Cavitation damage prediction in mercury target for pulsed spallation neutron sources by Monte Carlo simulation

Wakui, Takashi; Takagishi, Yoichi*; Futakawa, Masatoshi; Tanabe, Makoto*

Jikken Rikigaku, 23(2), p.168 - 174, 2023/06

Cavitation damage on the inner surface of the mercury target for the spallation neutron source occurs by proton bombarding in mercury. The prediction method of the cavitation damage using Monte Carlo simulations was suggested taking variability of the bubble core position and impact pressure distribution into account. The impact pressure distribution was estimated using the inverse analysis with Bayesian optimization was conducted with comparison between cavitation damage distribution obtained from experiment and the cumulative plastic strain distribution obtained from simulation. The average value and spread of maximum impact pressure estimated assuming the Gaussian distribution were 3.1 GPa and 1.2 m, respectively. Simulation results reproduced experimental results and it can be said that this evaluation method is useful.

A Scoping study on the use of direct quantification of fault tree using Monte Carlo simulation in seismic probabilistic risk assessments

Kubo, Kotaro; Fujiwara, Keita*; Tanaka, Yoichi; Hakuta, Yuto*; Arake, Daisuke*; Uchiyama, Tomoaki*; Muramatsu, Ken*

Proceedings of 29th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 29) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE29-88773

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, the importance of conducting probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs) of external events, especially seismic activities and tsunamis, was recognized. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been developing a computational methodology for seismic PRA, called the direct quantification of fault tree using Monte Carlo simulation (DQFM). When appropriate correlation matrices are available for seismic responses and capacities of components, the DQFM makes it possible to consider the effect of correlated failures of components connected through AND and/or OR gates in fault trees, which is practically difficult when methods using analytical solutions or multidimensional numerical integrations are used to obtain minimal cut set probabilities. The usefulness of DQFM has already been demonstrated. Nevertheless, a reduction of the computational time of DQFM would allow the large number of analyses required in PRAs conducted by regulators and/or operators. We; therefore, performed scoping calculations using three different approaches, namely quasi-Monte Carlo sampling, importance sampling, and parallel computing, to improve calculation efficiency. Quasi-Monte Carlo sampling, importance sampling, and parallel computing were applied when calculating the conditional core damage probability of a simplified PRA model of a pressurized water reactor, using the DQFM method. The results indicated that the quasi-Monte Carlo sampling works well at assumed medium and high ground motion levels, importance sampling is suitable for assumed low ground motion level, and that parallel computing enables practical uncertainty and importance analysis. The combined implementation of these improvements in a PRA code is expected to provide a significant acceleration of computation and offers the prospect of practical use of DQFM in risk-informed decision-making.

A Comparative study of sampling techniques for dynamic probabilistic risk assessment of nuclear power plants

Kubo, Kotaro; Zheng, X.; Tanaka, Yoichi; Tamaki, Hitoshi; Sugiyama, Tomoyuki; Jang, S.*; Takata, Takashi*; Yamaguchi, Akira*

Proceedings of Joint International Conference on Supercomputing in Nuclear Applications + Monte Carlo 2020 (SNA + MC 2020), p.308 - 315, 2020/10

Dynamic probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) is a method for improving the realism and completeness of conventional PRA. However, enormous calculation costs are incurred by these improvements. One solution is to select an appropriate sampling method. In this paper, we applied the Monte Carlo, Latin hypercube, grid-point, and quasi-Monte Carlo sampling methods to the dynamic PRA of a simplified accident sequence and compared the results for each method. Quasi-Monte Carlo sampling was found to be the most effective method in this case.

MVP/GMVP version 3; General purpose Monte Carlo codes for neutron and photon transport calculations based on continuous energy and multigroup methods

Nagaya, Yasunobu; Okumura, Keisuke; Sakurai, Takeshi; Mori, Takamasa

JAEA-Data/Code 2016-018, 421 Pages, 2017/03

JAEA-Data-Code-2016-018.pdf:3.89MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2016-018-appendix(CD-ROM).zip:4.02MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2016-018-hyperlink.zip:1.94MB

In order to realize fast and accurate Monte Carlo simulation of neutron and photon transport problems, two Monte Carlo codes MVP (continuous-energy method) and GMVP (multigroup method) have been developed at Japan Atomic Energy Agency. The codes have adopted a vectorized algorithm and have been developed for vector-type supercomputers. They also support parallel processing with a standard parallelization library MPI and thus a speed-up of Monte Carlo calculations can be achieved on general computing platforms. The first and second versions of the codes were released in 1994 and 2005, respectively. They have been extensively improved and new capabilities have been implemented. The major improvements and new capabilities are as follows: (1) perturbation calculation for effective multiplication factor, (2) exact resonant elastic scattering model, (3) calculation of reactor kinetics parameters, (4) photo-nuclear model, (5) simulation of delayed neutrons, (6) generation of group constants, etc. This report describes the physical model, geometry description method used in the codes, new capabilities and input instructions.

