Experimental study on the localization and estimation of radioactivity in concrete rubble using image reconstruction algorithms

Takai, Shizuka; Namekawa, Masakazu*; Shimada, Taro; Takeda, Seiji

IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 69(7), p.1789 - 1798, 2022/07

https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2022.3181241

To reduce a large amount of contaminated concrete rubble stored in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station site, recycling low-radioactivity rubble within the site is a possible remedy. To promote recycling while ensuring safety, not only the average radioactivity but also the radioactivity distribution of concrete rubble should be efficiently evaluated because the details of rubble contamination caused by the accident remain unclear and likely include hotspots. However, evaluating inhomogeneous contamination of thick and/or dense materials is difficult using previous measurement systems, such as clearance monitors. This study experimentally confirmed the potential applicability of image reconstruction algorithms for radioactivity distribution evaluation in concrete rubble filled in a chamber. Radiation was measured using plastic scintillation fiber around the chamber (50 50 40 cm). Localized hotspots were simulated using standard sources of Cs, which is one of the main nuclides of contaminated rubble. The radioactivity distribution was calculated for 100 or 50 voxels (voxel size: (10 cm) or 10 10 20 cm) constituting the chamber. For 100 voxels, inner hotspots were undetected, whereas, for 50 voxels, both inner and surface hotspots were reconstructible. The distribution evaluated using the maximum likelihood expectation maximization algorithm was the most accurate; the average radioactivity was estimated within 70% accuracy in all seven cases.

Application to contaminated water management in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station using the plastic scintillation fiber

Sanada, Yukihisa; Yamada, Tsutomu*; Sato, Yoshiharu; Nishizawa, Yukiyasu; Ishibashi, Satoshi*; Watanabe, Masahisa; Torii, Tatsuo

JAEA-Research 2016-011, 52 Pages, 2016/09

JAEA-Research-2016-011.pdf:10.54MB

In the Tokyo Electric Power Co.,Inc. the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station, management of the contaminated water becomes the social problem, and the situation that severe correspondence is necessary continues to prevent an outflow to the ocean. Plastic scintillation fiber (PSF) can apply as technique to direct measure the concentration of radioactive material in the water at a tank and drainage. In this paper, the results of fundamental test was summarized to apply for monitoring of leakage to the tank and monitoring of drainage in the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station.

A Study on measurement and evaluation method for radioactivity concentration distribution of recycled materials from contaminated debris

Shimada, Taro; Takai, Shizuka; Takeda, Seiji

no journal, , 

In order to recycle contaminated debris of which concentration is relatively lower in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, it is necessary to confirm that the mean radioactive concentration is lower than a reference value with consideration of the distribution by measurement and evaluation. We studied a method combining radiation measurement and inverse analysis to obtain the distribution of radioactivity concentration of recycled material. Plastic scintillation fiber will be applied to radiation measurement to obtain dose rates outside the container containing recycled material at many measurement points. As a result of application of 7 inverse analysis methods to typical two types of distribution, GVSPM and ML-EL methods can evaluate true values in the trials.

Measurement and analysis of in-vessel component activation and dose rate distribution in Joyo

Yamamoto, Takahiro; Maeda, Shigetaka; Ito, Chikara

no journal, , 

In the experimental fast reactor Joyo, the damaged upper core structure (UCS) was retrieved into the cask in May 2014 for its replacement as a part of the restoration work of the incident concerning with the irradiation test sub-assembly named MARICO-2. The dose rate on UCS surface was quite high due to the activation for over 30 years operation. In order to attain the optimum safety design, manufacture and operation of equipment for UCS replacement, the method to evaluate UCS surface dose rate was developed on the basis of C/E obtained by the in-vessel dose rate measurement in Joyo. In order to verify the evaluation method, the axial -ray distribution measurement on the surface of the cask, which contained UCS, was conducted using a plastic scintillating optical fiber (PSF) detector. As a result, the measured axial -ray distribution on the cask surface had a peak on proper location with considering the cask shielding structure and agree well with the calculated distribution and the C/E of axial -ray distribution on the cask surface was ranged from 1.1 to 1.7. It was confirmed that the calculation for UCS replacement equipment design had a margin of conservatively. Then, the results showed that the applied evaluation method for UCS replacement equipment design was sufficiently reliable. In the in-vessel repair work for sodium cooled fast reactors (SFRs), the design and work condition estimation are important. The accumulated experience provides valuable insights into further improvements for in-vessel repair techniques in SFRs.

Characterization of TOF scintillation fiber radiation sensor for high dose rate measurement

Terasaka, Yuta; Sato, Yuki; Watanabe, Kenichi*; Uritani, Akira*; Torii, Tatsuo

no journal, , 

no abstracts in English