Development of the technology for preventing radioactive particles' dispersion during the fuel debris retrieval (Contract research); FY2020 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; The University of Tokyo*

JAEA-Review 2022-010, 155 Pages, 2022/06

JAEA-Review-2022-010.pdf:9.78MB

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 FY2020. 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 FY2018, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of the technology for preventing radioactive particles' dispersion during the fuel debris retrieval" conducted from FY2018 to FY2021 (this contract was extended to FY2021). Since the final year of this proposal was FY2021, the results for four fiscal years were summarized. The present study aims to clarify the behavior of microparticles in gas and liquid phases in order to steadily confine radioactive microparticles during fuel debris retrieval in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, TEPCO. As measures to prevent dispersion of microparticles, (1) a method to suppress the dispersion with minimum amount of water utilizing water spray etc., and (2) a method to suppress the dispersion by solidifying ...

Development of the technology for preventing radioactive particles' dispersion during the fuel debris retrieval (Contract research); FY2019 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; The University of Tokyo*

JAEA-Review 2020-043, 116 Pages, 2021/01

JAEA-Review-2020-043.pdf:7.74MB

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 FY2019. 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 FY2018, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of the technology for preventing radioactive particles' dispersion during the fuel debris retrieval" conducted in FY2019. In this study, a technique to effectively suppress the scattering of fine particles has been developed, and as a result of experiments, a method of spraying with water mist was found to be an effective and applicable method for improving aerosol removal efficiency and removal rate. As a method of solidifying fuel debris to suppress fine particle scattering during cutting, geopolymer was evaluated for its strength, thermal conductivity and cutting powder. In addition, flow status of geopolymer and the temperature distribution inside RPV covered by geopolymer were simulated.

-electron states of NpPdAl and the isostructural family; Heavy fermion superconductivity accompanied by valence crossover

Metoki, Naoto

Kotai Butsuri, 55(7), p.285 - 296, 2020/07

Electron states are the main theme of "solid-state physics", which is essential for microscopic understanding of multipoles and superconductivity, etc. Rare earths (4) and actinides (5) provide variety of interesting states realized with competing interactions between the increasing number of electrons. Since crystal field splitting of many-body electron system is smaller than the bandwidth, (1) high resolution experiments are needed, (2) essentially no clear spectrum with well defined peaks is expected in itinerant Ce and U compounds, and (3) Np and Pu is strictly regulated. Therefore, systematic research on magnetic excitations by neutron scattering experiments of localized compounds and rare earth iso-structural reference is useful. We describe the electron states of heavy electron compounds NpPdAl and actinide and rare earth based iso-structural family.

Basic research on the stability of fuel debris including alloy phase (Contract research); FY2018 Center of World Intelligence Project for Nuclear Science/Technology and Human Resource Development

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Tohoku University*

JAEA-Review 2019-035, 61 Pages, 2020/03

JAEA-Review-2019-035.pdf:2.9MB

JAEA/CLADS, had been conducting the Center of World Intelligence Project for Nuclear Science/Technology and Human Resource Development (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2018. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. 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 FY2018, this report summarizes the research results of the "Basic Research on the Stability of Fuel Debris Including Alloy Phase". In the present study, we focus on fuel debris consisting of oxide phase and alloy phase generated by the high-temperature chemical reaction between structure materials (SUS pipes, pressure vessels, etc.) and fuels (melted fuels, claddings components, etc.). We synthesize the simulated debris of UO-SUS system and UO-Zr(ZrO)-SUS system by high-temperature heat treatment, and measure their chemical property and dissolution behavior in water. Also, we will conduct research and development to spectroscopically analyze secular changes of oxide phase and alloy phase in the simulated debris.

-electron states of heavy-fermion superconductor NpPdAl and rare-earth- and actinide-based isostructural compounds

Metoki, Naoto

Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 89(2), p.025001_1 - 025001_2, 2020/02

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSJ.89.025001

Good correspondence of the and - coupling scheme can be realized in the -electron states of the heavy-fermion superconductor NpPdAl and the isostructural family. The rare-earth and actinide elements are under a common strong uniaxial point charge potential with tetragonal point symmetry . The systematic development of the -electron states can be understood in the coupling scheme of configuration (the number of electrons ). We can find the corresponding states in - coupling scheme with three -orbitals , and determined from CePdAl with configuration.

