Numerical analysis of natural convective heat transfer with porous medium using JUPITER

Uesawa, Shinichiro; Yamashita, Susumu; Sano, Yoshihiko*; Yoshida, Hiroyuki

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 62(6), p.523 - 541, 2025/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2025.2451023

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has developed a numerical method with the JUPITER code with a porous medium model to calculate the thermal behavior in PCVs of 1F. In this study, we performed an experiment and numerical simulation of the natural convective heat transfer with the porous medium to validate JUPITER with the porous medium model. In comparison of the temperature and velocity distributions between the experiment and simulation, the temperature distribution in the simulation was in good agreement with the distribution in the experiment except the temperature near the top surface of the porous medium. The velocity distribution also agreed qualitatively with the experimental result. In addition, we also performed the numerical simulations with various effective thermal conductivity models to discuss the effect of the conductivity based on the internal structure of porous media on the natural convective heat transfer. The result indicated that the temperature distribution in the porous medium and the velocity distribution of the natural convection were significantly different for each model, and thus the conductivity of the fuel debris was one of the key parameters of in the thermal behavior analysis in 1F.

Numerical investigation of the accuracy of a conductance-type wire-mesh sensor for a single spherical bubble and bubbly flow

Uesawa, Shinichiro; Ono, Ayako; Nagatake, Taku; Yamashita, Susumu; Yoshida, Hiroyuki

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 62(5), p.432 - 456, 2025/05

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2024.2447366

We performed electrostatic simulations of a wire-mesh sensor (WMS) for a single spherical bubble and bubbly flow to clarify the accuracy of the WMS. The electrostatic simulation for the single bubble showed the electric current density distribution and the electric current path from the excited transmitter to receivers for various bubble locations. It indicated systematic errors based on the nonuniform current density distribution around the WMS. The electrostatic simulation for the bubbly flow calculated by the computational fluid dynamics code, JAEA Utility Program for Interdisciplinary Thermal-hydraulics Engineering and Research (JUPITER), indicated that the WMS had difficulty in quantitatively measuring the intermediate values of the instantaneous void fraction between 0 and 1 because they cannot be estimated by previous transformation methods from the WMS signal to the void fraction, such as linear approximation or Maxwell's equation, and have a significant deviation of the void fraction of 0.2 for the WMS signal. However, the electrostatic simulation indicated that the time-averaged void fractions around the center of the flow channel can be estimated using linear approximation, and the time-averaged void fraction near the wall of the flow channel can be estimated using Maxwell's equation.

Investigation on multi-dimensional short-term behaviour through benchmark analysis of a large-volume sodium combustion experiment

Sonehara, Masateru; Okano, Yasushi; Uchibori, Akihiro; Oki, Hiroshi*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 62(5), p.403 - 414, 2025/05

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2024.2441427

For sodium-cooled fast reactors, understanding sodium combustion behaviour is crucial for managing sodium leakage accidents. In this study, we perform benchmark analyses of the Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) T3 experiment using the multi-dimensional thermal hydraulic code AQUA-SF. Conducted in an enclosed space with a large vessel volume of 100 m and a sodium mass flow rate of 1 kg/s, the experiment highlighted the multi-dimensional effects of local temperature increase shortly after sodium injection. This study aims to extend the capabilities of AQUA-SF by focusing on the simulation of these multi-dimensional temperature variations, in particular the formation of high temperature regions at the bottom of the vessel. The proposed models include the temporary stopping of sodium droplet ignition and spray combustion of sodium splash on the floor. Furthermore, it has been shown that additional heat source near the floor is essential to enhance the reproduction of the high temperature region at the bottom. Therefore, case studies including sensitivity analyses of spray cone angle and prolonged combustion of droplets on the floor are conducted. This comprehensive approach provides valuable insights into the dynamics of sodium combustion and safety measures in sodium-cooled fast reactors.

