Sintering behavior analysis of compacted dry recycled UPuO powder using master sintering curve theory

中道 晋哉; 砂押 剛雄*; 廣岡 瞬; Vauchy, R.; 村上 龍敏

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 595, p.155072_1 - 155072_11, 2024/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155072

Using dry recycled powders for uranium and plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel production can reduce unnecessary storage and accountability of nuclear material in facilities. The shrinkage behavior of green compacts of dry recycled powders differs from that of conventional raw powders because the dry recycled MOX powder is obtained from the fabrication scrap of sintered pellets. The shrinkage behavior of dry recycled MOX powder has been investigated by dilatometry. Based on the shrinkage curves, sintering apparent activation energies were evaluated using the master sintering curve (MSC) and the constant rate of heating methods. The obtained values were higher than the energy evaluated for raw powder experiments. The sigmoid sintering prediction equation using the MSC function was constructed. The accumulation of data on the activation energy for various sintering conditions will lead to the wide application of this prediction formula in the future.

燃料デブリ分析のための超微量分析技術の開発(委託研究); 令和4年度英知を結集した原子力科学技術・人材育成推進事業

廃炉環境国際共同研究センター; 東北大学*

JAEA-Review 2023-025, 117 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Review-2023-025.pdf:7.29MB

日本原子力研究開発機構(JAEA)廃炉環境国際共同研究センター(CLADS)では、令和4年度英知を結集した原子力科学技術・人材育成推進事業(以下、「本事業」という)を実施している。本事業は、東京電力ホールディングス株式会社福島第一原子力発電所(1F)の廃炉等をはじめとした原子力分野の課題解決に貢献するため、国内外の英知を結集し、様々な分野の知見や経験を、従前の機関や分野の壁を越えて緊密に融合・連携させた基礎的・基盤的研究及び人材育成を推進することを目的としている。平成30年度の新規採択課題から実施主体を文部科学省からJAEAに移行することで、JAEAとアカデミアとの連携を強化し、廃炉に資する中長期的な研究開発・人材育成をより安定的かつ継続的に実施する体制を構築した。本研究は、令和元年度に採択された研究課題のうち、「燃料デブリ分析のための超微量分析技術の開発」の令和4年度分の研究成果について取りまとめたものである。本研究では、燃料デブリの取り扱い、臨界管理、保管管理等に必要な性状把握において、キーとなるアクチノイド核種の化学分析を中心に、最適な試料前処理・分離・分析プロセスを開発し、将来計画されている燃料デブリ分析の効率化・合理化を図るとともに、一連の研究業務における人材育成を通し、1F廃炉推進に資することを目的とする。特に、近年分析化学分野、放射化学分野で成果を上げつつある誘導結合プラズマ質量分析法(ICP-MS/MS)を原子力分野に応用することにより、測定核種を単離するための前処理をせずに高精度で分析できる手法を開発し、分離前処理を省力化し、迅速な分析工程を確立する。

Modeling of the P2M past fuel melting experiments with the FEMAXI-8 code

Mohamad, A. B.; 宇田川 豊

Nuclear Technology, 210(2), p.245 - 260, 2024/02

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2023.2185061

In the Power to Melt and Maneuverability (P2M) project, a simulation exercise on two past power ramp experiments xM3 on medium burn-up rod and HBC4 on high burn-up rod were performed with the fuel performance code FEMAXI-8 to investigate the fuel behavior under high power and high-temperature conditions toward centerline fuel melting. In order to treat fuel melting, empirical melting temperature models have been incorporated into the FEMAXI-8 code. The present analysis gave reasonable predictions not only on cladding deformation but also on the fuel melting behavior of the HBC4 rod, in which the UO liquidus temperature was reached during the transient. On the other hand, model improvement appeared to be needed for a more accurate treatment of fuel melting behavior of the xM3 rod, in which fuel center temperature reached solidus line, whereas may not reached liquidus line. A reasonable agreement of estimated FGR with the measurement suggested that the high temperature FGR at the given conditions are essentially temperature dependent phenomenon: rate-limited primarily by thermally activated elementary processes such as fission gas diffusion.

