Density, surface tension, and viscosity of molten Ni-based superalloys using the maximum bubble pressure and oscillating crucible methods

Nishi, Tsuyoshi*; Matsumoto, Saori*; Yamano, Hidemasa; Hayashi, Kiichiro*; Endo, Rie*; Bell, M. R.*; Neubert, L.*; Volkova, O.*

Steel Research International, 96(5), p.2300766_1 - 2300766_6, 2025/05

https://doi.org/10.1002/srin.202300766

The density of Ni-based superalloys is measured using the maximum bubble pressure (MBP) method. The viscosity is evaluated using the oscillating crucible method. The surface tension is simultaneously measured using the MBP method.

Density of a molten stainless steel-BC alloy measured in the electrostatic levitation furnace onboard the international space station

Ishikawa, Takehiko*; Oda, Hirohisa*; Koyama, Chihiro*; Shimonishi, Rina*; Ikeuchi, Rumiko*; Paradis, P.-F.*; Okada, Jumpei*; Fukuyama, Hiroyuki*; Yamano, Hidemasa

International Journal of Microgravity Science and Application, 42(2), p.420202_1 - 420202_10, 2025/04

https://doi.org/10.15011/jasma.42.420202

Density, surface tension, and viscosity of liquid low-sulfur manganese-boron steel via maximum bubble pressure and oscillating crucible methods

Bell, M. R.*; Neubert, L.*; Sherstneva, A.*; Yamamoto, Taisei*; Nishi, Tsuyoshi*; Yamano, Hidemasa; Weinberg, M.*; Volkova, O.*

Steel Research International, p.2400252_1 - 2400252_10, 2025/00

https://doi.org/10.1002/srin.202400252

In this study, the thermophysical properties of low-sulfur manganese-boron steel with varying boron and sulfur contents at different temperatures are investigated.

A Preliminary study for boron mixing effect on severe accident scenario in sodium-cooled fast reactor

Yamano, Hidemasa; Morita, Koji*

Proceedings of 13th Korea-Japan Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS13) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2024/11

SIMMER-III and SIMMER-IV; Computer codes for LMFR core disruptive accident analysis

Kondo, Satoru; Tobita, Yoshiharu*; Morita, Koji*; Kamiyama, Kenji; Yamano, Hidemasa; Suzuki, Toru*; Tagami, Hirotaka; Sogabe, Joji; Ishida, Shinya

JAEA-Research 2024-008, 235 Pages, 2024/10

JAEA-Research-2024-008.pdf:4.77MB

The SIMMER-III and SIMMER-IV computer codes, developed at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency are the codes with two- and three-dimensional, multi-field, multi-component fluid-dynamics models, coupled with a space- and time-dependent neutron kinetics model. The codes have been used widely for simulating complex phenomena during core-disruptive accidents in liquid-metal fast reactors. Advanced features of the codes in comparison with the former codes include: stable and robust fluid-dynamics algorithm with up to 8 velocity fields, improved representation of structures and multi-phase flow topology, comprehensive treatment of complex heat and mass transfer processes, accurate analytic equations of state, a stable and efficient neutron flux shape solution method and decay heat model. This report describes the models and methods of SIMMER-III and SIMMER-IV. For those individual models, the details of which have been reported elsewhere, only the outlines of the models are presented. The reports of code verification and validation have been already published.

France-Japan collaboration on severe accident studies in sodium-cooled fast reactors, 2; Methodologies and calculations of severe accident phases

Sogabe, Joji; Ishida, Shinya; Tagami, Hirotaka; Okano, Yasushi; Kamiyama, Kenji; Onoda, Yuichi; Matsuba, Kenichi; Yamano, Hidemasa; Kubo, Shigenobu; Kubota, Ryuzaburo*; et al.

Proceedings of International Conference on Nuclear Fuel Cycle (GLOBAL2024) (Internet), 4 Pages, 2024/10

In the frame of France-Japan collaboration, the calculational methodologies were defined and assessed, and the phenomenology and the severe accident consequences were investigated in a pool-type sodium-cooled fast reactor.

