-ray laser pulse irradiations

Ishino, Masahiko; Faenov, A. Y.*; Tanaka, Momoko; Hasegawa, Noboru; Nishikino, Masaharu; Tamotsu, Satoshi*; Pikuz, T.; Oba, Toshiyuki*; Kaihori, Takeshi; Kawachi, Tetsuya

Journal of Laser Micro/Nanoengineering, 7(2), p.147 - 151, 2012/05

https://doi.org/10.2961/jlmn.2012.02.0004

We irradiated the soft X-ray laser (SXRL) pulses having a wavelength of 13.9 nm, the duration time of 7 ps to aluminum (Al), copper (Cu) and gold (Au) surfaces. After the irradiation processes of SXRL beam with laser flux of 14 mJ/cm for Al case and of 21 mJ/cm for Cu and Au cases, the modified surfaces were observed with the visible microscope, the scanning electron microscope, and the atomic force microscope. The surface modifications caused by the SXRL irradiations were clearly seen on the surfaces, and it was found that the conical structures having around 100 nm in diameters were formed on the Al surface under a single pulse shot. The conical structures were formed in the features with the average depth of about 40 nm, and this value was in accordance with the attenuation length of the SXRL beam for Al. The modified structure on Al surface induced by SXRL pulse irradiations is different from those of Cu and Au surfaces. The modified structure formed on Al surface induced by the SXRL pulse exposure is interesting as the newly structure. Hence, the SXRL beam would be a candidate for a tool of micromachining, which enable to fabricate of three dimensional structures with nano-meter size on Al surface.

Development of the X-ray interferometer and the method of spatial and temporal synchronization of XRL and optical pulse

Hasegawa, Noboru; Ochi, Yoshihiro; Kawachi, Tetsuya; Terakawa, Kota*; Tomita, Takuro*; Yamamoto, Minoru; Nishikino, Masaharu; Oba, Toshiyuki; Kaihori, Takeshi; Imazono, Takashi; et al.

X-Ray Lasers 2010; Springer Proceedings in Physics, Vol.136, p.353 - 358, 2011/12

http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BB05543208

The understanding of the dynamics of the initial process is important for the micro processing and welding by the ultra-short laser pulse. The X-ray laser is suitable for probing this initial process because it has short wavelength (Ni-like Ag, 13.9 nm) and short duration (7 ps). For this investigation, the origin of time of the pumping pulse is quite important. In this study, we used the scintillation plate and the plasma gate technique to realize the spatial and temporal synchronization of the pump and probe pulses. For the spatial alignment, a CsI scintillation plate that was set at the sample position was illuminated by both the X-ray laser pulse, and the fluorescence light were detected by the CCD camera. For the temporal synchronization, we set a thin foil at the sample position. We measured the transmission of the X-ray laser while changing a temporal delay of the pumping laser with respect to the time of X-ray laser pulse to obtain the origin of the irradiation time.

Reformation of hazardous wastes into useful supporting materials for fast reactor fuels

Osaka, Masahiko; Miwa, Shuhei; Tanaka, Kosuke; Akutsu, Yoko; Ikeda, Kaoru*; Mimura, Hitoshi*; Suzuki, Tatsuya*; Usuki, Toshiyuki; Yano, Toyohiko*

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 38(12), p.2661 - 2666, 2011/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2011.07.030

Novel concepts for effective utilization of molybdenum (Mo) from nuclear waste and magnesium silicates from hazardous asbestos wastes are proposed. A fast reactor cycle scheme that incorporates each material is described in the present paper. Basic studies on some fundamental technologies for the present cycle are given. Basic separation aspects for Mo by using LIX63 micro capsules and tertiary pyridine resin were investigated. A simple chemical synthesis route for Mo precursor powder from Mo containing HNO solution was tested. Effects of impurities in recovered Mo on sintering behavior were experimentally investigated.

A Study on dose control for Tokaimura criticality accident termination

Kanamori, Masashi; Suto, Toshiyuki; Tanaka, Kenichi*; Takada, Jun*

Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 146(1-3), p.42 - 45, 2011/07

https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncr103

It has been ten years since the Tokai-mura JCO criticality accident. Verification of dose control method and dose estimation for the termination of the accident was performed. At the time of the termination work, personal dose estimation and control was performed based on measurements of neutron and ray doses taken before the termination work. But the personal dose for workers as a result of termination work was found to be at least 50 times higher than the estimation made beforehand. We reevaluated doses based on the results of close range measurement from 40 m to 100 m, and based on theoretical reduction by distance. The results were found to match personal doses with a precision between 60-80%. Therefore, work can likely be done safely by taking into account three factors, (1) annual dose limits for workers, (2) dose to workers from sources other than the pertinent work, (3) measurement error, and adopting 10 mSv as a dose guideline for tasks such as dose evaluation.