Development of the multi-cubic -ray spectrometer and its performance under intense Cs and Co radiation fields

Kaburagi, Masaaki; Shimazoe, Kenji*; Kato, Masahiro*; Kurosawa, Tadahiro*; Kamada, Kei*; Kim, K. J.*; Yoshino, Masao*; Shoji, Yasuhiro*; Yoshikawa, Akira*; Takahashi, Hiroyuki*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1010, p.165544_1 - 165544_9, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2021.165544

The number of nuclear facilities being decommissioned has been increasing worldwide, in particular following the accident of the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings' Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in 2011. In these nuclear facilities, proper management of radioactive materials is required. Then, A -ray spectrometer with four segmentations using small volume CeBr scintillators with a dimension of was developed. The four scintillators were coupled to a multi-anode photomultiplier tube specific to intense radiation fields. We performed the -ray exposure study under Cs and Co radiation fields. Under the Cs radiation field, the relative energy resolution at 1375 mSv/h was the relative energy resolution at 1375 mSv/h was 9.20.05%, 8.00.08%, 8.00.03%, and 9.00.04% for the four channels, respectively.

Gamma-ray spectroscopy with a CeBr scintillator under intense -ray fields for nuclear decommissioning

Kaburagi, Masaaki; Shimazoe, Kenji*; Kato, Masahiro*; Kurosawa, Tadahiro*; Kamada, Kei*; Kim, K. J.*; Yoshino, Masao*; Shoji, Yasuhiro*; Yoshikawa, Akira*; Takahashi, Hiroyuki*; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 988, p.164900_1 - 164900_8, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164900

An increasing number of nuclear facilities have been decommissioned worldwide following the 2011 accident of the TEPCO' Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. During the decommissioning, radioactive materials have to be retrieved under proper management. In this study, a small cubic CeBr spectrometer with dimensions of 5 mm 5 mm 5 mm was manufactured to perform -ray spectroscopy under intense -ray fields. Furthermore, thanks to a fast digital process unit and a customized photomultiplier, the device could perform -ray spectroscopy at dose rates of over 1 Sv/h. The energy resolution (FWHM) at 662 keV ranged from 4.4% at 22 mSv/h to 5.2% at 1407 mSv/h for a Cs radiation field. Correspondingly, at 1333 keV, it ranged from 3.1% at 26 mSv/h to 4.2% at 2221 mSv/h for a Co radiation field, which suggested to realize -ray assessment of Cs, Cs, Co, and Eu at dose rates of over 1 Sv/h.

A Cubic CeBr gamma-ray spectrometer suitable for the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

Kaburagi, Masaaki; Shimazoe, Kenji*; Otaka, Yutaka*; Uenomachi, Mizuki*; Kamada, Kei*; Kim, K. J.*; Yoshino, Masao*; Shoji, Yasuhiro*; Yoshikawa, Akira*; Takahashi, Hiroyuki*; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 971, p.164118_1 - 164118_8, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164118

Field test around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant site using improved Ce:Gd(Al,Ga)O scintillator Compton camera mounted on an unmanned helicopter

Shikaze, Yoshiaki; Nishizawa, Yukiyasu; Sanada, Yukihisa; Torii, Tatsuo; Jiang, J.*; Shimazoe, Kenji*; Takahashi, Hiroyuki*; Yoshino, Masao*; Ito, Shigeki*; Endo, Takanori*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 53(12), p.1907 - 1918, 2016/12

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2016.1185980

The Compton camera was improved for use with the unmanned helicopter. Increase of the scintillator array from 44 to 88 and expanse of the distance between the two layers contributed to the improvements of detection efficiency and angular resolution, respectively. Measurements were performed over the riverbed of the Ukedo river of Namie town in Fukushima Prefecture. By programming of flight path and speed, the areas of 65 m 60 m and 65 m 180 m were measured during about 20 and 30 minutes, respectively. By the analysis the air dose rate maps at 1 m height were obtained precisely with the angular resolution corresponding to the position resolution of about 10 m from 10 m height. Hovering flights were executed over the hot spot areas for 10-20 minutes at 5-20 m height. By using the reconstruction software the -ray images including the hot spots were obtained with the angular resolution same as that evaluated in the laboratory (about 10).

Swelling of radiation-cured polymer precursor powder for silicon carbide by pyrolysis

Takeyama, Akinori; Idesaki, Akira; Sugimoto, Masaki; Yoshikawa, Masahito

Journal of Asian Ceramic Societies (Internet), 3(4), p.402 - 406, 2015/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jascer.2015.08.003

Enhancement of the methodology of repository design and post-closure performance assessment for preliminary investigation stage, 3; Progress report on NUMO-JAEA collaborative research in FY2013 (Joint research)

Shibata, Masahiro; Sawada, Atsushi; Tachi, Yukio; Makino, Hitoshi; Wakasugi, Keiichiro; Mitsui, Seiichiro; Kitamura, Akira; Yoshikawa, Hideki; Oda, Chie; Ishidera, Takamitsu; et al.

