Development of a practical tritiated water monitor to supervise the discharge of treated water from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Sanada, Yukihisa; Oshikiri, Keisuke*; Kanno, Marina*; Abe, Tomohisa

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1062, p.169208_1 - 169208_7, 2024/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2024.169208

As part of the decommissioning work at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), the release of stored treated water began in 2023. In this study, we developed a practical tritium monitor to continuously monitor the concentration of tritiated water, as confirmed by batch sampling measurements at the FDNPP. The monitor is arranged with a flow cell detector comprising inexpensive plastic scintillator pellets and incorporating simultaneous measurements by three detectors, a veto detector, and lead shielding to reduce the influence of environmental -rays. The system reached a detection limit of 911 Bq L-1 with a measurement time of 30 min, which is lower than the discharge standard for tritiated water of 1,500 Bq L-1. The system can also qualitatively distinguish the presence of disturbances due to interfering radionuclides other than tritium or background radiation using the -ray spectrum.

Development of fundamental technologies for domestic production of medical radioisotope (technetium-99m); The First and second phase report (FY2014-2020)

Project 6 Meeting Members for Tsukuba International Strategic Zone

JAEA-Review 2021-016, 102 Pages, 2021/11

JAEA-Review-2021-016.pdf:12.76MB

In December 2011, the Prime Minister designated Tsukuba and some areas in Ibaraki Prefecture as "Comprehensive Special Zones". In the Tsukuba International Strategic Zone, nine advanced research and development (R&D) projects are underway with the goal of promoting industrialization of life innovation and green innovation utilizing the science and technology in Tsukuba. In these projects, the domestic production of medical radioisotope (Technetium-99m, Tc) was certified as a new project in October 2013, and R&D have been performed in collaboration with related organizations with Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) as the project leader. Japan is the third largest consumer of molybdenum-99 (Mo) after the United States and Europe, and all Mo are imported. Supply will be insufficient if overseas reactors are shut down due to trouble or if transportation (air and land transportations) is stopped due to volcanic eruptions and some accidents. Thus, early domestic production of Mo is strongly required. This project is a technology development aimed at domestic production of Mo, which is a raw material of Tc used as a diagnostic agent. This report summarizes the activities carried out in the first and second phase of the domestic production of medical radioisotope (Tc) (here referred to as the "Project 6") in Tsukuba International Strategic Zone (FY2014-2020).

Computer code analysis of irradiation performance of axially heterogeneous mixed oxide fuel elements attaining high burnup in a fast reactor

Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Yokoyama, Keisuke; Nemoto, Junichi*; Ishitani, Ikuo*; Ito, Masahiro*; Pelletier, M.*

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 359, p.110448_1 - 110448_7, 2020/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110448

Coupled computer code analyses of irradiation performance of axially heterogeneous mixed oxide (MOX) fuel elements with high burnup in a fast reactor were conducted. Post-irradiation experiments revealed local concentration of Cs near the interfaces between MOX fuel and blanket columns including the internal blanket of the fuel elements as well as an increase in their cladding diameters. The analyses indicated that the local Cs concentration occurred as a result of Cs axial migration from the MOX fuels toward the blanket pellets near the interfaces. Swelling of the blanket pellets induced by the formation of low-density Cs-U-O compound was not sufficient to cause pellet-to-cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI). The PCMI analyzed in the MOX fuel column regions was insignificant, and the cladding diameter increases were caused mainly by void swelling in cladding and irradiation creep due to fission gas pressure.

Fabrication technology development and characterization of irradiation targets for Mo/Tc production by (n,) method

Nishikata, Kaori; Kimura, Akihiro; Ishida, Takuya; Shiina, Takayuki*; Ota, Akio*; Tanase, Masakazu*; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko

JAEA-Technology 2014-034, 34 Pages, 2014/10

JAEA-Technology-2014-034.pdf:3.26MB

As a part of utilization expansion after the Japan Material Testing Reactor (JMTR) re-start, research and development (R&D) on the production of medical radioisotope Mo/Tc by (n, ) method using JMTR has been carried out in the Neutron Irradiation and Testing Reactor Center of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Mo is usually produced by fission method. On the other hand, Mo/Tc production by the (n, ) method has advantages for radioactive waste, cost reduction and non-proliferation. However, the specific radioactivity per unit volume by the (n, ) method is low compared with the fission method, and that is the weak point of the (n, ) method. This report summarizes the investigation of raw materials, the fabrication tests of high-density MoO pellets by the plasma sintering method for increasing of Mo contents and the characterization of sintered high-density MoO pellets.

Requirements for pellet injection in ITER scenarios with enhanced particle confinement

Polevoi, A. R.*; Shimada, Michiya; Sugihara, Masayoshi; Igitkhanov, Y. L.*; Mukhovatov, V.*; Kukushkin, A. S.*; Medvedev, S. Y.*; Zvonkov, A. V.*; Ivanov, A. A.*

Nuclear Fusion, 45(11), p.1451 - 1456, 2005/11

https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/45/11/028

Requirements for pellet injection parameters for plasma fuelling are assessed for ITER scenarios with enhanced particle confinement. A pellet injection throughput of 100 Pam/s would be sufficient. The assessment is based on the integrated transport simulations including models of pedestal transport, reduction of helium transport and boundary conditions compatible with SOL/divertor simulations. The requirements for pellet injection for the inductive H-mode scenario (HH98(y,2) = 1) are reconsidered taking account of a possible reduction of the particle loss obtained in some experiments at low collisionalities. The assessment of fuelling requirements is carried out for the hybrid and steady state scenarios with enhanced confinement with HH98(y,2) 1. A robustness of plasma performance to the variation of particle transport is demonstrated. A new type of steady state (SS) scenario is considered with neutral beam current drive (NBCD) and electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) instead of lower hybrid current drive (LHCD).

