Thermal-hydraulic design calculations for JRR-3 cold neutron source with the new moderator cell

Tokunaga, Sho; Horiguchi, Hironori; Nakamura, Takemi

JAEA-Technology 2023-001, 37 Pages, 2023/05

JAEA-Technology-2023-001.pdf:1.39MB

The cold neutron source (CNS) of the research reactor JRR-3 converts thermal neutrons generated in the reactor into low-energy cold neutrons by moderating them with liquid hydrogen stored in the moderator cell. Cold neutrons generated by the CNS are transported to experimental instruments using neutron conduits, and are used for many studies of physical properties, mainly in life science, polymer science, environmental science, etc. Improvement of cold neutron intensity is essential to maintain competitiveness with the world's research reactors in neutron science, and we are developing a new CNS that incorporates new knowledge. The current moderator cell for the CNS of JRR-3 is a stainless-steel container which is a canteen bottle type, and the cold neutron intensity can be improved by changing the material and shape. Therefore, the basic specifications of the new moderator cell were changed to aluminum alloy which has a smaller neutron absorption cross section, and the shape was optimized using a Monte Carlo code MCNP. Since these changes in specifications will result in changes in heat generation and heat transfer conditions, the CNS of JRR-3 was re-evaluated in terms of self-regulating characteristic, heat transport limits, heat resistance and pressure resistance, etc., to confirm its feasibility in thermal-hydraulic design. This report summarizes the results of the thermal-hydraulic design evaluation of the new moderator cell.

Development of the unified cross-section set ADJ2017R

Yokoyama, Kenji; Maruyama, Shuhei; Taninaka, Hiroshi; Oki, Shigeo

JAEA-Data/Code 2021-019, 115 Pages, 2022/03

JAEA-Data-Code-2021-019.pdf:6.21MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2021-019-appendix(CD-ROM).zip:435.94MB

In JAEA, several versions of unified cross-section set for fast reactors have been developed so far; we have developed a new unified cross-section set ADJ2017R, which is an improved version of the unified cross-section setADJ2017 for fast reactors. The unified cross-section set is used for reflecting information of C/E values (analysis / experiment values) obtained by integral experiment analyses in reactor core design via the cross-section adjustment methodology; the values are stored in the standard database for FBR core design. In the methodology, the cross-section set is adjusted by integrating the information such as uncertainty (covariance) of nuclear data, uncertainty of integral experiment / analysis, sensitivity of integral experiment with respect to nuclear data. ADJ2017R basically has the same performance as ADJ2017, but we conducted an additional investigation on ADJ2017 and revised the following two points. The first is to unify the evaluation method of the correlation coefficient of uncertainty caused by experiments (hereinafter referred to as the experimental correlation coefficient). Because it was found that the common uncertainty used in the evaluation of the experimental correlation coefficient was evaluated by two different methods, the experimental correlation coefficients were revised for all experimental data, and the evaluation method was unified. The second is the review of the integral experiment data used for the cross-section adjustment calculation. It was found that one of the experimental values of composition ratio after irradiation of the Am-243 sample has a problem in uncertainty evaluation because its experimental uncertainty is extremely small compared to the others. The cross-section adjustment calculation was, therefore, redone by excluding the experimental value. In the creation of ADJ2017, a total of 719 data sets were analyzed and evaluated, and eventually adopted 620 integral experimental data sets. In contrast, a total of 61

Contribution to risk reduction in decommissioning works by the elucidation of basic property of radioactive microparticles (Contract research); FY2018 Center of World Intelligence Project for Nuclear Science/Technology and Human Resource Development

