In situ reaction and alteration of mudstone-cement interfaces at the Horonobe URL; Comparison between ordinary Portland cement and low alkaline cement

出井 俊太郎; 柴田 真仁*; 根岸 久美*; 杉浦 佑樹; 天野 由記; Bateman, K.*; Wilson, J.*; 横山 立憲; 鏡味 沙耶; 武田 匡樹; et al.

Results in Earth Sciences (Internet), 3, p.100097_1 - 100097_16, 2025/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rines.2025.100097

高レベル放射性廃棄物の地層処分において、セメントと泥岩の相互作用による化学的擾乱領域が形成され、岩盤中の核種移行特性に影響を及ぼす可能性がある。本研究では、11年前に幌延深地層研究センターの140m調査坑道に施工されたセメント(普通ポルトランドセメント(OPC)および低アルカリ性セメント(LAC))と泥岩の界面における変質状態について調査した。複数の分析手法を組み合わせることで、セメントの溶解、方解石やC-(A-)S-H相などの二次鉱物の析出、モンモリロナイトの陽イオン交換、泥岩の空隙率の低下など、セメントと岩石の界面における主要な反応が特定された。また、空隙率の低下による拡散の低下や、変質した泥岩中の二次鉱物への取り込みによる収着の促進など、セメントと泥岩の相互作用が放射性核種の移行に及ぼす影響についても明らかになった。

Investigating eutectic behavior and material relocation in BC-stainless steel composites using the improved MPS method

Ahmed, Z.*; Wu, S.*; Sharma, A.*; Kumar, R.*; 山野 秀将; Pellegrini, M.*; 横山 諒*; 岡本 孝司*

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 250, p.127343_1 - 127343_17, 2025/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2025.127343

The study aims to measure boron concentration through the unidirectional diffusion of boron within the stainless steel (SS) layers while evaluating the updated model ability to replicate melt relocation behavior and geometry. In the current MPS simulations, one scenario employed dummy walls as heat sources, while another scenario used SS surface particles as heat sources to avoid interference with the melt flow as it reached the bottom of the specimen.

Heat transfer coefficient modeling for downward saturated boiling flows in vertical pipes

和田 裕貴; 柴本 泰照; 日引 俊詞*

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 249, p.127219_1 - 127219_16, 2025/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2025.127219

Two saturated boiling heat transfer correlations for downward flows in vertical circular pipes depending on wall superheat or wall heat flux as input parameters were developed based on a heat transfer experimental database. Owing to the absence of heat transfer correlations specifically developed for downward flows, existing heat transfer correlations for different flow directions were evaluated to determine their applicability to predicting the downward flow heat transfer coefficient. The results revealed that even the most accurate correlation showed a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 66.5%, highlighting the need for improving predictive performance. In response, the downward flow heat transfer correlation was modeled by integrating a nucleate boiling heat transfer term and a forced convection heat transfer term. The Dong-Hibiki correlation, a two-component, two-phase heat transfer correlation for downward flows, was adopted for the forced convection heat transfer term. The Forster-Zuber correlation, developed as a wall superheat function, and the Cooper correlation, developed as a wall heat flux function, were used for the nucleate boiling term to develop the heat transfer correlations where either wall superheat or wall heat flux is known. Notably, the Dong-Hibiki correlation has been validated over a wide range of experimental conditions. A correction factor was applied to the nucleate boiling term to address errors caused by applying Foster-Zuber and Cooper correlations to downward flows. The two developed correlations achieved an MAPE value of approximately 20%, representing an improvement of roughly 40% over existing correlations of heat transfer coefficients.

High-temperature oxidation failure in reactivity-initiated accidents; An Evaluation of failure criteria based on oxygen concentration from the previous NSRR experiments

Luu, V. N.; 谷口 良徳; 宇田川 豊; 勝山 仁哉

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 442, p.114222_1 - 114222_15, 2025/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2025.114222

