Measurement of spent nuclear fuel burn-up using a new H method

Nauchi, Yasushi*; Sato, Shunsuke*; Hayakawa, Takehito*; Kimura, Yasuhiko; Suyama, Kenya; Kashima, Takao*; Futakami, Kazuhiro*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1050, p.168109_1 - 168109_9, 2023/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2023.168109

Measurement of neutrons from spent nuclear fuel is performed in this study using the H method, which detects 2.223 MeV rays from neutron capture reaction of hydrogen using a highly pure germanium (HPGe) detector. The detection of the 2.223 MeV ray is affected by intense ray emission from fission products (FPs) because the emission rate of rays from the FP is seven orders of magnitude higher than the emission rate of neutrons. To shield the intense ray from the FP, the HPGe detector is placed off the axis of a collimator, whereas a polyethylene block is placed on the axis. In this geometry, the detector is shielded from the intense rays from the FP, but the detector can measure 2.223 MeV rays from the H reactions in the polyethylene block. The measured count rate of the 2.223 MeV rays is consistent with the expected rate within the statistical error, which is calculated based on the nuclide composition, which is primary Cm, estimated via depletion and decay calculations. Accordingly, the H method is considered feasible to quantify the number of neutron leakage from spent nuclear fuel assembly, which is applicable to certify burn up of the assembly.

Neutron/-ray discrimination based on the property and thickness controls of scintillators using Li glass and LiCAF(Ce) in a -ray field

Kaburagi, Masaaki; Shimazoe, Kenji*; Terasaka, Yuta; Tomita, Hideki*; Yoshihashi, Sachiko*; Yamazaki, Atsushi*; Uritani, Akira*; Takahashi, Hiroyuki*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1046, p.167636_1 - 167636_8, 2023/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2022.167636

We focus on the thickness and property controls of inorganic scintillators used for thermal neutron detection in intense -ray fields without considering pulse shape discrimination techniques. GS20 (a lithium glass) and LiCaAlF:Ce(LiCAF:Ce) cintillators with thicknesses of 0.5 and 1.0 mm, respectively, have been employed. Pulse signals generated by photomultiplier tubes, to which the scintillators were coupled, were inserted into a digital pulse processing unit with 1 Gsps, and the areas of waveforms were integrated for 360 ns. In a Co -ray field, the neutron detection for GS20 with a 0.5-mm thickness was possible at dose rates of up to 0.919 Gy/h; however, for LiCAF:Ce, neutron detection was possible at 0.473 Gy/h, and it failed at 0.709 Gy/h. Threfore, in a Co -ray field, the neutron/-ray discrimination of GS20 was better than that of LiCAF:Ce due to its better energy resolution and higher detection efficiency.

Identification and quantification of a Co radiation source under an intense Cs radiation field using an application-specific CeBr spectrometer suited for use in intense radiation fields

Kaburagi, Masaaki; Shimazoe, Kenji*; Kato, Masahiro*; Kurosawa, Tadahiro*; Takahashi, Hiroyuki*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(8), p.983 - 992, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2026833

Development of rapid and sensitive radionuclide analysis method by simultaneous analysis of , , and X-rays (Contract research); FY2020 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Japan Chemical Analysis Center*

JAEA-Review 2021-060, 105 Pages, 2022/03

JAEA-Review-2021-060.pdf:4.59MB

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2020. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO). For this purpose, intelligence was collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development were promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. The sponsor of the Project was moved from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to JAEA since the newly adopted proposals in FY2018. On this occasion, JAEA constructed a new research system where JAEA-academia collaboration is reinforced and medium-to-long term research/development and human resource development contributing to the decommissioning are stably and consecutively implemented. Among the adopted proposals in FY2020, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of rapid and sensitive radionuclide analysis method by simultaneous analysis of , , and X-rays" conducted in FY2020. The present study aims to enable rapid analysis of radionuclides in fuel debris and waste, and develops the measurement system such as multiple -ray detection method. We develop a spectral determination method (SDM method) for integrated analysis by constructing a spectral database for nuclides including -rays and X-rays by measurement using this system and radiation simulation calculation. This method enables simultaneous quantification of multiple nuclides and reduces the chemical separation process.

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.

Optimized TES microcalorimeters with 14 eV energy resolution at 30 keV for -ray measurements of the Th isomer

Muramatsu, Haruka*; Hayashi, Tasuku*; Yuasa, Naoki*; Konno, Ryohei*; Yamaguchi, Atsushi*; Mitsuda, Kazuhisa*; Yamasaki, Noriko*; Maehata, Keisuke*; Kikunaga, Hidetoshi*; Takimoto, Misaki; et al.

