Neutron flux estimation and neutronics characteristics calculation in post-JMTR conceptual study

Oizumi, Akito; Akie, Hiroshi

JAEA-Technology 2023-017, 93 Pages, 2023/12

JAEA-Technology-2023-017.pdf:8.45MB

After the decision of decommissioning JMTR (Japan Materials Testing Reactor), Japan Atomic Energy Agency investigated the possibility to construct a new irradiation test reactor to succeed JMTR (post-JMTR), and the final report of the investigated result was submitted to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on March 30th 2021. This investigation was carried out in 4 steps of (1) selection of reactor type, (2) reactor core plans studies, (3) neutronic studies, (4) thermal studies, and was finally (5) considered and evaluated. This JAEA-Technology report summarizes the process and the results of (3) neutronic studies. Neutron fluxes were calculated at irradiation sample positions in the investigated cores, the standard core and the compact core, and the calculated fluxes satisfied the required irradiation capability. It was also evaluated the two investigated cores' continuous reactor operation time in days in one refueling cycle, and the results guaranteed an operation days equality with that of existing JMTR. In addition, neutronic characteristics of the cores were estimated, such as power distribution in the core, control rod reactivity worth, reactivity coefficients, distribution of fuel burnup rate of each fuel element, and kinetics parameters. The evaluated neutronic characteristics were used in the post-JMTR final investigation report to confirm the neutronic feasibility by comparing with the neutronic limiting values of existing JMTR, and to estimate the cooling capability to make the core thermally feasible.

Reactivity estimation based on the linear equation of characteristic time profile of power in subcritical quasi-steady state

Yamane, Yuichi

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(11), p.1331 - 1344, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2053221

The reactivity was estimated from a time profile of neutron count rate or a simulated data in a quasi-steady state after sudden change of reactivity or external neutron source strength. The estimation was based on the equation of power in subcritical quasi-steady state. The purpose of the study is to develop the method of timely reactivity estimation from complicated time profile of neutron count rate. The developed method was applied to the data simulating neutron count rate created by using one-point kinetics code, AGNES, and Poisson-distributed random noise and to the transient subcritical experiment data measured by using TRACY. The result shows that the difference of the estimated and reference value was within about 5% or less for ( -1) for simulated data and within about 7% or less for -1.4 and -3.1 for the experimental data. It was also shown that the possibility of the reactivity estimation several ten seconds after the status change.

Water experiments on thermal striping phenomena at the core outlet of an advanced sodium-cooled fast reactor, 1; Proposal of countermeasures to mitigate temperature fluctuations around control rods

Kobayashi, Jun; Aizawa, Kosuke; Ezure, Toshiki; Kurihara, Akikazu; Tanaka, Masaaki

Hozengaku, 20(3), p.89 - 96, 2021/10

Hot sodium from the fuel assembly can mix with cold sodium from the control rod (CR) channel and the blanket assemblies at the bottom plate of the Upper Internal Structure (UIS) of Advanced-SFR. Temperature fluctuation due to mixing of the fluids at different temperature between the core outlet and cold channel may cause high cycle thermal fatigue on the structure around the bottom of UIS. A water experiment using a 1/3 scale 60 degree sector model simulating the upper plenum of the Advanced-SFR has been conducted to examine countermeasures for the significant temperature fluctuation generated around the bottom of UIS. We focused on the temperature fluctuations near the primary and backup control rod channels, and studied the countermeasure structure to mitigate the temperature fluctuation through temperature distribution and flow velocity distribution measurements. As a result, effectiveness of the countermeasure to mitigate the temperature fluctuation intensity was confirmed.

In situ diffraction characterization on microstructure evolution in austenitic stainless steel during cyclic plastic deformation and its relation to the mechanical response

Kumagai, Masayoshi*; Akita, Koichi*; Kuroda, Masatoshi*; Harjo, S.

Materials Science & Engineering A, 820, p.141582_1 - 141582_9, 2021/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2021.141582

Effect of nitrogen oxides on decomposition behavior of gaseous ruthenium tetroxide

Yoshida, Naoki; Amano, Yuki; Ono, Takuya; Yoshida, Ryoichiro; Abe, Hitoshi

JAEA-Research 2020-014, 33 Pages, 2020/12

JAEA-Research-2020-014.pdf:3.66MB

Considering the boiling and drying accident of high-level liquid waste in fuel reprocessing plant, Ruthenium (Ru) is an important element. It is because Ru would form volatile compounds such as ruthenium tetroxide (RuO) and could be released into the environment with other coexisting gasses such as nitric oxides (NOx) such as nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO). To contribute to the safety evaluation of this accident, we experimentally evaluated the effect of NOx on the decomposition and chemical change behavior of the gaseous RuO (RuO(g)). As a result, the RuO(g) decomposed over time under the atmospheric gasses with NO or NO, however, the decomposition rate was slower than the results of experiments without NOx. These results showed that the NOx stabilized RuO(g).