JAEA-Research 2014-030, 457 Pages, 2015/03

JAEA-Research-2014-030.pdf:199.23MB

JAEA and NUMO have conducted a collaborative research work which is designed to enhance the methodology of repository design and post-closure performance assessment in preliminary investigation stage. With regard to (1) study on rock suitability in terms of hydrology, based on some examples of developing method of hydro-geological structure model, acquired knowledge are arranged using the tree diagram, and model uncertainty and its influence on the evaluation items were discussed. With regard to (2) study on scenario development, the developed approach for "defining conditions" has been reevaluated and improved from practical viewpoints. In addition, the uncertainty evaluation for the effect of use of cementitious material, as well as glass dissolution model, was conducted with analytical evaluation. With regard to (3) study on setting radionuclide migration parameters, based on survey of precedent procedures, multiple-approach for distribution coefficient of rocks was established, and the adequacy of the approach was confirmed though its application to sedimentary rock and granitic rock. Besides, an approach for solubility setting was developed including the procedure of selection of solubility limiting solid phase. The adequacy of the approach was confirmed though its application to key radionuclides.

Thermodynamic model for the solubility of Ba(SeO, SO) precipitates

Rai, D.*; Felmy, A. R.*; Moore, D. A.*; Kitamura, Akira; Yoshikawa, Hideki; Doi, Reisuke; Yoshida, Yasushi*

Radiochimica Acta, 102(8), p.711 - 721, 2014/08

https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2013-2207

The solubility of Ba(SeO, SO) precipitates was determined as a function of the BaSeO mole fractions, ranging from 0.0015 to 0.3830, and time with an equilibration period extending to as long as 302 days. Equilibrium/steady state conditions in this system are reached in 65 days. Pitzer's ion interaction model was used to calculate solid and aqueous phase activity coefficients. Thermodynamic analyses showed that the data do not satisfy Gibbs-Duhem equation, thereby demonstrating that a single-solid solution phase does not control both the selenate and sulfate concentrations. Our extensive data with [Ba], [SeO], and [SO] can be explained with the formation of an ideal BaSeO solid solution phase that controls the selenium concentrations and a slightly disordered/less-crystalline BaSO(s) that controls the sulfate concentrations. In these experiments the BaSO component of the solid solution phase never reaches thermodynamic equilibrium with the aqueous phase. Thermodynamic interpretations of the data show that both the ideal BaSeO solid solution phase and less-crystalline BaSO(s) phase are in equilibrium with each other in the entire range of BaSeO mole fractions investigated in this study.

A Macroporous SiC material synthesized from preceramic polymer with direct foaming and radiation curing

Idesaki, Akira; Sugimoto, Masaki; Yoshikawa, Masahito

JAEA-Review 2013-059, JAEA Takasaki Annual Report 2012, P. 42, 2014/03

https://jopss.jaea.go.jp/pdfdata/JAEA-Review-2013-059.pdf

A macroporous SiC material was synthesized from polycarbosilane (PCS) by direct foaming and radiation curing. A mixture of PCS and biurea, a blowing agent, was heat-treated in Ar to obtain foamed PCS body, irradiated by -rays to fix the shaped body and finally pyrolyzed at 1000C in Ar. In this work, effects of foaming temperature (280-320C) and biurea content (0-1wt%) on the properties of obtained porous SiC material such as average cell size, porosity, compressive strength were investigated. It was found that the average cell size increased as foaming temperature and/or biurea content increased. Corresponding to increasing in average cell size, total porosity and open porosity increased and bulk density, closed porosity and compressive strength decreased. In case of the foaming at 280C with biurea content of 1wt%, obtained porous SiC material showed average cell size of 0.5 mm, total porosity of 74% and compressive strength of 3.2 MPa.

Decontamination of school facilities in Fukushima-city

Yoshikawa, Hideki; Iijima, Kazuki; Sasamoto, Hiroshi; Fujiwara, Kenso; Mitsui, Seiichiro; Kitamura, Akira; Kurikami, Hiroshi; Tokizawa, Takayuki; Yui, Mikazu; Nakayama, Shinichi

Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, Vol.1518, p.269 - 275, 2013/10

https://doi.org/10.1557/opl.2013.75

Following the release of radionuclides into the environment as a result of the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) had to develop an immediate and effective method of reducing the dose rate received by students in school facilities. A demonstration of a reducing method was carried out by JAEA at a junior high school ground and kindergarten yard in the center of Fukushima-city. Dose rates of the released radionuclides are largely controlled by the ground level contamination and accumulation of mainly cesium-137 (Cs) and cesium-134 (Cs) in populated areas. An effective means of reducing dose rate was to remove the surface soil and to bury it on-site under fresh uncontaminated soil or soil collected under deep depth at the site for shielding. The dose rate at1 m above ground level was reduced from 2.5 Sv/h to 0.15 Sv/h.

Development of utility for on-site recording of dose rate and program for data accumulation, mapping and management using GPS and GIS (DRaMM-GiGs)

Kitamura, Akira; Fujiwara, Kenso; Yoshikawa, Hideki; Gomi, Katsuhiko*

Genshiryoku Bakkuendo Kenkyu (CD-ROM), 20(1), p.15 - 19, 2013/06

https://doi.org/10.3327/jnuce.20.15

We developed an integrated system on setting many monitoring spots in playgrounds and fields and simultaneously recording of monitored results with spot, date and time for a decontamination project. This system enables to set grid squares containing many spots to be monitored and to integrate all the monitored spots using a geographic information system (GIS). Furthermore, we could easily access to the monitoring spots in pre-set grid squares using a personal digital assistant with a highly accurate global positioning system (GPS) and a camera. All the monitored results are linked up with location, date and time, and photos taken around the spot, and could be efficiently managed in an integrated fashion in a personal computer. As a result, we saved many times and manpowers for monitoring and data summarizing, and succeeded to conduct the monitoring quickly and accurately.