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Ibaraki University*

JAEA-Review 2019-041, 71 Pages, 2020/03

JAEA-Review-2019-041.pdf:3.38MB

JAEA/CLADS, has been conducting the Center of World Intelligence Project for Nuclear Science/Technology and Human Resource Development (hereafter referred to "the Project") since FY2018. The Project aims at solving problems in nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. For this purpose, intelligence has been collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development have been promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. Among the adopted proposals in FY2018, this report summarizes the research results of the "Contribution to Risk Reduction in Decommissioning Works by the Elucidation of Basic Property of Radioactive Microparticles". In order to establish the decommissioning procedures (recovery of the melted fuels, decontamination inside the reactors, ensuring the safety of the workers, etc.) of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, radioactive microparticles released by the accident are an important information source for clarifying what had happened inside the reactors in the course of the accident. The purpose of the present study is to obtain detailed knowledge on the basic properties (particle size, composition, electrical/optical properties, etc.) of the radioactive microparticles, as well as to further elucidate the various properties of the radioactive microparticles including the quantitative evaluation of alpha-ray-emitters, through the Japan-UK synergetic research. Thus, we are conducting research and development that will contribute to the comprehensive works towards the risk reduction in the "decommissioning" plan.

Mechanical and rheological characteristics of the siliceous mudstone at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory site

Hashiba, Kimihiro*; Fukui, Katsunori*; Sugita, Yutaka; Aoyagi, Kazuhei

Proceedings of ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress 2017 (WTC 2017) (USB Flash Drive), 8 Pages, 2017/06

It is essential to understand the mechanical and rheological characteristics of diatomaceous and siliceous mudstones for the construction of underground structures and for the assessment of their long-term stability. In this study, the siliceous mudstone of the Wakkanai Formation was applied to various laboratory tests: compression test, creep test, relaxation test, drying shrinkage test, and slaking test. The test results showed that water has a major impact on the mechanical and rheological properties of the siliceous mudstone. In addition, water content at a tunnel wall was measured in the Horonobe URL. Comparing the results of the laboratory tests and the in situ measurement, the effect of water on the tunnel stability was discussed.

Extending water retention curves to a quasi-saturated zone subjected to a high water pressure up to 1.5 Megapascals

Sakaki, Toshihiro*; Komatsu, Mitsuru*; Takeuchi, Ryuji

Vadose Zone Journal (Internet), 15(8), 7 Pages, 2016/08

https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2015.12.0165

In the Groundwater Recovery Experiment in Tunnel which is underway at the MIU, water saturation is one of the key parameters to monitor in order to understand the recovery processes. In this study, the process of saturation increase in the quasi-saturated zone where trapped discrete air phase affects saturation due to further increase in water pressure was studied. The relationship between the positive water pressure and saturation was measured by laboratory test using sands with trapped air bubbles and the effect of compression of bubbles on the changes in saturation was analyzed. The experimental results showed that the water pressure-saturation curves closely followed the relationship estimated solely based on the air bubble compression using Boyle's law. Based on this observation, a mathematical model was established to define the water pressure - saturation curve for the region where the water pressure is positive.

Yields of strand breaks and base lesions induced by soft X-rays in plasmid DNA

Yokoya, Akinari; Fujii, Kentaro; Ushigome, Takeshi; Shikazono, Naoya; Urushibara, Ayumi; Watanabe, Ritsuko

Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 122(1-4), p.86 - 88, 2006/12

https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncl408

We have studied yields of DNA damages induced by soft X-rays obtained from a conventional soft X-ray machine in a LET region between -rays and ultrasoft X-rays. Practically soft X-rays with a broad energy spectrum emitted from a target of heavy metal, such as tungsten, have been widely used not only for radiobiological experiments but also for medical application such as mammography. Radiation weighting factors for these soft X-rays have been assigned to be 1 by ICRP. However, the fraction of a large number of low energy photons in the spectrum (below several tens keV) provided by bremsstrahlung is expected to be more effective for DNA damage induction than -rays since low energy photo- and Auger electrons predominantly ejected in consequence of a photoelectric effect can produce dense clusters of ionization/excitation on DNA molecules. We have examined the yield of DNA strand breaks induced by white soft X-rays (150 kVp, tungsten target). Yields of base lesions revealed by base excision repair enzymes will be also presented.