Evaluation of neutron flux distribution in the JAEA type and JRC type DDA systems

Maeda, Makoto; Komeda, Masao; Tobita, Hiroshi; Ozu, Akira; Kureta, Masatoshi; Bogucarska, T.*; Crochemore, J. M.*; Varasano, G.*; Pedersen, B.*

Proceedings of INMM 57th Annual Meeting (Internet), 9 Pages, 2016/07

The JAEA and EC/JRC have started collaborative research to develop a technique that can be utilized for quantification of high radioactive special nuclear materials such as next generation minor actinide fuels. In the study of a Differential Die-Away (DDA) technique, which is one of the techniques to be improved in the collaborative research, JRC type and JAEA type DDA techniques are compared. In the JRC type DDA technique, large amount of thermal neutron is generated using D-T neutron generator and graphite moderator to accomplish high detection sensitivity for small amount of fissile material. On the other hand, in JAEA type, relatively hard neutron spectrum and moderation of neutron in the target matrix are utilized to minimize position dependence of detection efficiency. Estimation of the neutron field is important to evaluate the performance of the system in DDA technique. The purpose of this study is to validate simulation results by experimental results and evaluate neutron flux distribution in the system by the simulation and the experiment. In this paper, we present the evaluation results of the neutron flux distributions in PUNITA which utilizes JRC type DDA technique and JAWAS-T which utilizes JAEA type DDA technique obtained by Monte Carlo simulation and activation method.

LaCl(Ce) scintillation detector applications for environmental -ray measurements of low to high dose rates

Tsutsumi, Masahiro; Tanimura, Yoshihiko

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 557(2), p.554 - 560, 2006/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2005.11.117

A new cerium-doped LaCl(Ce) scintillator is evaluated with respect to the application in environmental -ray dosimetry and spectrometry. The scintillator is very attractive for -ray spectrometry in the case of high count rate, because it has excellent energy resolution and fast decay time. The performance characteristics of a scintillator with a 25.4 mm 25.4 mm LaCl(Ce) crystal are studied and compared to those of a NaI(Tl) scintillator with the same size crystal. Acquired pulse-height spectra are converted to dose rates by using the G(E) function method. Though the LaCl(Ce) crystal itself produces a rather high background in the crystal itself, the scintillator provides good energy information and dose-rate readings from low to high-level (several mGy/h) by subtracting the self-background. The properties of LaCl(Ce) scintillator suggest that the scintillator could be a promising candidate for monitoring at high-dose levels as in emergencies, as well as at ordinary levels of background radiation.

Benchmark solution for unstructured geometry PWR problem by method of characteristics using combinatorial geometry

Kugo, Teruhiko; Mori, Takamasa

Proceedings of International Topical Meeting on Mathematics and Computation, Supercomputing, Reactor Physics and Nuclear and Biological Applications (M&C 2005) (CD-ROM), 10 Pages, 2005/09

A new deterministic transport code based on the method of characteristics (MOC) has been developed for heterogeneous transport calculations in core design of innovative reactors which have complex structures. We have investigated the capability of the MOC code for general geometry with an unstructured geometry PWR problem. The comparison of the results with accurate Monte Carlo calculation results by GMVP has confirmed that the MOC code produces satisfactory results and has a capability to treat unstructured geometry.

Impact of perturbed fission source on the effective multiplication factor in Monte Carlo perturbation calculations

Nagaya, Yasunobu; Mori, Takamasa

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 42(5), p.428 - 441, 2005/05

https://doi.org/10.3327/jnst.42.428

A new method to estimate a change in the effective multiplication factor due to the perturbed fission source distribution has been proposed for Monte Carlo perturbation calculations with the correlated sampling and differential operator sampling techniques. The method has been implemented into the MVP code for verification. Simple benchmark problems have been set up for fast and thermal systems and the applicability of the method has been verified with the problems. In consequence, it has been confirmed that the method is very effective to estimate the change. It has been also shown that there are some cases where the perturbed source effect is significant and the change in reactivity cannot be estimated accurately without taking the effect into account. Even in such cases, the new method can estimate the perturbed source effect and the estimation of the change in reactivity has been remarkably improved.

Production of MVP neutron cross section libraries based on the latest evaluated nuclear data files

Mori, Takamasa; Nagaya, Yasunobu; Okumura, Keisuke; Kaneko, Kunio*

JAERI-Data/Code 2004-011, 119 Pages, 2004/07

JAERI-Data-Code-2004-011.pdf:5.93MB

The 2nd version of code system, LICEM-2, has been developed to produce neutron cross section libraries for the MVP continuous energy Monte Carlo code from an evaluated nuclear data library in the ENDF format. The code system can process nuclear data in the latest ENDF-6 format and produce cross section libraries for MVP's capability of transport calculation at arbitrary temperature. By using the present system, MVP neutron cross section libraries have been prepared from the latest evaluations of JENDL, ENDF/B and JEFF data bases. This report describes the specification of MVP neutron cross section library, the details of each code in the code system, how to use them and MVP neutron cross section libraries produced with the code system.

Analysis of radiation streaming experiment through a labyrinth at TIARA HIR1

Oguri, Tomomi*; Nakashima, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Susumu; JAERI-University Collaboration Group for Accelerator Shielding Study

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 41(Suppl.4), p.54 - 57, 2004/03

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00223131.2004.10875635

In shielding design of proton accelerator facilities, it applies simplified formulae and Monte Carlo calculation methods to calculation radiation streaming of access way and duct. A radiation streaming experiment was carried out in order to validate accuracy of intermediate energy region in labyrinth of access way connected to the 1st heavy ion room in TIARA at JAERI. In this paper, it is described comparing of measured data and calculations by MCNP-4B Monte Carlo code and simplified formulae. In Monte Carlo calculations, HILO86 constant set and LA150 was used for cross section data. The results of this experimental analysis show the accuracy of 50% errors for Monte Carlo calculations overall and a factor of 3 for simplified formulae. So applicability for these calculation methods in region of intermediate energy is validated.