Interaction of solute manganese and nickel atoms with dislocation loops in iron-based alloys irradiated with 2.8 MeV Fe ions at 400 C

Nguyen, B. V. C.*; Murakami, Kenta*; Chena, L.*; Phongsakorn, P. T.*; Chen, X.*; Hashimoto, Takashi; Hwang, T.*; Furusawa, Akinori; Suzuki, Tatsuya*

Nuclear Materials and Energy (Internet), 39, p.101639_1 - 101639_9, 2024/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2024.101639

Hierarchical deformation heterogeneity during Lders band propagation in an Fe-5Mn-0.1C medium Mn steel clarified through scanning electron microscopy

Koyama, Motomichi*; Yamashita, Takayuki*; Morooka, Satoshi; Yang, Z.*; Varanasi, R. S.*; Hojo, Tomohiko*; Kawasaki, Takuro; Harjo, S.

Tetsu To Hagane, 110(3), p.205 - 216, 2024/02

https://doi.org/10.2355/tetsutohagane.TETSU-2023-052

Data report of ROSA/LSTF experiment TR-LF-15; Accident management actions during station blackout transient with pump seal LOCA

Takeda, Takeshi

JAEA-Data/Code 2023-012, 75 Pages, 2023/10

JAEA-Data-Code-2023-012.pdf:4.45MB

An experiment denoted as TR-LF-15 was conducted on June 11, 2014 using the Large Scale Test Facility (LSTF) in the Rig of Safety Assessment-V (ROSA-V) Program. The ROSA/LSTF experiment TR-LF-15 simulated accident management (AM) actions during a station blackout transient with TMLB' scenario with pump seal loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) in a pressurized water reactor (PWR). This scenario is featured by loss of auxiliary feedwater functions. The pump seal LOCA was simulated by a 0.1% cold leg break. The test assumptions included total failure of both high pressure injection system and low pressure injection system of emergency core cooling system (ECCS). Also, it was presumed non-condensable gas (nitrogen gas) inflow to the primary system from accumulator (ACC) tanks of ECCS. When steam generator (SG) secondary-side collapsed liquid level dropped to a certain low liquid level, the primary pressure turned to rise. After the SG secondary-side became voided, the safety valve of a pressurizer cyclically opened which led to loss of primary coolant. Core uncovery thus took place owing to core boil-off at high pressure. When an increase of 10 K was confirmed in cladding surface temperature of simulated fuel rods, SG secondary-side depressurization was started as the first AM action. At that time, the safety valves in both SGs were fully opened. Primary depressurization was initiated by completely opening the pressurizer safety valve as the second AM action with some delay after the first AM action onset. When the SG secondary-side pressure lowered to 1.0 MPa following the first AM action, water was injected into the secondary-side of both SGs via feedwater lines with low-head pumps as the third AM action. A reduction in the primary pressure was accelerated because the heat removal from the SG secondary-side system resumed shortly after the third AM action initiation.

Investigations and consideration on conditions of contamination and measures of decontamination for motor vehicles at a nuclear emergency

Togawa, Orihiko; Hokama, Tomonori; Hiraoka, Hirokazu

JAEA-Review 2023-013, 48 Pages, 2023/08

JAEA-Review-2023-013.pdf:2.11MB

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 or relocated residents, contamination inspection is conducted, in which it is important not to spoil its rapidity. In the present inspection, wipers and tires are designated to first measuring parts, and they are basically inspected by persons using GM survey meters. Utilization of portable radiation portal monitors is also being considered for rapid and efficient inspection of motor vehicles. In order to contribute to rapid and efficient operation of contamination inspection, this report investigated conditions of contamination and measures of decontaminations for motor vehicles at a nuclear emergency. Although available documents and information were quite few, results of the investigations described in the related documents were extracted and rearranged according to the objectives of this report. Furthermore, these results were considered from a viewpoint of rapid and efficient operation of contamination inspection.

Data report of ROSA/LSTF experiment IB-HL-01; 17% hot leg intermediate break LOCA with totally-failed high pressure injection system

