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Sato, Hinata; Mori, Amami; Kuno, Sorato; Horigome, Kazushi; Goto, Yuichi; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Taguchi, Shigeo
JAEA-Technology 2024-011, 56 Pages, 2024/10
Flush-out, which recovers remaining nuclear materials in the process and transfer it to a highly radioactive liquid waste storage tank, has been performed at main plant of Tokai Reprocessing Plant. The flush-out has been composed from three steps: first step is to remove of spent fuel sheared powder, second step is to collect plutonium solution stored in the process, and third step is to convert uranium solution into uranium trioxide powder. The first step of flush-out activity has been completed in 2022. Second and third steps of flush-out have been completed from March 2023 to February 2024. Process control analysis has been performed for operation of the facility, and material accountancy analysis has been performed to control the accountancy of nuclear materials. In addition, related analytical work such as pretreatment for transporting inspection samples for safeguards analysis laboratories in IAEA has been also performed. This report describes results of analytical work performed in collections of plutonium and uranium solutions in second and third steps of the flush-out, including calibration of analytical equipment, waste generation, and education and training of analytical operator.
Yamamoto, Masahiko; Horigome, Kazushi; Goto, Yuichi; Taguchi, Shigeo
Proceedings of International Conference on Nuclear Fuel Cycle (GLOBAL2024) (Internet), 4 Pages, 2024/10
Flush-out activities of Tokai Reprocessing Plant were completed in February, 2024. Since it contained remaining nuclear materials in main process of the facility, purpose of activities was to flush-out them and to rinse with nitric acid solution. This paper describes analysis of nuclear materials related to flush-out activities.
Sato, Nobuaki*; Kameo, Yutaka; Sato, Soichi; Kumagai, Yuta; Sato, Tomonori; Yamamoto, Masahiro*; Watanabe, Yutaka*; Nagai, Takayuki; Niibori, Yuichi*; Watanabe, Masayuki; et al.
Introduction to Dismantling and Decommissioning Chemistry, 251 Pages, 2024/09
This book focuses on the dismantling and decommissioning of nuclear facilities and reactors that have suffered severe accidents. In Part 1, we introduce basic aspects ranging from fuel chemistry, analytical chemistry, radiation chemistry, corrosion, and decontamination chemistry to waste treatment and disposal. Then, Part 2 covers the chemistry involved in the decommissioning of various nuclear facilities, and discusses what chemical approaches are necessary and possible for the decommissioning of TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants, how decommissioning should be carried out, and what kind of research and development and also human resource development are required for this.
Ishibashi, Atsushi; Masui, Kenji; Goto, Yuichi; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Taguchi, Shigeo; Ishikawa, Satoshi*; Ishikawa, Tomoya*
Nihon Hozen Gakkai Dai-19-Kai Gakujutsu Koenkai Yoshishu, p.18 - 21, 2023/08
An inner-box typed hot cell for analysis of highly radioactive samples has been operated for about 40 years in Tokai Reprocessing Plant since its installation in 1980. During the operation of analytical hot cell, improvement and upgrades including auxiliary equipment have been performed, in addition to keep the equipment in proper condition through periodic inspections and maintenance. This paper describes about these efforts for analytical hot cell and its results.
Aoya, Juri; Mori, Amami; Sato, Hinata; Kono, Soma; Morokado, Shiori; Horigome, Kazushi; Goto, Yuichi; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Taguchi, Shigeo
JAEA-Technology 2023-008, 34 Pages, 2023/06
Flush-out, by which nuclear materials in the Tokai Reprocessing Plant process are recovered, has been started in June 2022 as the first step of decommissioning. Flush-out consists of removal of spent fuel sheared powder, plutonium solution, uranium solution, and the other nuclear materials. Removal of spent fuel sheared powder has been completed in September 2022. During removal of spent fuel sheared powder, uranium concentration, plutonium concentration, acid concentration, radioactivity concentration, and solution density have been analyzed for process control. For nuclear material accountancy, uranium concentration, plutonium concentration, isotope ratio, and solution density have been analyzed. Analysis work including sample pretreatment before transportation to IAEA analytical facility for safeguards, and the other operations related to Flush-out such as calibration of analytical instruments, education, and training of operators are reported.