Analytical results of coolant flow reduction test in the HTTR

Takamatsu, Kuniyoshi; Nakagawa, Shigeaki; Iyoku, Tatsuo

Proceedings of 11th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-11) (CD-ROM), 12 Pages, 2005/10

Safety demonstration tests using the HTTR are in progress to verify the inherent safety features, to improve the safety design and the technologies for High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs). The coolant flow reduction test by tripping one or two out of three gas circulators is one of the safety demonstration tests. The reactor power safely becomes a stable level without a reactor scram and the temperature transient of the reactor-core is very slow. The SIRIUS code was developed to analyze reactor transient during the tests with reactor dynamics. This paper describes the validation of the SIRIUS code with the measured values of one and two gas circulators tripping test at 30% (9 MW). It was confirmed that the SIRIUS code was able to analyze the reactor transient within 10% during the tests. The result of this study and the way of resolving problems can be applied to development for not only the commercial HTGRs but also the Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) as one of the Generation IV reactors.

Heat transfer characteristics evaluation of heat exchangers of mock-up test facility with full-scale reaction tube for HTTR hydrogen production system (Contract research)

Shimizu, Akira; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Kato, Michio; Hayashi, Koji; Aita, Hideki; Nishihara, Tetsuo; Inaba, Yoshitomo; Takada, Shoji; Morisaki, Norihiro; Sakaki, Akihiro*; et al.

JAERI-Tech 2005-031, 174 Pages, 2005/06

JAERI-Tech-2005-031.pdf:20.71MB

Connection of hydrogen production system by steam reforming of methane to the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) of the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) has been surveyed until now. Mock-up test facility of this steam reforming system with full-scale reaction tube was constructed in FY 2001, and a lot of operational test data on heat exchanges were obtained in these tests.In this report specifications, structures and heat transfer formulae of steam reformer, steam superheater, steam generator, condenser, helium gas cooler, feed gas heater and feed gas superheater were described. Evaluation codes were newly made to evaluate heat transfer characteristics from measured test data. Overall heat-transfer coefficient obtained from the experimental data were compared and evaluated with the prospective value calculated with heat transfer formulae. As a result, heat transfer performance and thermal efficiency of these heat exchangers were confirmed to be appropriate.

Proposal for evaluation methods of reactor outlet coolant temperature in HTGRs

Takamatsu, Kuniyoshi; Nakagawa, Shigeaki

JAERI-Tech 2005-030, 21 Pages, 2005/05

JAERI-Tech-2005-030.pdf:1.06MB

The High Temperature engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) is a graphite moderated and gas cooled reactor with the thermal power of 30MW and the reactor outlet coolant temperature of 850C/950C. Rise-to-power test in the HTTR was performed from March 31th to May 1st in 2004 as phase 5 test up to 30MW in the high temperature test operation mode. It was confirmed that the thermal reactor power and the reactor outlet coolant temperature reached to 30MW and 950C respectively on April 19th. Achievement of the reactor outlet coolant temperature of 950C is the first time in Japan as well as the world. This report describes proposal for evaluation methods of reactor outlet coolant temperature in the HTGRs through the HTTR operation experiments. The equation is derived from relationships among PRM reading values, reactor outlet coolant temperature, reactor thermal power and heat removal by VCS. The deliberation processes in this study will be applicable to the research and developments of HTGRs in the future.

Mechanical characteristics evaluation of fuel cladding tube for reduced-moderation water reactor, 1 (Contract research)

Kaneko, Tetsuji; Tsukatani, Ichiro; Kiuchi, Kiyoshi

JAERI-Research 2005-005, 23 Pages, 2005/03

JAERI-Research-2005-005.pdf:1.65MB

Fuel elements used in The Reduced-Moderation Water Reactor (RMWR) have the lamellar structure consisting of MOX pellets and UO blankets in order to attain the high breeding ratio and high burn-up simultaneously. It is a characteristic of the fuel elements that there is high thermal stress caused by inhomogeneous linear power density along the longitudinal direction of the fuel rod. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the local deformation behavior due to the transient temperature distribution. To estimate the thermal deformation behavior, the temperature and stress distribution of the fuel cladding tube assumed in the designed reactor were analyzed. Moreover, basic physical properties and mechanical properties for analyzing the deformation behavior were obtained by experiment using fuel cladding tubes made of candidate alloys. In addition, the appropriate experimental conditions for realizing the practical thermal deformation behavior of the fuel cladding tube was selected by adjusting the testing temperature distribution based on data obtained with thermal analysis.