Takeda, Takeshi

JAEA-Data/Code 2023-007, 72 Pages, 2023/07

JAEA-Data-Code-2023-007.pdf:3.24MB

An experiment denoted as IB-HL-01 was conducted on November 19, 2009 using the Large Scale Test Facility (LSTF) in the Rig of Safety Assessment-V (ROSA-V) Program. The ROSA/LSTF experiment IB-HL-01 simulated a 17% hot leg intermediate break loss-of-coolant accident due to a double-ended guillotine break of pressurizer surge line in a pressurized water reactor (PWR). The break was simulated by a long nozzle upwardly mounted flush with a hot leg inner surface. The test assumptions included total failure of both high pressure injection system of emergency core cooling system (ECCS) and auxiliary feedwater system. In the experiment, relatively large size of break led to a fast transient of phenomena. The primary pressure steeply dropped after the break, and became lower than steam generator (SG) secondary-side pressure. Break flow turned from single-phase flow to two-phase flow soon after the break. Core uncovery started simultaneously with liquid level drop in downflow-side of crossover leg before loop seal clearing (LSC). The LSC was induced in both loops by steam condensation on accumulator (ACC) coolant of ECCS injected into cold legs. The whole core was quenched owing to the rapid recovery in the core liquid level after the LSC. Peak cladding temperature of simulated fuel rods was detected almost concurrently with the LSC. During the ACC coolant injection, liquid levels recovered in the hot legs and SG inlet plena because of liquid entrainment from the hot leg into the SG inlet plenum by high-velocity steam flow. After the continuous core cooling was confirmed through the actuation of low pressure injection system of ECCS, the experiment was terminated. This report summarizes the test procedures, conditions, and major observations in the ROSA/LSTF experiment IB-HL-01.

Comparison on safety features among HTGR's Reactor Cavity Cooling Systems (RCCSs)

Takamatsu, Kuniyoshi; Funatani, Shumpei*

Proceedings of 2023 International Congress on Advanced in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2023) (Internet), 17 Pages, 2023/04

The objectives of this study are as follows: to understand the characteristics, degree of passive safety features for heat removal were compared for RCCSs based on atmospheric radiation and based on atmospheric natural circulation under the same conditions. Therefore, the authors concluded that the proposed RCCS based on atmospheric radiation has the advantage that the temperature of the RPV can be stably maintained against disturbances in the outside air (ambient air). Moreover, methodology to utilize all the heat emitted from the RPV surface for increasing the degree of waste-heat utilization was discussed.

Hierarchical Bayes model to quantify fracture limit uncertainty of high-burnup advanced fuel cladding tubes under LOCA conditions

Narukawa, Takafumi; Hamaguchi, Shusuke*; Takata, Takashi*; Udagawa, Yutaka

Proceedings of Asian Symposium on Risk Assessment and Management 2022 (ASRAM 2022) (Internet), 11 Pages, 2022/12

Hierarchical deformation heterogeneity during Lders band propagation in an Fe-5Mn-0.1C medium Mn steel clarified through scanning electron microscopy

Koyama, Motomichi*; Yamashita, Takayuki*; Morooka, Satoshi; Yang, Z.*; Varanasi, R. S.*; Hojo, Tomohiko*; Kawasaki, Takuro; Harjo, S.

ISIJ International, 62(10), p.2043 - 2053, 2022/10

https://doi.org/10.2355/isijinternational.ISIJINT-2022-098

Development of a miniature electromagnet probe for the measurement of local velocity in heavy liquid metals

Ariyoshi, Gen; Obayashi, Hironari; Sasa, Toshinobu

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(9), p.1071 - 1088, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2030824

Electromagnetic induction method is one of the effective techniques for local velocity measurement in heavy liquid metals. Ricou and Vives' probe and Von Weissenfluh's probe are famous instrumentations using a permanent magnet. However, sensitivity and measurement volume of the probes show unexpected variation since demagnetization of the magnet is occurred by temperature increase up to the Curie temperature. In this study, electromagnetic probe incorporating a miniature electromagnet was newly developed to overcome such unexpected variation. The diameter and the length of the sensor was 6 mm and 155 mm, respectively. The sensitivity and the measurement volume of the probe were assessed by measurement of local velocity of flowing mercury in a square channel. To clarify the validity for the measured velocity profiles, numerical velocity profiles were calculated and compared with experiment. And the validity for the measured velocity profiles were confirmed by calculated result.

Analysis on cooling behavior for simulated molten core material impinging to a horizontal plate in a sodium pool

Matsushita, Hatsuki*; Kobayashi, Ren*; Sakai, Takaaki*; Kato, Shinya; Matsuba, Kenichi; Kamiyama, Kenji

Proceedings of 13th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics, Operation and Safety (NUTHOS-13) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2022/09

During core disruptive accidents in sodium-cooled fast reactors, the molten core material flows through flow channels, such as the control rod guide tubes, into the core inlet plenum under the core region. The molten core material can be cooled and solidified while impinging on a horizontal plate of the inlet plenum in a sodium coolant. However, the solidification and cooling behaviors of molten core materials impinged on a horizontal structure have not been sufficiently studied thus far. Notably, this is an important phenomenon that needs to be elucidated from the perspective of improving the safety of sodium-cooled fast reactors. Accordingly, a series of experiments on discharging a simulated molten core material (alumina: AlO) into a sodium coolant on a horizontal structure was conducted at the experimental facility of the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In this study, analyses on the sodium experiments using SIMMER-III as the fast reactor safety evaluation code were performed. The analysis methods were validated by comparing the results and experiment data. In addition, the cooling and solidification behaviors during jet impingement were evaluated. The results indicated that the molten core material exhibited fragmentation owing to the impingement on the horizontal plate and was, therefore, scattered toward the periphery. Furthermore, the simulated molten core material was evaluated to be cooled by sodium and subsequently solidified.