Yamamoto, Masahiko; Nishida, Naoki; Kobayashi, Daisuke; Nemoto, Ryo*; Hayashi, Hiroyuki*; Kitao, Takahiko; Kuno, Takehiko
JAEA-Technology 2023-004, 30 Pages, 2023/06
Glove-box gloves, that are used for handling nuclear fuel materials at the Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP) of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, have an expiration date by internal rules. All gloves are replaced at a maximum of every 4-year. However, degrees of glove deterioration varies depending on its usage environment such as frequency, chemicals, and radiation dose. Therefore, physical properties such as tensile strength, elongation, hardness of gloves are measured and technical evaluation method for the glove life-time is established. It was found that gloves without any defects in its appearance have enough physical properties and satisfies the acceptance criteria values of new gloves. Thus, it was considered that the expired gloves could be used for total of 8-year, by adding 4-year of new glove life-time. In addition, the results of extrapolation by plotting the glove's physical properties versus the used years showed that the physical properties at 8-year is on the safer side than the reported physical properties of broken glove. Also, the data are not significantly different from the physical properties of the long-term storage glove (8 and 23 years). Based on these results, life-time of gloves at TRP is set to be 8-year. The frequency of glove inspections are not changed, and if any defects is found, the glove is promptly replaced. Thus, the risk related to glove usage is not increased. The cost of purchasing gloves, labor for glove replacement, and the amount of generated waste can be reduced by approximately 40%, respectively, resulting in more efficient and rationalized glove management.
Yamamoto, Masahiko; Kono, Soma; Saegusa, Yu; Kuno, Takehiko; Sekine, Megumi; Inoue, Naoko; Noro, Naoko; Rodriguez, D.; Yamaguchi, Tomoki; Stinett, J.*
Proceedings of INMM & ESARDA Joint Annual Meeting 2023 (Internet), 10 Pages, 2023/05
The gamma-ray measurement part of the Non-Destructive Assay (NDA) course of safeguards and nuclear material accountancy was developed to focus on gamma-ray measurement allotting two days out of five days. The lectures on the basic characteristics and detection methods and mechanism of gamma-ray detectors were provided as e-learnings which were developed. The part for hands-on exercises were implemented in JAEA facility. Participants have set up each gamma-ray detector, and performed measurements of uranium and the other gamma-ray emitting nuclides. Also, uranium-235 enrichment measurements have been performed. In addition, the participants trained with a handheld gamma-ray spectrometer, HM-5, that is popular for IAEA safeguards as the preparation in the measurement exercise of fresh fuel assemblies in JRR-3, a research reactor facility of JAEA. This paper reports on the development, implementation, and feedback from participants on gamma-ray measurement part of the NDA course.
Yamamoto, Masahiko; Horigome, Kazushi; Kuno, Takehiko
Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 190, p.110460_1 - 110460_7, 2022/12
Times Cited Count:3 Percentile:42.88(Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear)Gravimetric measurement of U content in UO with ignition in the air has been investigated. The ignition temperature, ignition time and aliquot sample mass are optimized as 900
C, 60 minutes, and 1 g, respectively. The method is validated by IDMS with uncertainty estimation. The obtained result by gravimetry is 0.78236
0.00051 g/g (k=2) and agreed with IDMS value within its uncertainty. It has been found that U in UO
can be measured accurately and precisely by gravimetry.
Ishibashi, Atsushi; Saegusa, Yu; Aoya, Juri; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Taguchi, Shigeo; Kuno, Takehiko
Nihon Hozen Gakkai Dai-18-Kai Gakujutsu Koenkai Yoshishu, p.241 - 244, 2022/07
no abstracts in English
Kobayashi, Daisuke; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Nishida, Naoki; Miyoshi, Ryuta; Nemoto, Ryo*; Hayashi, Hiroyuki*; Kato, Keisuke; Nishino, Saki; Kuno, Takehiko; Kitao, Takahiko; et al.
Nihon Hozen Gakkai Dai-18-Kai Gakujutsu Koenkai Yoshishu, p.237 - 240, 2022/07
All gloves attached to glove-box in Tokai Reprocessing Plant have a fixed expiration date and have to be replaced every 4-year. However, degrees of glove deterioration are different depending on its usage environment (frequency, chemicals, radiation, etc.), because of rubber products. Therefore, physical properties such as tensile strength, elongation, hardness of gloves are measured, and the life-time of gloves are estimated. As a result, gloves without any defects in its appearance have enough physical property for acceptance criteria of new glove. The extrapolated physical property of glove is sufficiently larger than the reported values of damaged glove. No deterioration in physical properties of gloves, that are periodically replaced without any defects in its appearance, is observed and the usable life-time of the glove is estimated to be 8 years.
