Investigations and consideration on contamination inspection and decontamination criteria at a nuclear emergency

Togawa, Orihiko; Hokama, Tomonori; Hiraoka, Hirokazu; Saito, Shota

JAEA-Research 2023-011, 78 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Research-2023-011.pdf:2.09MB

When radionuclides are released into the atmospheric environment at a nuclear emergency, protective measures such as evacuation and temporal relocation are carried out using motor vehicles such as private cars and buses to reduce radiation exposure to residents. To confirm conditions of contamination for the evacuated/relocated residents and the used motor vehicles, contamination inspection is conducted in the middle of the route from border areas of Nuclear Emergency Planning Zone to evacuation shelters. In the present inspection in Japan, a value of OIL4 = 40,000 cpm is used as decontamination criteria. For the details and derivation methods of the value, however, no official documents are found which give systematically detailed descriptions and explanation. It is also recognized that even few experts on nuclear emergencies can explain these subjects in detail as a whole. In order to explain scientifically and technically the OIL4 value of decontamination criteria used in contamination inspection in Japan, this report aims at investigating and estimating the deviation methods of OIL4, and examining and considering these results. To achieve the objectives, we show the bases for decontamination criteria, and investigate and estimate the derivation methods for limits of a surface contamination density corresponding to the generic criteria for each exposure pathway. Moreover, we give the OIL4 value some consideration and suggestions from a viewpoint of positioning and feature of OIL4 in Japan, and cautionary points at revising the value.

Development of a hybrid method for evaluating the long-term structural soundness of nuclear reactor buildings using response monitoring and damage imaging technologies (Contract research); FY2021 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Tohoku University*

JAEA-Review 2022-071, 123 Pages, 2023/03

JAEA-Review-2022-071.pdf:6.07MB

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 FY2021. 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 FY2021, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of a hybrid method for evaluating the long-term structural soundness of nuclear reactor buildings using response monitoring and damage imaging technologies" conducted in FY2021. The present study aims to develop an evaluation method necessary to obtain a perspective on the long-term structural soundness of accident-damaged reactor buildings, where accessibility to work sites is extremely limited due to high radiation dose rate and high contamination. In FY2021, the first year of the three-year plan, the following research items were undertaken by clarifying specific research methods, setting research directions, making necessary preparations, and conducting some tests and other activities.

Continuous improvement activities on nuclear facility maintenance in Nuclear Science Research Institute of Japan Atomic Energy Agency in 2021

Task Force on Maintenance Optimization of Nuclear Facilities

JAEA-Technology 2022-006, 80 Pages, 2022/06

JAEA-Technology-2022-006.pdf:4.24MB

The Task force on maintenance optimization of nuclear facilities was organized in the Nuclear Science Research Institute (NSRI) of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) since November 2020, in order to adequately respond to "the New nuclear regulatory inspection system since FY 2020" and to continuously improve the facility maintenance activities. In 2021, the task force has studied (1) optimization of the importance classification on maintenance and inspection of nuclear facilities, and (2) improvement in setting and evaluation of the performance indicators on safety, maintenance and quality management activities, considering "the Graded approach" that is one of the basic methodologies in the new nuclear regulatory inspection system. Each nuclear facility (research reactors, nuclear fuel material usage facilities, others) in the NSRI will steadily improve their respective safety, maintenance and quality management activities, referring the review results suggested by the task force.

Introduction of a new framework of safety, maintenance and quality management activities in Japan Atomic Energy Agency under the new nuclear regulatory inspection system since FY 2020

Sono, Hiroki; Sukegawa, Kazuhiro; Nomura, Norio; Okuda, Eiichi; Study Team on Safety and Maintenance; Study Team on Quality Management; Task Force on New Nuclear Regulatory Inspection Systems

JAEA-Technology 2020-013, 460 Pages, 2020/11

JAEA-Technology-2020-013.pdf:13.46MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has completed the introduction of a new frame work of safety, maintenance and quality management activities under the new acts on the Regulation of nuclear source material, nuclear fuel material and reactors since April 2020, in consideration of variety, specialty and similarity of nuclear facilities of JAEA (Power reactor in the research and development stage, Reprocessing facility, Fabrication facility, Waste treatment facility, Waste burial facility, Research reactor and Nuclear fuel material usage facility). The JAEA task forces on new nuclear regulatory inspection systems prepared new guidelines on (1) Safety and maintenance, (2) Independent inspection, (3) Welding inspection, (4) Free-access response, (5) Performance indicators and (6) Corrective action program for the JAEA's nuclear facilities. New Quality management systems and new Safety regulations were also prepared as a typical pattern of these facilities. JAEA will steadily improve these guidelines, quality management systems and safety regulations, reviewing the official activities under the new regulatory inspection system together with the Nuclear Regulation Authority and other nuclear operators.