Journal of Low Temperature Physics, 200(5-6), p.452 - 460, 2020/09

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-020-02458-7

5.1.2 Properties and characteristics of radiations

Takahashi, Fumiaki

Genshiryoku No Ima To Ashita, p.106 - 109, 2019/03

The Atomic Energy Society of Japan has planned to publish a document for public, entitled "Current and tomorrow of atomic energy, -Experiences from the accident at the Tokyo Electronic Power Company Fukushima Dai-ichi NPPs-". The documents give us basics and usages of radiations, in addition to nuclear power plants and the accident at TEPCO Fukushima Dai-ichi NPPs. This manuscript explains interactions and penetrations in material for -rays, -rays, -rays and neutrons. In addition, exposure characteristics that is determined by properties of radiations are expressed here. This manuscript also explains characteristics in internal exposure and countermeasures of radiation protection following the TEPCO accident for Iodine-131 and Cesium-137.

Characteristics of commercially available CdZnTe detector as gamma-ray spectrometer under severe nuclear accident

Tanimura, Yoshihiko; Nishino, Sho; Yoshitomi, Hiroshi; Kowatari, Munehiko; Oishi, Tetsuya

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 6, p.134 - 138, 2019/01

https://doi.org/10.15669/pnst.6.134

At the severe nuclear accidents like the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, various radionuclides will be dispersed into the environment and raise the dose rate. The - measurements of ray spectra and identifying radionuclides using the results are important for the radiological protection from both external and internal exposure. For this application a commercially available CdZnTe spectrometer (Kromek GR-1) was characterized at the calibration fields of FRS/JAEA. The angular dependence of the detection efficiency was studied and the efficiency was kept within 15 % degradation in 135 degree incident angle, which covers 85 % of all. The usable dose range was evaluated and the spectrometer could correctly measure the ray spectra below 200 Gy/h.

Measurement and analysis of in-vessel component activation and gamma dose rate distribution in Joyo, 2

Yamamoto, Takahiro; Ito, Chikara; Maeda, Shigetaka; Ito, Hideaki; Sekine, Takashi

JAEA-Technology 2017-036, 41 Pages, 2018/02

JAEA-Technology-2017-036.pdf:7.86MB

In the experimental fast reactor Joyo, the damaged upper core structure (UCS) was retrieved into the cask in May 2014 The dose rate on UCS surface was quite high due to the activation for over 30 years operation. In order to attain the optimum safety design, manufacture and operation of equipment for UCS replacement, the method to evaluate UCS surface dose rate was developed on the basis of C/E obtained by the in-vessel dose rate measurement in Joyo. In order to verify the evaluation method, the axial gamma-ray distribution measurement on the surface of the cask, which contained UCS, was conducted using a plastic scintillating optical fiber (PSF) detector. This paper describes the comparison results between calculation and measurement as follows. (1) The measured axial gamma-ray distribution on the cask surface had a peak on proper location with considering the cask shielding structure and agree well with the calculated distribution. (2) The C/E of axial gamma-ray distribution on the cask surface was ranged from 1.1 to 1.7. It was confirmed that the calculation for UCS replacement equipment design had a margin conservatively. Then, the results showed that the developed evaluation method for UCS replacement equipment design was sufficiently reliable.

An Analytical method of low-level radium isotopes in freshwater sample by -ray spectrometry; Application of pre-concentration from large volume of water sample using Powdex resin and barium sulfate coprecipitation of radium isotopes

Tomita, Jumpei; Abe, Takuya

JAEA-Research 2016-026, 12 Pages, 2017/03

JAEA-Research-2016-026.pdf:1.15MB

An analytical method of low-level Ra isotopes in freshwater samples with combination of pre-concentration from large volume of water sample (170 L) using Powdex resin and -ray spectrometry followed by simple coprecipitation of Ra was developed. pre-concentration of Ra by batch method using Powder resin was examined, and it was shown that the amount of the resin required collecting Ra in the water sample could be determined by measuring the electric conductivity (EC) of water sample. It was found that coprecipitation of Ra with barium sulfate could remove more than 96% of potassium that increases the background. The validation of this method was confirmed by the analyses of 170 L of water sample containing the known amount of Ra isotopes with different EC. Among the analyses, the recovery of Ra was 98% in average and detection limits of Ra and Ra were achieved to be approximately 0.3 and 0.5 mBq L, respectively.