Now is the time of fast reactor

Negishi, Hitoshi; Kamide, Hideki; Maeda, Seiichiro; Nakamura, Hirofumi; Abe, Tomoyuki

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 62(8), p.438 - 441, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesjb.62.8_438

Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor, Monju, was under decommission since April, 2018. It is the first time for Japan to make a sodium cooled reactor into decommission. It is significant work and will take 30 years. The Monju has provided wide spectrum and huge amount of findings and knowledge, e.g., design, R&D, manufacturing, construction, and operation up to 40% of full power over 50 years of development history. It is significant to utilize such findings and knowledge for the development and commercialization of a fast rector in Japan.

Change in mechanical properties by high-cycle loading up to Gigacycle for 316L stainless steel

Naoe, Takashi; Harjo, S.; Kawasaki, Takuro; Xiong, Z.*; Futakawa, Masatoshi

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 28, p.061009_1 - 061009_6, 2020/02

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.28.061009

At the J-PARC, a mercury target vessel made of 316L SS suffers proton and neutron radiation environment. The target vessel also suffers cyclic impact stress caused by the proton beam-induced pressure waves. The vessel suffers higher than 4.510 cyclic loading during the expected service life of 5000 h. We have investigated fatigue strength 316L SS up to gigacycle in the previous studies. The cyclic hardening and softening behavior were observed. In this study, to evaluate the cyclic hardening/softening behavior, the dislocation densities of specimens were measured using the neutron diffraction method at the MLF BL-19. The result showed that the dislocation density of a 316L SS was increased with increasing the number of loading cycles. By contrast, in the case of cold-rolled 316L SS, annihilation and re-accumulation of dislocation by cyclic loading were observed. In the workshop, result of neutron diffraction measurement will be introduced with the progress of fatigue test.

Development of dose estimation system integrating sediment model for recycling radiocesium-contaminated soil to coastal reclamation

Miwa, Kazuji; Takeda, Seiji; Iimoto, Takeshi*

Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 184(3-4), p.372 - 375, 2019/10

https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncz128

The Ministry of the Environment has indicated the policy of recycling the contaminated soil generated by decontamination activity after the Fukushima accident. By recycling to coastal reclamation which is one of effective recycling application, dissolved radiocesium and absorbed radiocesium on soil particles will flow out to the ocean by construction, therefore evaluating radiocesium transition in ocean considering the both types of radiocesium is important for safety assessment. In this study, the radiocesium outflow during constructing and after constructing is modeled, and radiocesium transition in ocean is evaluated by Sediment model suggested in OECD/NEA. The adaptability of sediment model is confirmed by reproducing evaluation of the coastal area of Fukushima. We incorporate the sediment model to PASCLR2 code system to evaluate the doses from radiocesium in ocean.

Failure behavior analyses of piping system under dynamic seismic loading

Udagawa, Makoto; Li, Y.; Nishida, Akemi; Nakamura, Izumi*

International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping, 167, p.2 - 10, 2018/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpvp.2018.10.002

It is important to assure the structural Integrity of piping systems under severe earthquakes because those systems comprise the pressure boundary for coolant with high pressure and temperature. In this study, we examine the seismic safety capacity of piping systems under severe dynamic seismic loading using a series of dynamic-elastic-plastic analyses focusing on dynamic excitation experiments of 3D piping systems which was tested by NIED. Analytical results were consistent with experimental data in terms of natural frequency, natural vibration mode, response accelerations, elbow opening-closing displacements, strain histories, failure position, and low-cycle fatigue failure lives. Based on these results, we concluded that the analytical model used in the study can be applied to failure behavior evaluation for piping systems under severe dynamic seismic loading.

In-situ residual stress analysis during thermal cycle of a dissimilar weld joint using neutron diffraction and IEFEM

Akita, Koichi; Shibahara, Masakazu*; Ikushima, Kazuki*; Nishikawa, Satoru*; Furukawa, Takashi*; Suzuki, Hiroshi; Harjo, S.; Kawasaki, Takuro; Vladimir, L.*

Yosetsu Gakkai Rombunshu (Internet), 35(2), p.112s - 116s, 2017/06