Thermal conductivity measurement of uranium-plutonium mixed oxide doped with Nd/Sm as simulated fission products

堀井 雄太; 廣岡 瞬; 宇野 弘樹*; 小笠原 誠洋*; 田村 哲也*; 山田 忠久*; 古澤 尚也*; 村上 龍敏; 加藤 正人

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 588, p.154799_1 - 154799_20, 2024/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2023.154799

MOX燃料の照射により生成する主要なFPであるNdO及びSmO、模擬FPとして添加したMOXの熱伝導率を評価した。MOX中の模擬FPの均質性の観点から熱伝導率を評価するため、ボールミル法及び溶融法で作製した2種類の粉末を用いて、Nd及びSmの均質性が異なる試料を作製した。模擬FPが均質に固溶した試料では含有量が増加するにしたがってMOXの熱伝導率が低下するが、不均質な模擬FPは影響を及ぼさないことが分かった。熱伝導率に対するNd及びSmの影響を古典的フォノン輸送モデル=(A+BT)を用いてNd/Sm依存性を定量的に評価した結果、A(mK/W)=1.7010 + 0.93C + 1.20C, B(m/W)=2.3910と表された。

Effect of fuel particle size on consequences of criticality accidents in water-moderated solid fuel particle dispersion system

福田 航大; 山根 祐一

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(12), p.1514 - 1525, 2023/12

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2023.2224327

粒子状の固体燃料デブリが水中に分散した場合のデブリ粒子径に着目し、粒子径が核分裂数や出力推移といった臨界挙動に与える影響を明らかにすることを目的とした動特性解析を行った。その結果、燃料から水への熱伝達量が大きい条件下で、燃料粒子径を1桁小さくすると核分裂の回数が10倍になること等が明らかとなった。この結果より、燃料粒子径を適切に設定しなければ、核分裂数が過大又は過少評価される可能性が示唆された。

Elemental analysis and radioactivity evaluation of aerosols generated during heating of simulated fuel debris; The Urasol project in the framework of Fukushima Daiichi fuel debris removal

坪田 陽一; Porcheron, E.*; Journeau, C.*; Delacroix, J.*; Suteau, C.*; Lallot, Y.*; Bouland, A.*; Roulet, D.*; 三次 岳志

Proceedings of International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management (ICEM2023) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2023/10

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICEM2023-110064

福島第一原子力発電所(1F)における燃料デブリ取出しを安全に実施するためには、燃料デブリの切断時に発生する放射性微粒子の定量評価が必要である。我々はウラン含有のIn/Ex-Vessel組成を持つ模擬燃料デブリを作製し、それらを加熱した際に生じるエアロゾルの物理、化学的特性を評価した。それらを基に1F-Unit2の燃料デブリを加熱法の代表例であるレーザー切断した際に生じるエアロゾルの同位体組成と放射能を推定したところ、Pu、Am、Cmを主とするプルトニウムが核種として、Pu、Cs-Ba、Sr-Yが核種としての着目核種であることが分かった。

高温ガス炉用SiC母材燃料コンパクトの作製に関する検討

河野 貴大*; 水田 直紀; 植田 祥平; 橘 幸男; 吉田 克己*

JAEA-Technology 2023-014, 37 Pages, 2023/08

JAEA-Technology-2023-014.pdf:2.35MB

現在用いられている高温ガス炉用燃料コンパクトは、被覆燃料粒子を黒鉛母材で焼き固めた黒鉛母材燃料コンパクトである。これに対して、SiC母材燃料コンパクトは、母材を従来の黒鉛から新たに炭化ケイ素に換えたものである。高温ガス炉用燃料コンパクトを従来の黒鉛母材燃料コンパクトからSiC母材燃料コンパクトに換えることで、高温ガス炉の出力密度等の性能向上が期待される。本研究では、高温ガス炉用燃料コンパクトに適用するための焼成条件を選定し、試作したSiCの密度や熱伝導率を測定した。