For near-term application, coated-Zr alloy claddings show potential for enhancing safety by providing better oxidation resistance and minimizing hydrogen absorption under design-basis accidents (DBA). This benefit could extend the burnup and operational cycles of fuel rods. In assessing safety, reactivity-initiated accidents (RIA) are considered as one of the DBA conditions. The current safety criteria for high-temperature oxidation failure, one of the failure modes linked to RIA, are defined by peak fuel enthalpy values that range from 205 to 270 cal/g. This wide variability presents challenges when attempting to generalize criteria for modified-Zr alloy claddings with superior oxidation resistance. Therefore, it may be more relevant to apply failure criteria based on embrittlement mechanisms, such as oxygen concentration in the -Zr phase. This study aimed to assess the failure based on both peak fuel enthalpy and cladding embrittlement by analyzing previous NSRR experiments conducted with conventional materials using the RANNS fuel performance code. The findings suggest that the failure criteria associated with cladding embrittlement can provide a rational evaluation of failure behavior compared to the existing criterion based on peak fuel enthalpy. The local failure criterion leading to the formation of through-wall cracks during quenching is consistent with Chung's proposal (NUREG/CR-1344): -Zr thickness of 0.9 wt% oxygen is less than 0.1 mm, and this corresponds to approximately 35% BJ-ECR.

Nuclear hydrogen demonstration project using the HTTR; Demarcation of nuclear-industrial laws and design standards

青木 健; 清水 厚志; 石井 克典; 守田 圭介; 水田 直紀; 倉林 薫; 安田 貴則; 野口 弘喜; 野本 恭信; 飯垣 和彦; et al.

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 220, p.111503_1 - 111503_7, 2025/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2025.111503

原子力機構は、核熱により水素を製造する原子力水素製造システムの接続技術を確立するため、HTTR-熱利用試験プロジェクトを開始し、その許認可に向けた安全設計及び安全解析を行っている。本研究では、原子力水素製造システムの適用法令及び設計基準の区分の候補の優劣を評価するための相対評価手法を提案し、それをHTTR-熱利用試験施設に適用した。評価の結果、高圧ガス保安法を熱利用試験施設(水素製造施設)に適用し、高圧ガス保安法に基づく設計基準を水蒸気改質器に適用する候補は、いずれの指標においても最下位とならず、最も優れた候補として提案された。

Sharp surface tension model with pressure discontinuity and refined curvature for multiphase particle methods

Wang, Z.; 松本 俊慶; 柴本 泰照; Duan, G.*

Journal of Computational Physics, 537, p.114072_1 - 114072_29, 2025/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2025.114072

In this study, we develop a novel sharp surface tension (SST) model for multiphase particle methods. Our approach integrates surface tension directly into pressure computation, enabling precise representation of pressure discontinuities across interfaces and effectively mitigating parasitic currents. In addition, to improve curvature accuracy, particularly in scenarios involving topological changes, a co-directional scheme is proposed to faithfully consider interfacial normal vectors. Furthermore, we reconstruct the interfacial particle shifting scheme to separately address tangential, normal, and repulsive components, effectively suppressing the common problem of interface particle mixing in multiphase particle methods. The effectiveness and reliability are rigorously validated through a series of numerical tests, including the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, curvature verification, droplet deformation and coalescence, as well as bubble rising and coalescence. The results demonstrate the superior accuracy and robustness of the proposed method, marking a significant advancement in simulations of multiphase flow with surface tension.

Microstructural evolution and mechanical instability of Mar-M509 superalloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion under short-term thermal exposure

Cao, T.*; Wei, D.*; Gong, W.; 川崎 卓郎; Harjo, S.; 他10名*

Materials Science and Engineering A, 940, p.148534_1 - 148534_16, 2025/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2025.148534

The thermal stability of microstructure and mechanical performance is crucial for the industrial application of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) superalloy components in gas turbines and jet engines. This work investigated the microstructural evolution and strengthening mechanism of LPBF Mar-M509 cobalt-based superalloy before and after thermal exposure at 1200 C using multi-scale microstructural characterization and in situ neutron diffraction tensile testing. The as-built Mar-M509 superalloy exhibited a heterogeneous microstructural features with coarse columnar and fine equiaxed grains, both containing dendritic and cellular substructures enriched with nanoscale carbides and high-density dislocations. The ultra high strength of the as-built sample was primarily attributed to dislocation-precipitation synergistic strengthening. After thermal exposure at 1200 C for 4 h, the dendritic and cellular substructures disappeared and the dislocation density decreased significantly. This study reveals the microstructural evolution and instability of LPBF Mar-M509 superalloy under high-temperature exposure and the impacts on mechanical properties, which provides critical support for the development of cobalt-based superalloys in high-temperature application fields.

