The Preliminary tests of the plasma melting treatment for homogenization of low-level radioactive wastes

Nakashio, Nobuyuki*; Osugi, Takeshi; Kurosawa, Shigenobu; Ishikawa, Joji; Hemmi, Ko; Iketani, Shotaro; Yokobori, Tomohiko

JAEA-Technology 2022-016, 47 Pages, 2022/08

JAEA-Technology-2022-016.pdf:2.23MB

The Nuclear Science Research Institute (NSRI) of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) started operation of the Advanced Volume Reduction Facilities (AVWF) for production of waste packages for disposal of low-level radioactive solid wastes (LLW). To clarify the operating conditions for homogenization of non-metallic LLW, preliminary tests were carried out using the plasma melting furnace of the non-metal melting unit. The fluidity of molten waste influences homogenization conditions of solidified products. It was clarified that the viscosity, which is determined by the chemical composition and the melting temperature, influence the fluidity of molten waste greatly through previous literature review and the small-scale melting tests. In the preliminary tests, the simulated waste with a cold tracer loaded in 200 L drums were melted. Using the waste chemical components (basicity, iron oxide concentration) as an experimental parameter, the homogeneity of the chemical components of the solidified product was investigated and the homogenization conditions of melting tests were examined. The retention ratio of the tracer in the molten bath was also confirmed. The viscosity of the molten wastes was measured and the correlation with homogeneity was examined. In addition, the technical requirements that should be concerned in advance for future actual operation were discussed.

Numerical investigations on the coolability and the re-criticality of a debris bed with the density-stratified configuration

Li, C.-Y.; Uchibori, Akihiro; Takata, Takashi; Pellegrini, M.*; Erkan, N.*; Okamoto, Koji*

Dai-25-Kai Doryoku, Enerugi Gijutsu Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 4 Pages, 2021/07

The capability of stable cooling and avoiding re-criticality on the debris bed are the main issues for achieving IVR (In-Vessel Retention). In the actual situation, the debris bed is composed of mixed-density debris particles. Hence, when these mixed-density debris particles were launched to re-distribute, the debris bed would possibly form a density-stratified distribution. For the proper evaluation of this scenario, the multi-physics model of CFD-DEM-Monte-Carlo based neutronics is established to investigate the coolability and re-criticality on the heterogeneous density-stratified debris bed with considering the particle relocation. The CFD-DEM model has been verified by utilizing water injection experiments on the mixed-density particle bed in the first portion of this research. In the second portion, the coupled system of the CFD-DEM-Monte-Carlo based neutronics model is applied to reactor cases. Afterward, the debris particles' movement, debris particles' and coolant's temperature, and the k-eff eigenvalue are successfully tracked. Ultimately, the relocation and stratification effects on debris bed's coolability and re-criticality had been quantitatively confirmed.

Gas retention behavior of carbonate slurry under -ray irradiation

Motooka, Takafumi; Nagaishi, Ryuji; Yamagishi, Isao

QST-M-2; QST Takasaki Annual Report 2015, P. 95, 2017/03

https://repo.qst.go.jp/records/73804

We conducted ray irradiation test using simulated carbonate slurry to investigate the cause of stagnant water over the high integrity container (HIC). This test was performed at Co-60 irradiation facility in Takasaki Advanced Radiation Research Institute. We observed a rise in water level, air bubbles in the slurry, a supernatant when the carbonate slurry with 95 g/L density was irradiated by ray at a dose rate of 8.5 kGy/h. The cause of the rise in water level was regarded as the volume expansion by the gas retention of the carbonate slurry. It was suggested that the cause of stagnant water over the high integrity container might be the volume expansion by the gas retention.