External dose evaluation based on detailed air dose rate measurements in living environments

Sato, Tetsuro*; Ando, Masaki; Sato, Masako*; Saito, Kimiaki

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 210, p.105973_1 - 105973_7, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.05.005

A method was devised for estimation of external doses of Fukushima residents expected to return to their homes after evacuation orders are lifted. 211 residents expected to return to six towns and villages were surveyed in FY 2014, FY 2015, and FY2016. Interviewing returning residents about their expected life patterns after returning, air dose rate were measured along the reported personal trails representing their patterns of movement in daily life. Excluding 15 residents from whose homes we were unable to take air dose rate measurements, the maximum external effective dose and the average external effective dose were estimated respectively as 4.9 mSv/y and 0.86 mSv/y. Although the mean values and dispersion of external effective doses differ depending on the evacuation level, for 93.3% of all residents, the estimated external effective doses were less than 2 mSv/y. The average exposure dose at home accounts for 66.8% of the annual exposure dose.

Localized 5 states in UPdAl and valence crossover in the Vicinity of Heavy-Fermion superconductivity

Metoki, Naoto; Haga, Yoshinori; Yamamoto, Etsuji; Matsuda, Masaaki*

Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 87(11), p.114712_1 - 114712_9, 2018/11

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSJ.87.114712

The localized 5 states with 5 () configuration of U ion have been revealed in UPdAl. We found that the low-lying states are the same as PrPdAl flat orbitals with large are stabilized by a two-dimensional CEF potential in the unique crystal structure. The present study involves the valence crossover from tetravalent to trivalent in a series of AnPdAl, demonstrated by lattice and/or transport anomaly as well as many body effects in the vicinity of the boundary. The valence instability plays important role for the unusual heavy fermion superconductivity in NpPdAl.

Neutron inelastic scattering study of the -electron states in NdPdAl

Metoki, Naoto; Yamauchi, Hiroki; Suzuki, Hiroyuki*; Kitazawa, Hideaki*; Kamazawa, Kazuya*; Ikeuchi, Kazuhiko*; Kajimoto, Ryoichi; Nakamura, Mitsutaka; Inamura, Yasuhiro

Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 87(8), p.084708_1 - 084708_7, 2018/08

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSJ.87.084708

Inelastic neutron scattering experiments were carried out in order to study the -electron states of NdPdAlThe CEF levels at 0K, 35.4K, 88.3K, 101.5K, and 198.8K were clarified from the excitation spectra. The ground state contains the orbital with as a main component due to a large negative BK, which is the origin of the strong uniaxial anisotropy. The estimated magnetic moment, the calculated susceptibility, magnetization curve, and specific heat are in good agreement with the experimental data. The existence of a common charge distribution with CePdAl and PrPdAl. Indicates that a localized character is important even in actinide-based iso-structural compounds as actually observed in UPdAl and also NpPdAl, in which the valence crossover plays important role for the heavy fermion superconductivity.

Cutting operation of simulated fuel assembly heating examination by AWJ

Abe, Yuta; Nakagiri, Toshio; Watatani, Satoshi*; Maruyama, Shinichiro*

JAEA-Technology 2017-023, 46 Pages, 2017/10

JAEA-Technology-2017-023.pdf:8.01MB

This is a report on Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ) cutting work carried out on specimen, which was used for Simulated Fuel Assembly Heating Examination by Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS) molten core behavior analysis group in February 2016. The simulated fuel assembly is composed of Zirconia for the outer crucible/simulated fuel, stainless steel for the control blade and Zircaloy (Zr) for the cladding tube/channel box. Therefore, it is necessary to cut at once substances having a wide range of fracture toughness and hardness. Moreover, it is a large specimen with an approximate size of 300 mm. In addition, epoxy resin has high stickiness, making it more difficult to cut. Considering these effects, AWJ cutting was selected. The following two points were devised, and this specimen could be cut with AWJ. If it was not possible to cut at one time like a molten portion of boride, it was repeatedly cut. By using Abrasive Suspension Jet (ASJ) system with higher cutting ability than Abrasive Injection Jet (AIJ, conventional method) system, cutting time was shortened. As a result of this work, the cutting method in Simulated Fuel Assembly Heating Examination was established. Incidentally, in the cutting operation, when the cutting ability was lost at the tip of the AWJ, a curved cut surface, which occurs when the jet flowed away from the feeding direction, could be confirmed at the center of the test body. From the next work, to improve the cutting efficiency, we propose adding a mechanism such as turning the cutting member itself for re-cutting from the exit side of the jet and appropriate traverse speed to protect cut surface.

Study on the distribution of boron in the in-vessel fuel debris in conditions close to Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 2

Ikeuchi, Hirotomo; Piluso, P.*; Fouquart, P.*; Excoffier, E.*; David, C.*; Brackx, E.*

Proceedings of 8th European Review Meeting on Severe Accident Research (ERMSAR 2017) (Internet), 12 Pages, 2017/05

no abstracts in English