Impact of nuclear data updates from JENDL-4.0 to JENDL-5 on burnup calculations of light-water reactor fuels

Watanabe, Tomoaki; Tada, Kenichi; Endo, Tomohiro*; Yamamoto, Akio*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 16 Pages, 2025/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2025.2486798

This study investigated the impact of nuclear data updates from JENDL-4.0 (J4) to JENDL-5 (J5) on the light-water reactor fuel burnup calculations. Burnup calculations were conducted with J4 and J5 for PWR pin-cell and BWR fuel assembly geometries. The calculation results revealed significant burnup-dependent differences in the neutron multiplication factor (k). Across the burnup range of 0-50 GWd/t, k values of J5 were consistently smaller than those of J4 and the difference gradually increased as burnup progressed. Direct sensitivity calculations, in which each nuclide data was replaced from J4 to J5, indicated that updates to the cross-sections of U, U, and Pu and the thermal scattering law data of H in HO notably impacted the k differences. For the BWR assembly geometry containing Gd fuels, large k differences were observed in the burnup range of 10-15 GWd/t. This difference was primarily attributed to updates in the U, Gd, and Gd cross-sections, and thermal scattering law data of H in HO. Furthermore, we investigated how the nuclear data updates affected the k differences by examining nuclide number densities, the energy-dependent sensitivities, and the neutron spectra.

Development of neutron self-indication thermometry at J-PARC

Segawa, Mariko; Toh, Yosuke; Maeda, Makoto; Kai, Tetsuya

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 62(3), p.268 - 277, 2025/03

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2024.2424519

Extraction behaviors of minor actinides and rare earth elements with NTA amide extractants

Suzuki, Hideya*; Ban, Yasutoshi

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 62(2), p.157 - 166, 2025/02

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2024.2402366

Chemical interaction of CsOH vapor with UO and Fe-Zr melt

Nakajima, Kunihisa; Takano, Masahide

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 62(1), p.78 - 85, 2025/01

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2024.2389153

At TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, it is estimated that considerable amounts of cesium still remain in the reactors from the analysis results using the severe accident analysis codes and the reverse analysis from contaminated water. Since cesium is known to form stable compounds with uranium and zirconium, chemisorption experiments with uranium dioxide pellets and iron-zirconium melts for cesium hydroxide vapor were carried out. As the results, formations of cesium uranate, CsUO, and cesium zirconate, CsZrO, were confirmed, indicating that cesium was chemisorbed on both of the uranium dioxide pellets and the iron-zirconium melts in an Ar-H-HO flow and an Ar-H flow, respectively. Therefore, it was considered that cesium released from fuel might be trapped by chemisorption with fuels and/or iron-zirconium melts during light water reactor severe accidents.

Tensile properties of irradiated modified 316 stainless steel (PNC316) at slow strain rates

Yano, Yasuhide; Miyazawa, Takeshi; Tanno, Takashi; Akasaka, Naoaki; Yoshitake, Tsunemitsu; Kaito, Takeji; Otsuka, Satoshi

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 8 Pages, 2025/00

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2025.2475164

The effects of strain rate on tensile properties of irradiated modified 316 stainless steel (PNC316) claddings were investigated. PNC316 claddings were irradiated at the experimental fast reactor Joyo using CRT402 control rod assembly at 400C up to 25 dpa. Post-irradiation ring tensile tests were carried out at strain rates of 3.310, 3.310 and 3.310 s at a test temperature of 350C. The results showed no obvious dependence of all strain rates on tensile properties, although a slight decrease in total elongation was observed at the slowest strain rate of 3.310 s. In addition, only a part of fracture surface at the slowest strain rate showed intergranular type region in the inner surface area, although the grain boundary separation occurred on inner surfaces near the fracture region at all strain rates. It is suggested that presence of a high content of helium near the inner surfaces would be related to the fracture behavior.

Measurements of neutron capture cross-section for nuclides of interest in decommissioning (III); Er(n,)Er and Hf(n,)Hf reactions

Nakamura, Shoji; Shibahara, Yuji*; Endo, Shunsuke; Rovira Leveroni, G.; Kimura, Atsushi

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 14 Pages, 2025/00

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2025.2457589

Effect of sea salt on the interaction between simulated corium and concrete

Sudo, Ayako; Sato, Takumi; Takano, Masahide

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 9 Pages, 2025/00

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2025.2456565

During the progression of the severe accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, seawater flowed down and was predicted to react with molten corium and concrete. For the removal and storage of fuel debris, knowing the effects of seawater components on the characteristics of reaction products in the fuel debris is crucial. To understand changes in the microstructure of fuel debris, a reaction test was conducted by introducing sea salt to simulated corium and concrete under a temperature gradient. Among the components of sea salt, sulfur formed iron sulfide during metallic precipitation. Analysis of vaporized species indicated that most of Cl, some Na and K in the sea salt might volatilize during heating rather than react with simulated corium and concrete. Calcium and a small amount of Mg, Na, and K in the sea salt might be trapped in the silicate glass.