Nishino, Saki; Tsuboi, Masatoshi; Okada, Jumpei; Saegusa, Yu; Omori, Kazuki; Yasuo, Kiyoshi; Seshimo, Kazuyoshi; Domura, Kazuyuki; Yamamoto, Masahiko
Nihon Hozen Gakkai Dai-17-Kai Gakujutsu Koenkai Yoshishu, p.541 - 548, 2021/07
no abstracts in English
Kitazato, Kohei*; Milliken, R. E.*; Iwata, Takahiro*; Abe, Masanao*; Otake, Makiko*; Matsuura, Shuji*; Takagi, Yasuhiko*; Nakamura, Tomoki*; Hiroi, Takahiro*; Matsuoka, Moe*; et al.
Nature Astronomy (Internet), 5(3), p.246 - 250, 2021/03
Times Cited Count:58 Percentile:96.23(Astronomy & Astrophysics)Here we report observations of Ryugu's subsurface material by the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3) on the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. Reflectance spectra of excavated material exhibit a hydroxyl (OH) absorption feature that is slightly stronger and peak-shifted compared with that observed for the surface, indicating that space weathering and/or radiative heating have caused subtle spectral changes in the uppermost surface. However, the strength and shape of the OH feature still suggests that the subsurface material experienced heating above 300 C, similar to the surface. In contrast, thermophysical modeling indicates that radiative heating does not increase the temperature above 200
C at the estimated excavation depth of 1 m, even if the semimajor axis is reduced to 0.344 au. This supports the hypothesis that primary thermal alteration occurred due to radiogenic and/or impact heating on Ryugu's parent body.
Yamamoto, Masahiko; Do, V. K.; Taguchi, Shigeo; Kuno, Takehiko; Takamura, Yuzuru*
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 327(1), p.433 - 444, 2021/01
Times Cited Count:0 Percentile:0.00(Chemistry, Analytical)A simple, practical, and reliable analytical method for determination of Na, K, Ca, Sr, and Ba by liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry is developed. Appropriate emission lines for quantification, interferences from co-existing elements, and effect of measurement conditions with cell damage have been investigated. The spike and recovery tests using actual sample have been performed for method validation, and negligible sample matrix effect has been observed. Consequently, the method is successfully applied to several radioactive wastes. The obtained data have been agreed well with data from computer calculation and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry within 10% difference.
Yamamoto, Masahiko; Karo, Yoshinori*; Kodaka, Noriyasu; Kuno, Takehiko
JAEA-Technology 2019-014, 68 Pages, 2019/10
Analytical devices like syringe pump, electric burette, fraction collector, and electric valve have been controlled by the program written with Visual Basic for Applications (VBA Macro) to automate the column separation of radioactive sample measurement. It is found that VBA Macro can control each device. Therefore, automatic conditioning and separation equipment were made by combining each device and sequentially controlling with the program. The automation conditioning equipment can repeatedly perform conditioning operation with maximum of 8 columns. The automation separation equipment can separate and recover Sr in simulated highly active liquid waste by using Eichrom Technologies Sr resin. It is found that the developed automation method, using commercially available VBA Macro, is effective to reduce labor work, operator's radiation exposure, and to prevent operational error of analysis, together with reducing the cost of automation.
Yamamoto, Masahiko; Taguchi, Shigeo; Do, V. K.; Kuno, Takehiko; Surugaya, Naoki
Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 152, p.37 - 44, 2019/10
Times Cited Count:10 Percentile:63.15(Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear)An online measurement system using an alpha liquid scintillation counter (-LSC) coupled to microchip solvent extraction has been developed. A flow-through cell of
-LSC has been prepared by packing PTFE tube into glass tube to combine microchip. Two-phase flow in microchannel has been stabilized by using coiled tube. The Pu in organic phase has been mixed with scintillation cocktail by T-junction connectors. The system separates and detects Pu by online with detection limit of 6.5 Bq/mL, generating only
L-level wastes.
Abe, Mitsushi*; Bae, S.*; Beer, G.*; Bunce, G.*; Choi, H.*; Choi, S.*; Chung, M.*; da Silva, W.*; Eidelman, S.*; Finger, M.*; et al.