Characteristics of runaway plasmas in JT-60U

Kawano, Yasunori; Nakano, Tomohide; Isayama, Akihiko; Hatae, Takaki; Konoshima, Shigeru; Oyama, Naoyuki; Kondoh, Takashi; Tamai, Hiroshi; Kubo, Hirotaka; Asakura, Nobuyuki; et al.

Europhysics Conference Abstracts (CD-ROM), 29C, 4 Pages, 2005/00

http://epsppd.epfl.ch/Tarragona/pdf/P2_068.pdf

In order to mitigate the post-disruption runaway electrons, experiments has been carried out with impurity pellet injection. As a result, we have observed the prompt exhaust of the runaway electrons and the reduction of runaway plasma. We have presented one possible explanation for basic behavior of the runaway plasma current that it follows the balance of the avalanche generation of runaway electrons and their slowing down predicted by the model, including effects by synchrotron radiation. On the other hand, standing on the fact that the current quench time is extended by runaway electrons, the experiment for avoiding the current quench by runaway electrons has been carried out. The runaway electrons reinforced the discharge to survive against the low Te of less than several tens eV and an additional impurity pellet injection, and thus the plasma current was maintained and terminated as programmed. To study the dynamics of runaway electrons precisely, a new active and direct diagnostic concept using the laser inverse Compton scattering has been proposed.

Performance of ITER as a burning plasma experiment

Shimada, Michiya; Mukhovatov, V.*; Federici, G.*; Gribov, Y.*; Kukushkin, A.*; Murakami, Yoshiki*; Polevoi, A. R.*; Pustovitov, V. D.*; Sengoku, Seio; Sugihara, Masayoshi

Nuclear Fusion, 44(2), p.350 - 356, 2004/02

https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/44/2/018

Recent performance analysis has improved confidence in achieving Q 10 in inductive operation in ITER. Performance analysis based on empirical scaling shows the feasibility of achieving Q 10 in inductive operation with a sufficient margin. Theory-based core modeling indicates the need of high pedestal temperature (2-4 keV) to achieve Q 10, which is in the range of projection with pedestal scaling. The heat load of type-I ELM could be made tolerable by high density operation and further tilting the target plate (if necessary). Pellet injection from High-Field Side would be useful in enhancing Q and reducing ELM heat load. Steady state operation scenarios have been developed with modest requirement on confinement improvement and beta (HH98(y,2) 1.3 and betaN 2.6). Stabilisation of RWM, required in such regimes, is feasible with the present saddle coils and power supplies with double-wall structure taken into account.

Improvement of a pellet cutting and loading device for the JT-60

Ichige, Hisashi; Hiratsuka, Hajime; Honda, Masao; Miya, Naoyuki

Heisei-14-Nendo Tokyo Daigaku Sogo Gijutsu Kenkyukai Gijutsu Hokokushu, p.2_91 - 2_93, 2003/03

no abstracts in English

Fusion plasma performance and confinement studies on JT-60 and JT-60U

Kamada, Yutaka; Fujita, Takaaki; Ishida, Shinichi; Kikuchi, Mitsuru; Ide, Shunsuke; Takizuka, Tomonori; Shirai, Hiroshi; Koide, Yoshihiko; Fukuda, Takeshi; Hosogane, Nobuyuki; et al.

Fusion Science and Technology (JT-60 Special Issue), 42(2-3), p.185 - 254, 2002/09

https://doi.org/10.13182/FST02-A227

With the main aim of providing physics basis for ITER and the steady-state tokamak reactors, JT-60/JT-60U has been developing and optimizing the operational concepts, and extending the discharge regimes toward sustainment of high integrated performance in the reactor relevant parameter regime. In addition to achievement of the equivalent break-even condition (QDTeq up to 1.25) and a high fusion triple product = 1.5E21 m-3skeV, JT-60U has demonstrated the integrated performance of high confinement, high beta-N, full non-inductive current drive with a large fraction of bootstrap current in the reversed magnetic shear and in the high-beta-p ELMy H mode plasmas characterized by both internal and edge transport barriers. The key factors in optimizing these plasmas are profile and shape controls. As represented by discovery of various Internal Transport Barriers, JT-60/JT-60U has been emphasizing freedom and restriction of profiles in various confinement modes. JT-60U has demonstrated applicability of these high confinement modes to ITER and also clarified remaining issues.

Development of the guide tube for magnetic high field side pellet injection

Kizu, Kaname; Sasajima, Tadayuki; Masaki, Kei; Hiratsuka, Hajime; Ichige, Hisashi; Honda, Masao; Miya, Naoyuki

Journal of Plasma and Fusion Research SERIES, Vol.5, p.446 - 449, 2002/00

no abstracts in English