Improvement of plant reliability based on combining of prediction and inspection of crack growth due to intergranular stress corrosion cracking

Uchida, Shunsuke; Chimi, Yasuhiro; Kasahara, Shigeki; Hanawa, Satoshi; Okada, Hidetoshi*; Naito, Masanori*; Kojima, Masayoshi*; Kikura, Hiroshige*; Lister, D. H.*

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 341, p.112 - 123, 2019/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2018.10.021

Improvement of plant reliability based on reliability-centered-maintenance (RCM) is going to be undertaken in NPPs. RCM is supported by risk-based maintenance (RBM). The combination of prediction and inspection is one of the key issues to promote RBM. Early prediction of IGSCC occurrence and its propagation should be confirmed throughout the entire plant systems which should be accomplished by inspections at the target locations followed by timely application of suitable countermeasures. From the inspections, accumulated data will be applied to confirm the accuracy of the code, to tune some uncertainties of the key data for prediction, and then, to increase their accuracy. The synergetic effects of prediction and inspection on application of effective and suitable countermeasures are expected. In the paper, the procedures for the combination of prediction and inspection are introduced.

An Estimation method of flaw distributions reflecting inspection results through Bayesian update

Lu, K.; Miyamoto, Yuhei*; Mano, Akihiro; Katsuyama, Jinya; Li, Y.

Proceedings of Asian Symposium on Risk Assessment and Management 2017 (ASRAM 2017) (USB Flash Drive), 9 Pages, 2017/11

Nowadays, probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) has been utilized in several countries as a rational method for structural integrity assessment of important structural components such as reactor pressure vessels (RPVs). In PFM analyses, potential flaws in target components are used to evaluate the failure probability or frequency. Therefore, flaw distributions (i.e., flaw depth and density distributions) in an RPV shall be rationally set as one of the most important influential factors, which are developed during the manufacturing process such as welding. Recently, a Bayesian updating methodology was applied to reflect the inspection results into flaw distributions, and the likelihood functions applicable to the case when flaws are detected in inspections were proposed. However, there may be no flaw indication as the inspection results of some RPVs. The flaw distributions in this situation are important while the corresponding likelihood functions have not been proposed. Therefore, this study proposed likelihood functions to be applicable for both case when flaws are detected and when there is no flaw indication as the inspection results. Based on the proposed likelihood functions, several application examples were given in which flaw distributions were estimated by reflecting the inspection results through Bayesian update. The results indicate that the proposed likelihood functions are useful for estimating the flaw distribution for the case when there is no flaw indication as the inspection results.

JAEA's contribution for R&D and human resource development on implementing IAEA safeguards

Naoi, Yosuke; Oda, Tetsuzo; Tomikawa, Hirofumi

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 58(9), p.536 - 541, 2016/09

Japan has been promoting nuclear energy research and development, and the use of nuclear energy for only peaceful purposes in accordance with Atomic Energy Basic Acts enacted in 1955. In order to ensure limited to their peaceful utilization, it has been performing a nuclear material accountancy and reporting it based on bilateral nuclear agreement (Japan and the United States, Japan and France, Japan and Canada and so on) before concluding the comprehensive safeguards agreement with the IAEA. After the conclusion of that in 1977, the Japanese national law had been revised. The nuclear material accountancy and its reports to the IAEA have been implemented based on the revised law. In 1999, Japan ratified the additional protocol. Then it has been responding a new obligation in the additional protocol. The correctness and completeness of the declaration of nuclear activities in Japan have been verified by the IAEA, and then the "broader conclusion" was given to Japan in 2004. There indicates no diversion or undeclared nuclear activities in Japan. Since then Japan has been obtaining the "broader conclusion" every year. In this report we will report the JAEA's contribution to the IAEA safeguards on technical research and development and human resource development.

Effects of metallic diaphragm on sensitivity characteristics of optical ultrasonic sensor for under-sodium inspection

Saruta, Koichi; Yamaguchi, Toshihiko; Ueda, Masashi

EUR-27790-EN, p.209 - 214, 2016/00

https://doi.org/10.2790/13215

Visualization of internal structures of reactor core in the HTTR; Proposal of non-destructive inspection by cosmic-ray muon radiography

Takamatsu, Kuniyoshi

Hokeikyo Nyusu, (56), p.2 - 4, 2015/10

http://www.irm.or.jp/news56.pdf

Licensable Patent Information Database

Patent publication (In Japanese)

In our study, we focused on a nondestructive inspection method by cosmic-ray muons which could be used to observe the internal reactor from outside the RPV and the CV. We conducted an observation test on the HTTR to evaluate the applicability of the method to the internal visualization of a reactor. We also analytically evaluated the resolution of existing muon telescopes to assess their suitability for the HTTR observation, and were able to detect the major structures of the HTTR based on the distribution of the surface densities calculated from the coincidences measured by the telescopes. Our findings suggested that existing muon telescopes could be used for muon observation of the internal reactor from outside the RPV and CV.

Cosmic-ray muon radiography for reactor core observation

Takamatsu, Kuniyoshi; Takegami, Hiroaki; Ito, Chikara; Suzuki, Keiichi*; Onuma, Hiroshi*; Hino, Ryutaro; Okumura, Tadahiko*

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 78, p.166 - 175, 2015/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2014.12.017

In our study, we focused on a nondestructive inspection method by which cosmic-ray muons could be used to observe the internal reactor from outside the RPV and the CV. We conducted an observation test on the HTTR to evaluate the applicability of the method to the internal visualization of a reactor. We also analytically evaluated the resolution of existing muon telescopes to assess their suitability for the HTTR observation, and were able to detect the major structures of the HTTR based on the distribution of the surface densities calculated from the coincidences measured by the telescopes. Our findings suggested that existing muon telescopes could be used for muon observation of the internal reactor from outside the RPV and CV.