Experimental discussion on fragmentation mechanism of molten oxide discharged into a sodium pool

Matsuba, Kenichi; Kamiyama, Kenji; Toyooka, Junichi; Tobita, Yoshiharu; Zuev, V. A.*; Kolodeshnikov, A. A.*; Vasilyev, Y. S.*

Proceedings of 23rd International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-23) (DVD-ROM), 6 Pages, 2015/05

To develop a method for evaluating the distance for fragmentation of molten core material discharged into sodium, the particle size distribution of alumina debris obtained in the FR tests was analyzed. The mass median diameters of solidified alumina particles were around 0.4 mm, which are comparable to particle sizes predicted by hydrodynamic instability theories such as Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. However, even though hydrodynamic instability theories predict that particle size decreases with an increase of Weber number, such the dependence of particle size on We was not observed in the FR tests. It can be interpreted that the tendency of measured mass median diameters (i.e., non-dependence on Weber number) suggests that before hydrodynamic instabilities sufficiently grow to induce fragmentation, thermal phenomena such as local coolant vaporization and resultant vapor expansion accelerate fragmentation.

A Preliminary evaluation of unprotected loss-of-flow accident for a prototype fast-breeder reactor

Suzuki, Toru; Tobita, Yoshiharu; Kawada, Kenichi; Tagami, Hirotaka; Sogabe, Joji; Matsuba, Kenichi; Ito, Kei; Ohshima, Hiroyuki

Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 47(3), p.240 - 252, 2015/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2015.03.001

Ion and neutron beam analyses of hydrogen isotopes

Kubota, Naoyoshi; Ochiai, Kentaro; Kutsukake, Chuzo; Kondo, Keitaro*; Shu, Wataru; Nishi, Masataka; Nishitani, Takeo

Fusion Engineering and Design, 81(1-7), p.227 - 231, 2006/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2005.09.022

Hydrogen isotopes play important roles in the fuel recycling, the plasma condition etc. at the surface region of plasma facing components. The Fusion Neutronics Source (FNS) of Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute has started microanalysis studies for fusion components since 2002 by applying the beam analyses. In this study, we have measured tritium depth profiles of TFTR tiles exposed to the deuterium-tritium plasma to reveal the hydrogen isotope behavior at the surface region using some microscopic techniques for material analyses at FNS. As the result of the deuteron nuclear reaction analysis, four kinds of elements; deuterium, tritium, lithium-6 and lithium-7, were identified from the energy spectra. Using the spectra, depth profiles of each element were also calculated. The tritium profile had a peak at 0.5 micron, whereas the deuterium and lithium profiles were uniform from the surface to 1.0 micron depth. In addition, the surface region of the TFTR tile has retained the tritium more than one order of magnitude in the bulk.

Study of particle behavior for steady-state operation in JT-60U

Kubo, Hirotaka; JT-60 Team

Plasma Science and Technology, 8(1), p.50 - 54, 2006/01

https://doi.org/10.1088/1009-0630/8/1/12

no abstracts in English

Effects of basicity and FeO concentration on the retention of Cs and Co in slag made from non-metallic radioactive wastes

Nakashima, Mikio; Nakashio, Nobuyuki; Kameo, Yutaka; Fukui, Toshiki*; Isobe, Motoyasu*; Otake, Atsushi*; Wakui, Takuji*; Hirabayashi, Takakuni*

Radiochimica Acta, 91(1), p.45 - 51, 2003/01

https://doi.org/10.1524/ract.91.1.45.19016

no abstracts in English

Quench of molten aluminum oxide associated with in-vessel debris retention by RPV internal water

Maruyama, Yu; ; Moriyama, Kiyofumi; H.S.Park*; Kudo, Tamotsu; Y.Yang*; Sugimoto, Jun

NEA/CSNI/R(98)18, p.243 - 250, 1999/02

no abstracts in English

New composite composed of boron carbide and carbon fiber with high thermal conductivity for first wall

*; Saido, Masahiro; Nakamura, Kazuyuki; Akiba, Masato; ; Goto, Yoshitaka*; *; *; Yamaki, Takahiro*; *; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 233-237(PT.A), p.781 - 786, 1996/00

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3115(96)00306-6

no abstracts in English