Study on evaluation method of kernel migration of TRISO fuel for High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor

Fukaya, Yuji; Okita, Shoichiro; Sasaki, Koei; Ueta, Shohei; Goto, Minoru; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Yan, X.

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 399, p.112033_1 - 112033_9, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2022.112033

Kernel migration of TRi-structural ISOtropic (TRISO) fuel for High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) has been analyzed to investigate the potential dominating effects. Kernel migration is a major fuel failure mode and dominant to determine the lifetime of the fuel for High Temperature engineering Test Reactor (HTTR). However, this study shows that the result and reliability depend on the evaluation method. The evaluation method used in this study takes into account of actual distribution of Coated Fuel Particles (CFPs) and the resulting heterogeneous fuel temperature calculation with such distribution. The result shows that the Kernel Migration Rate (KMR) is predicted to be about 10% less compared with the most conservative evaluation.

Extended neutron orbital and the shell closure in Ca

Enciu, M.*; Liu, H. N.*; Obertelli, A.*; Doornenbal, P.*; Nowacki, F.*; Ogata, Kazuyuki*; Poves, A.*; Yoshida, Kazuki; Achouri, N. L.*; Baba, Hidetada*; et al.

Physical Review Letters, 129(26), p.262501_1 - 262501_7, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.262501

The one-neutron knockout from Ca was performed at 230 MeV/nucleon combined with prompt spectroscopy. The momentum distributions corresponding to the removal of and neutrons were measured. The cross sections are consistent with a shell closure at the neutron number , found as strong as at and in Ca isotopes from the same observables. The analysis of the momentum distributions leads to a difference of the root-mean-square radii of the neutron and orbitals of 0.61(23) fm, in agreement with the modified-shell-model prediction of 0.7 fm suggesting that the large root-mean-square radius of the orbital in neutron-rich Ca isotopes is responsible for the unexpected linear increase of the charge radius with the neutron number.

A First glimpse at the shell structure beyond Ca; Spectroscopy of K, Ca, and Ca

Koiwai, Takuma*; Wimmer, K.*; Doornenbal, P.*; Obertelli, A.*; Barbieri, C.*; Duguet, T.*; Holt, J. D.*; Miyagi, Takayuki*; Navrtil, P.*; Ogata, Kazuyuki*; et al.

Physics Letters B, 827, p.136953_1 - 136953_7, 2022/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2022.136953

no abstracts in English

Toxicity reduction with total volume control in nuclear waste

Fukaya, Yuji; Ueta, Shohei; Yamamoto, Tomohiko; Chikazawa, Yoshitaka; Yan, X.

Nuclear Technology, 208(2), p.335 - 346, 2022/02

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2021.1901001

When the total volume control on toxicity for nuclear waste management is applied, it becomes a limiting factor for the permittable total operation capacity of nuclear reactors. An alternative conceptual scenario to achieve the control is proposed that aims at toxicity reduction through Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T). Specifically, the electricity generation capacity could be inversely increased up with transmutation of Sr-Cs. Simultaneously, the cooling time before disposal is reduced to 50 years from the 300 years required by the existing scenarios such as (Accelerator Driven System (ADS). Finally, the scenario is also found feasible in terms of energy balance and cost by the neutron source of Li(d,xn) reaction with the deuteron accelerator for transmutation.

Investigation of the ground-state spin inversion in the neutron-rich Cl isotopes

Linh, B. D.*; Corsi, A.*; Gillibert, A.*; Obertelli, A.*; Doornenbal, P.*; Barbieri, C.*; Chen, S.*; Chung, L. X.*; Duguet, T.*; Gmez-Ramos, M.*; et al.

Physical Review C, 104(4), p.044331_1 - 044331_16, 2021/10

AA2021-0468.pdf:1.29MB

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.104.044331

no abstracts in English

Part 3, Evaluating a small modular high temperature reactor design during control rod withdrawal and a depressurised loss of coolant accidents

Atkinson, S.*; Aoki, Takeshi; Litskevich, D.*; Merk, B.*; Yan, X.