France-Japan collaboration on severe accident studies in sodium-cooled fast reactors, 3; Thermodynamic, Kinetic, and Thermophysical Studies of Core Material Mixture

Yamano, Hidemasa; Emura, Yuki; Takai, Toshihide; Kubo, Shigenobu; Quaini, A.*; Fossati, P.*; Delacroix, J.*; Journeau, C.*

Proceedings of International Conference on Nuclear Fuel Cycle (GLOBAL2024) (Internet), 4 Pages, 2024/10

This report mainly introduces trends in fast reactor development in Japan in addition to introducing overseas development trends for major developing countries. The paper describes major severe accident study results focusing on kinetics of interaction in core material mixtures, physical properties of core material mixtures, high temperature thermodynamic data for the uranium oxide (UO)-iron (Fe)-boron carbide (BC) system, experimental studies on BC-stainless steel (SS) kinetics and BC-SS eutectic material relocation (freezing), and BC-SS eutectic and kinetics models for severe accident code systems,

Development of safety design technologies for sodium-cooled fast reactor coupled to thermal energy storage system with sodium-molten salt heat exchanger, 2; Study of sodium-molten salt heat exchanger heat transfer performance

Hayashi, Masaaki*; Nakahara, Hirotaka*; Shirakura, Shota*; Yamano, Hidemasa

Proceedings of International Conference on Nuclear Fuel Cycle (GLOBAL2024) (Internet), 4 Pages, 2024/10

As part of the development of risk assessment technologies for sodium-cooled fast reactor coupled to thermal energy storage (TES) system with sodium-molten salt heat exchanger (HX), simple evaluation of heat transfer performance using heat transfer coefficient formula is performed. And Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) thermal analyses by STAR-CCM+ with partial HX model are performed to develop evaluation technology. The performance evaluation technology of a HX between sodium and molten salt and the confirmation of heat transfer improvement measures effects is developed.

Development of probabilistic risk assessment methodology using artificial intelligence technology, 3; Automatic fault tree creation tools for failure mode level fault tree

Futagami, Satoshi; Kondo, Yuki; Yamano, Hidemasa; Kurisaka, Kenichi

Proceedings of Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Management & Asian Symposium on Risk Assessment and Management (PSAM17 & ASRAM2024) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2024/10

Effectiveness evaluation of the measures for improving resilience of nuclear structures against excessive earthquake, 2; Accident sequences analysis

Kurisaka, Kenichi; Nishino, Hiroyuki; Yamano, Hidemasa

Proceedings of Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Management & Asian Symposium on Risk Assessment and Management (PSAM17 & ASRAM2024) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2024/10

The objective of this study is to implement an effectiveness evaluation of the measures for improving resilience of nuclear structures against excessive earthquake. In this study, those measures for improving resilience have an effect to enlarge their seismic safety margin. To evaluate effectiveness of those measures, seismic core damage frequency (CDF) is selected as an index. Reduction of CDF as an effectiveness index is quantified by applying seismic PRA technology. Target system is a loop-type next-generation sodium-cooled fast reactor, which adopts the building isolated from horizontal seismic ground motion. Even if the reactor vessel (RV) is buckled due to seismic shaking, it is expected that the RV maintains stable state without unstable failure such as rupture, collapse. Realistic consideration of the post-buckling behavior is regarded as a measure for improving resilience in this study. We set two cases for improving the resilience in the accident sequences analysis. The first case assumes low-cycle fatigue failure after buckling as the realistic failure mode of the RV, and we applied the fragility evaluated in our study. After the RV fatigue failure, the behavior of failure propagation is very uncertain. As the second case, the median seismic capacity to loss of reactor level is assumed to be slightly larger than that of fatigue failure of the RV. Analyses for both cases were performed, and the results were compared to the base case indicating significant reduction of CDF. Within the assumption, the measures for improving the resilience were significantly effective for decreasing CDF in excessive earthquake up to several times of a design basis ground motion. The seismic PRA technology could serve to the effectiveness evaluation of the measures for improving resilience of nuclear structures against excessive earthquake.