JOPSS - Search Results

Journal Articles

R&D of active neutron NDA techniques for nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear security, 3; Validation of neutron transport code for design of NDA system

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

Dai-37-Kai Kaku Busshitsu Kanri Gakkai Nihon Shibu Nenji Taikai Rombunshu (CD-ROM), 7 Pages, 2017/02

JAEA and EC/JRC are carrying out collaborative research to develop NDA techniques that can be utilized for quantification of high radioactive special nuclear materials such as spent fuel and next generation minor actinide fuels. In the research, reliability of neutron transport codes is important because it is utilized for design and development of a demonstration system of next-generation Differential Die-away (DDA) technique in JAEA. In order to evaluate the reliability, actual neutron flux distribution in a sample cavity was examined in PUNITA device using JRC type DDA technique and JAWAS-T device using JAEA type DDA technique, and then the measurement results were compared with the simulation results obtained by the neutron transport codes. The neutron flux distribution in the target matrix was also examined in the PUNITA and compared with the simulation results. We report on the measurement and simulation results of the neutron flux distribution and evaluation results of the reliability of the neutron transport codes.

Journal Articles

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.

Journal Articles

Neutronic performance of rectangular and cylindrical coupled hydrogen moderators in wide-angle beam extraction of low-energy neutrons

Kai, Tetsuya; Harada, Masahide; Teshigawara, Makoto; Watanabe, Noboru; Kiyanagi, Yoshiaki*; Ikeda, Yujiro

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 550(1-2), p.329 - 342, 2005/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2005.04.082

Times Cited Count：18 Percentile：74.82(Instruments & Instrumentation)

Neutronic study was performed on coupled hydrogen moderators to maximize time-integrated and pulse-peak intensities of slow neutrons when a large number of beams was required. The total increased with the number of beams, although the average decreased due to a reflector-missing by the beam extraction holes in the reflector. At a large beam extraction angle (25 degree), the spatial distribution of the vector-flux of neutrons was undesirable for a rectangular shape moderator. As an alternative we proposed a cylindrical shape one, resulting in a much improved spatial distribution. In addition, neutronic performance was calculated as a function of the diameter, indicating the optimal diameter was about 140 mm. The cylindrical one gave higher pulse-peak intensities with narrower pulse widths without penalty in time-integrated intensities and pulse decay characteristics, providing a more uniform angle-dependence. Some explanations are given for the difference in the pulse characteristics between the two. We decided to adopt the cylindrical one for the Japanese spallation neutron source.

Journal Articles

Annular core experiments in HTTR's start-up core physics tests

Fujimoto, Nozomu; Yamashita, Kiyonobu*; Nojiri, Naoki; Takeuchi, Mitsuo; Fujisaki, Shingo; Nakano, Masaaki*

Nuclear Science and Engineering, 150(3), p.310 - 321, 2005/07

https://doi.org/10.13182/NSE03-79

Times Cited Count：6 Percentile：40.41(Nuclear Science & Technology)

Annular cores were formed in startup-core-physics tests of the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) to obtain experimental data for verification of calculation codes. The first criticality, control rod positions at critical conditions, neutron flux distribution, excess reactivity etc. were measured as representative data. These data were evaluated with Monte Carlo code MVP that can consider the heterogeneity of coated fuel particles (CFP) distributed randomly in fuel compacts directly. It was made clear that the heterogeneity effect of CFP on reactivity for annular cores is smaller than that for fully-loaded cores. Measured and calculated effective multiplication factors (k) were agreed with differences less than 1%k. Measured neutron flux distributions agreed with calculated results. The revising method was applied for evaluation of excess reactivity to exclude negative shadowing effect of control rods. The revised and calculated excess reactivity agreed with differences less than 1%k/k.

Journal Articles

Characteristic test of initial HTTR core

Nojiri, Naoki; Shimakawa, Satoshi; Fujimoto, Nozomu; Goto, Minoru

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 233(1-3), p.283 - 290, 2004/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2004.08.015

Times Cited Count：12 Percentile：61.44(Nuclear Science & Technology)

This paper describes the results of core physics test in start-up and power-up of the HTTR. The tests were conducted in order to ensure performance and safety of the high temperature gas cooled reactor, and was carried out to measure the critical approach, the excess reactivity, the shutdown margin, the control rod worth, the reactivity coefficient, the neutron flux distribution and the power distribution. The expected core performance and the required reactor safety characteristics were verified from the results of measurements and calculations.

JAEA Reports

Measurement and analysis of neutron flux distribution of STACY heterogeneous core by position sensitive proportional counter (Contract research)

Murazaki, Minoru; Uno, Yuichi; Miyoshi, Yoshinori

JAERI-Tech 2003-029, 107 Pages, 2003/03

JAERI-Tech-2003-029.pdf:7.04MB

We have measured neutron flux distribution around the core tank of STACY heterogeneous core by position sensitive proportional counter (PSPC) to develop the method to measure reactivity for subcritical systems. The neutron flux distribution data in the position accuracy of 13mm have been obtained in the range of uranium concentration of 50g/L to 210g/L both in critical and in subcritical state. The prompt neutron decay constant, , was evaluated from the measurement data of pulsed neutron source experiments. We also calculated distribution of neutron flux and $^{3}$ He reaction rates at the location of PSPC by using continuous energy Monte Carlo code MCNP. The measurement data was compared with the calculation results. As results of comparison, calculated values agreed generally with measurement data of PSPC with Cd cover in the region above half of solution height, but the difference between calculated value and measurement data was large in the region below half of solution height. On the other hand, calculated value agreed well with measurement data of PSPC without Cd cover.