Progress in Nuclear Energy, 134, p.103689_1 - 103689_10, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2021.103689

This article evaluates the safety features of the designed 10 MWth U-Battery concept with respect to a control rod withdrawal and a depressurised loss of coolant accident. This article provides the evaluation methodology for both transients, using a one-dimensional heat transfer model involving point reactor kinetic model to simulate reactor feedback in the control rod withdrawal. Overall, this work has shown that during the control rod withdrawal the fuel temperature rises by 110 K and at this point the excess reactivity is compensated by the negative temperature coefficient of the fuel. During the depressurised loss of coolant accident, the maximum fuel temperature reached 1455 K after 60 hours. This concludes that during both transients the temperatures maintained well below the maximum fuel operating temperature.

High temperature gas-cooled reactors

Takeda, Tetsuaki*; Inagaki, Yoshiyuki; Aihara, Jun; Aoki, Takeshi; Fujiwara, Yusuke; Fukaya, Yuji; Goto, Minoru; Ho, H. Q.; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; Imai, Yoshiyuki; et al.

High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors; JSME Series in Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation, Vol.5, 464 Pages, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/C2018-0-05383-9

As a general overview of the research and development of a High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) in JAEA, this book describes the achievements by the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) on the designs, key component technologies such as fuel, reactor internals, high temperature components, etc., and operational experience such as rise-to-power tests, high temperature operation at 950C, safety demonstration tests, etc. In addition, based on the knowledge of the HTTR, the development of designs and component technologies such as high performance fuel, helium gas turbine and hydrogen production by IS process for commercial HTGRs are described. These results are very useful for the future development of HTGRs. This book is published as one of a series of technical books on fossil fuel and nuclear energy systems by the Power Energy Systems Division of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers.

= 32 shell closure below calcium; Low-lying structure of Ar

Corts, M. L.*; Rodriguez, W.*; Doornenbal, P.*; Obertelli, A.*; Holt, J. D.*; Menndez, J.*; Ogata, Kazuyuki*; Schwenk, A.*; Shimizu, Noritaka*; Simonis, J.*; et al.

Physical Review C, 102(6), p.064320_1 - 064320_9, 2020/12

AA2020-0748.pdf:0.75MB

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.102.064320

Low-lying excited states in the = 32 isotope Ar were investigated by in-beam -ray spectroscopy following proton- and neutron-knockout, multinucleon removal, and proton inelastic scattering at the RIKEN Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory. The energies of the two previously reported transitions have been confirmed, and five additional states are presented for the first time, including a candidate for a 3 state. The level scheme built using coincidences was compared to shell-model calculations in the model space and to predictions based on chiral two- and three-nucleon interactions. Theoretical proton- and neutron-knockout cross sections suggest that two of the new transitions correspond to 2 states, while the previously proposed 4 state could also correspond to a 2 state.

Research and development on high burnup HTGR fuels in JAEA

Ueta, Shohei; Mizuta, Naoki; Sasaki, Koei; Sakaba, Nariaki; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Yan, X.

Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 7(3), p.19-00571_1 - 19-00571_12, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1299/mej.19-00571

JAEA has been progressing to design HTGR fuels for not only small-type practical HTGRs but also VHTR proposed in GIF which can be utilized for various purposes with high-temperature heat at 750 to 950 C. To increase economy of these HTGRs, JAEA has been upgrading the design method for the HTGR fuel, which can maintain their integrities at the burnup of three to four times higher than that of the conventional HTTR fuel. Design principles and specifications of various concepts of the high burnup HTGR fuels designed by JAEA are reported. As the latest results on post-irradiation examinations of the high burnup HTGR fuel progressing in a framework of international collaboration with Kazakhstan, irradiation shrinkage rate of the fuel compact as a function of fast neutron fluence was obtained at around 100 GWd/t. Furthermore, the future R&Ds needed for the high burnup HTGR fuel are described based on these experimental results.

Research and development for safety and licensing of HTGR cogeneration system

Sato, Hiroyuki; Aoki, Takeshi; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Yan, X.

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 360, p.110493_1 - 110493_8, 2020/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110493

JAEA has been conducting research and development with a central focus on the utilization of HTTR, the first HTGR in Japan, towards the realization of industrial use of nuclear heat. On the basis of licensing experience through the HTTR construction, JAEA initiated an activity to establish an international safety standard for licensing of commercial HTGR cogeneration systems fully taking into account safety features of HTGRs. We have developed a roadmap towards licensing of commercial HTGR cogeneration systems. A test plan using the HTTR to support the establishment of safety standards and safety analysis methods are also presented. In addition, we confirmed that a vessel cooling system, a passive air-cooled decay heat removal system, satisfies the safety requirement.