Detection of beta-emitting radioactive hotspots inside the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 3 reactor building using an optical fiber radiation sensor based on wavelength-resolving analysis

寺阪 祐太; 佐藤 優樹; 一場 雄太*

Radiation Measurements, 187, p.107486_1 - 107486_8, 2025/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2025.107486

We measured the distribution of beta-ray emitters inside the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 3 reactor building using a novel optical fiber-based position-sensitive radiation sensor designed for operation in high dose rate environments. Plastic scintillation fibers (PSFs) were installed inside the Unit 3 reactor building, where scintillation light generated through interactions between radiation and the PSFs was detected by a spectrometer to obtain the wavelength spectrum. By applying an unfolding method to the wavelength spectrum, we estimated the distribution of beta ray emitters along the PSFs. To isolate the beta ray contribution in a high gamma dose rate field, we compared measurements taken with and without a stainless steel tube serving as a beta ray shield. As a result, we identified a hotspot predominantly influenced by beta rays for the first time in the high dose rate area on the southern side of the first floor of the Unit 3 reactor building.

Modeling the extraction of bound rubber from silica-filled styrene-butadiene rubber with toluene

田村 由起子*; 荒川 勝利*; 竹中 幹人*; 中西 洋平*; 藤波 想*; 柴田 基樹*; 山本 勝宏*; 宮田 登*; 山田 雅子*; 瀬戸 秀紀*; et al.

Polymer, 333, p.128662_1 - 128662_8, 2025/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2025.128662

To investigate the relationship between the mechanical properties of silica-filled styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and the amount of bound rubber at the filler/rubber interface, the polymer matrix was extracted from silica-filled SBR using toluene at room temperature. In this study, this extraction process was reproduced by leaching a thermally annealed SBR layer deposited on a Si substrate in toluene at room temperature, where the adsorption layer of the SBR was grown at the interface with the substrate by thermal annealing. The SBR adsorption layer on the Si substrate has two-layer structures consisting of an inner and outer adsorption layers, which correspond to the tightly and loosely bound rubbers on the filler surface of the silica-filled SBR, respectively. For the sample annealed for less than 6 h, the outer adsorption layer, loosely bound to the substrate, was easily leached in toluene for 5 min, leaving only the inner adsorption layer on the substrate. For the samples annealed for more than 24 h, a large portion of the outer adsorption layer remained on top of the inner adsorption layer as a terrace structure. However, even for the sample annealed for 24 h, treating with toluene for 24 h completely leached the outer adsorption layer from the inner adsorption layer, although the inner adsorption layer remained on the substrate. It was found that the loosely bound rubber in the silica-filled SBR could be easily extracted from the filler surface, along with the free polymer chains in the polymer matrix during extraction with toluene at room temperature. In contrast, the tightly bound rubber was not leached by toluene at room temperature. This may be because the interfacial polymer chains within approximately 1 nm of the substrate surface were strongly constrained to the substrate, and even toluene molecules were excluded.

バックエンド技術部年報(2023年度)

バックエンド技術部

JAEA-Review 2025-006, 126 Pages, 2025/07

JAEA-Review-2025-006.pdf:4.45MB

本報告書は、日本原子力研究開発機構原子力科学研究部門原子力科学研究所バックエンド技術部における2023年度(2023年4月1日から2024年3月31日まで)の活動をまとめたものであり、所掌する施設の運転・管理、放射性廃棄物の処理・管理、施設の廃止措置に関する業務、これらに関連する技術開発及び研究成果の概要を取りまとめた。2023年度の放射性廃棄物の処理実績は、可燃性固体廃棄物が約156m、不燃性固体廃棄物が約84m、液体廃棄物が約295m(希釈処理約173mを含む)であった。新たな保管体の発生数は、200Lドラム缶換算837本であった。公益社団法人日本アイソトープ協会への保管体の返還作業及び保管廃棄していた廃棄物の減容処理を行うことにより、保管体数の削減に取り組んだ結果、最終的に2023年度末の累積保管体数は2022年度から4,261本減の118,664本となった。保管廃棄施設・Lの保管体健全性確認作業は、本格運用を継続して実施した。また、放射性廃棄物処理場が新規制基準に適合していることの確認を受けるため、設計及び工事方法の認可申請を原子力規制庁に対し、順次、実施した。廃止措置に関しては、再処理特別研究棟において、機器の撤去等を実施した。バックエンドに関連する研究・技術開発においては、廃棄物放射能評価法の構築に向けて、採取した廃棄物試料の放射能分析を実施した。また福島第一原子力発電所事故に伴い発生した除去土壌の埋立処分に関する実証事業について、埋立完了後のモニタリングを継続した。