Research on improvement of HTGR core power-density, 4; Feasibility study for a reactor core

沖田 将一朗; 水田 直紀; 高松 邦吉; 後藤 実; 吉田 克己*; 西村 洋亮*; 岡本 孝司*

Proceedings of 30th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE30) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2023/05

Adoption of SiC-matrix fuel elements in future pin-in-block type HTGR designs will enhance oxidation resistance of the fuel element in the event of the air ingress accident, one of the most worrisome accidents in HTGRs. This would eliminate the need for the graphite sleeves used in the current pin-in-block type HTGR designs and enable high power density core designs with sleeveless and direct coolable fuel structure. Such a concept itself has been suggested by Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) in the past. However, JAEA has not yet demonstrated the feasibility for a core design with the SiC-matrix fuel elements. The present work is intended to demonstrate the feasibility for a new core design upgraded from an existing conceptual core design, called HTR50S, with 50 MW thermal power and reactor outlet temperature of 750C. The new core design uses SiC-matrix fuel elements and increases the reactor power density to 1.2 times higher than the original HTR50S design. The feasibility is determined by whether the core satisfies the target values in nuclear and thermal-hydraulic designs by performing burn-up calculation with the whole core model and fuel temperature calculations. The calculation results showed that the new core design satisfied these target values on the reactor shutdown margin, the temperature coefficient of reactivity, and the maximum fuel temperature during normal operation.

Chemical composition of aerosols generated by heating prototypic fuel debris samples

Journeau, C.*; Delacroix, J.*; Guvar, C.*; Testud, V.*; Brackx, E.*; Porcheron, E.*; Bouland, A.*; Berlemont, R.*; 池田 篤史

Science Talks (Internet), 6, p.100215_1 - 100215_9, 2023/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sctalk.2023.100215

One of the important challenges for the decommissioning of the damaged reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F) is the fuel debris retrieval. The URASOL (URAnium and aeroSOL) project has been undertaken by the French consortium laboratories consisting of ONET, CEA, and IRSN for JAEA. It aims at acquiring basic data on the generation and characteristics of radioactive aerosols from the thermal or mechanical processing of fuel debris simulant. Prototypic fuel debris samples were fabricated based on the average of the lower head compositions computed in the OECD/BSAF benchmark. Samples were heated in an induction furnace to simulate thermal cutting and released aerosols were collected during three temperature ramps using impactors. The collected aerosols were chemically analyzed by ICP-AES and ICP-MS. Iron and tin are the major elements found in these aerosols, followed by chromium and silicon. Significant releases of tellurium, barium and cerium were observed.

Applicability of differential die-away self-interrogation technique for quantification of spontaneous fission nuclides for fuel debris at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants

長谷 竹晃; 相樂 洋*; 小菅 義広*; 能見 貴佳; 奥村 啓介

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(4), p.460 - 472, 2023/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2114958

This paper provides an overview of the applicability of the Differential Die-Away Self-Interrogation (DDSI) technique for quantification of spontaneous fissile nuclides in fuel debris at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plants. In this research, massive fuel debris stored in a canister was evaluated, and the void space of the canister was assumed to be filled with water for wet storage and air for dry storage. The composition of fuel debris was estimated based on elements such as the inventory in the reactor core and operation history. The simulation results show that for wet storage, the DDSI technique can properly evaluate the neutron leakage multiplication and quantify spontaneous fissile nuclides with a total measurement uncertainty (TMU) of approximately 8%. For dry storage, the known-alpha technique, which was previously established, can be applied to quantify spontaneous fissile nuclides with a TMU of approximately 4%. In both cases, the largest uncertainty factor is the variation in water content in the canister. In the case of wet storage, the uncertainty could be significantly increased in cases where the fuel debris is extremely unevenly distributed in the canister.