Progress of Theoretical and Experimental Physics (Internet), 2019(5), p.053C02_1 - 053C02_22, 2019/05
Times Cited Count:156 Percentile:99.31(Physics, Multidisciplinary)This paper introduces a new approach to measure the muon magnetic moment anomaly and the muon electric dipole moment (EDM)
at the J-PARC muon facility. The goal of our experiment is to measure
and
using an independent method with a factor of 10 lower muon momentum, and a factor of 20 smaller diameter storage-ring solenoid compared with previous and ongoing muon g-2 experiments with unprecedented quality of the storage magnetic field. Additional significant differences from the present experimental method include a factor of 1000 smaller transverse emittance of the muon beam (reaccelerated thermal muon beam), its efficient vertical injection into the solenoid, and tracking each decay positron from muon decay to obtain its momentum vector. The precision goal for
is a statistical uncertainty of 450 parts per billion (ppb), similar to the present experimental uncertainty, and a systematic uncertainty less than 70 ppb. The goal for EDM is a sensitivity of
e
cm.
Yamamoto, Masahiko; Do, V. K.; Taguchi, Shigeo; Kuno, Takehiko; Takamura, Yuzuru*
Spectrochimica Acta, Part B, 155, p.134 - 140, 2019/05
Times Cited Count:7 Percentile:46.72(Spectroscopy)The emission spectra of technetium (Tc) by liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry have been investigated in this study. From the spectra, 52 emission peaks of Tc were observed in the 250-500 nm wavelength range. All peaks were assigned to the neutral state or singly ionized state. The relative intensities of these peaks were similar to those excited by an electric spark. The strongest intensity peaks were found at 254.3 nm, 261.0 nm, and 264.7 nm. Spectral interferences of coexisting elements in highly active liquid waste of reprocessing stream on those three strongest peaks were investigated using simulated sample. No spectral interferences were observed around the 264.7 nm Tc peak. Therefore, analytical performance using 264.7 nm peak was evaluated. The detection limit, estimated on standard and blank samples in 0.4 M nitric acid, was 1.9 mg/L. The relative standard deviation of Tc standard sample (12.0 mg/L) was 3.8% (N = 5, 1).
Kitazato, Kohei*; Milliken, R. E.*; Iwata, Takahiro*; Abe, Masanao*; Otake, Makiko*; Matsuura, Shuji*; Arai, Takehiko*; Nakauchi, Yusuke*; Nakamura, Tomoki*; Matsuoka, Moe*; et al.
Science, 364(6437), p.272 - 275, 2019/04
Times Cited Count:298 Percentile:99.68(Multidisciplinary Sciences)The near-Earth asteroid 162173 Ryugu, the target of Hayabusa2 sample return mission, is believed to be a primitive carbonaceous object. The Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3) on Hayabusa2 acquired reflectance spectra of Ryugu's surface to provide direct measurements of the surface composition and geological context for the returned samples. A weak, narrow absorption feature centered at 2.72 micron was detected across the entire observed surface, indicating that hydroxyl (OH)-bearing minerals are ubiquitous there. The intensity of the OH feature and low albedo are similar to thermally- and/or shock-metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. There are few variations in the OH-band position, consistent with Ryugu being a compositionally homogeneous rubble-pile object generated from impact fragments of an undifferentiated aqueously altered parent body.
Strasser, P.*; Abe, Mitsushi*; Aoki, Masaharu*; Choi, S.*; Fukao, Yoshinori*; Higashi, Yoshitaka*; Higuchi, Takashi*; Iinuma, Hiromi*; Ikedo, Yutaka*; Ishida, Katsuhiko*; et al.
EPJ Web of Conferences, 198, p.00003_1 - 00003_8, 2019/01
Times Cited Count:16 Percentile:98.57(Quantum Science & Technology)Taguchi, Shigeo; Miyauchi, Hironari*; Horigome, Kazushi; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Kuno, Takehiko
Bunseki Kagaku, 67(11), p.681 - 686, 2018/11
In thermal ionization mass spectrometry, de-gassing is one of the important treatments to release impurities of filaments and to minimize the influence of background. In this work, the effect of the surface change in the tungsten filament induced by the conductively heating treatment on uranium isotopic (U/
U) measurement has been investigated. It was found that the conductively heating treatment of the filament has the effect of smoothing the surface of the filament and also has the effect of improving the deposition of the sample on the filament surface. As a result of either these effects, the precision of uranium isotopic (
U/
U) measurement was improved.