Cryogenic impact fracture behavior of a high-Mn austenitic steel using electron backscatter diffraction and neutron Bragg-edge transmission imaging

Wang, Y. W.*; Wang, H. H.*; Su, Y. H.; Xu, P. G.; Shinohara, Takenao

Materials Science & Engineering A, 887, p.145768_1 - 145768_13, 2023/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2023.145768

Measurement of void fraction distribution

Kureta, Masatoshi

Ryutai Keisokuho; Kaitei-Han, p.367 - 371, 2022/04

The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers publishes a revised version of the technical document summarizing fluid measurement techniques. This article is part of the application section, and the main content is an introduction of application examples using advanced thermal-fluid measurement technology that is progressing remarkably. In the chapter "Void Fraction Distribution Measurement", the technology for visualizing and measuring the void fraction distribution with neutron beams for the two-phase flow of gas-liquid flowing inside the instrument is summarized. In the first half, the definition of void fraction, measurement by neutron transmission method, and basic principles of CT imaging technology were explained. In the second half, visualization and measurement results were shown in the order of two-dimensional and two-dimensional time changes of various multiphase flows, and three-dimensional and three-dimensional time changes.

The First application of a GdAlGaO:Ce single-crystal scintillator to neutron radiography

Isegawa, Kazuhisa; Setoyama, Daigo*; Kimura, Hidehiko*; Shinohara, Takenao

Journal of Imaging (Internet), 7(11), p.232_1 - 232_9, 2021/11

https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging7110232

Neutron radiography is regarded as complementary to X-ray radiography in terms of transmittance through materials, but its spatial resolution is still insufficient. In order to achieve higher resolution in neutron imaging, several approaches have been adopted such as optical magnification and event centroiding, and the authors focused on modification of the scintillator in this paper. A GdAlGaO:Ce single-crystal scintillator was applied to neutron radiography for the first time and was achieved a spatial resolution of 10.5 micrometers. The results indicate that this material can be a powerful candidate for a new neutron scintillator providing a resolution in micrometer order by optimizing the optical system and increasing the scintillator luminosity.

Pulsed neutron imaging for differentiation of ice and liquid water towards fuel cell vehicle applications

Higuchi, Yuki*; Setoyama, Daigo*; Isegawa, Kazuhisa; Tsuchikawa, Yusuke; Matsumoto, Yoshihiro*; Parker, J. D.*; Shinohara, Takenao; Nagai, Yasutaka*

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 23(2), p.1062 - 1071, 2021/01

https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CP03887C

This study is the first report on liquid water and ice imaging conducted at a pulsed spallation neutron source facility. Neutron imaging can be utilised to visualise the water distribution inside polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Particularly, energy-resolved neutron imaging is a methodology capable of distinguishing between liquid water and ice, and is effective for investigating ice formation in PEFCs operating in a subfreezing environment. The distinction principle is based on the fact that the cross sections of liquid water and ice differ from each other at low neutron energies. In order to quantitatively observe transient freezing and thawing phenomena in a multiphase mixture (gas/liquid/solid) within real PEFCs with high spatial resolution, a pulsed neutron beam with both high intensity and wide energy range is most appropriate. In the validation study of the present work, we used water sealed in narrow capillary tubes to simulate the flow channels of a PEFC, and a pulsed neutron beam was applied to distinguish ice, liquid water and super-cooled water, and to clarify freezing and thawing phenomena of the water within the capillary tubes. Moreover, we have enabled the observation of liquid water/ice distributions in a large field of view (300 mm 300 mm) by manufacturing a sub-zero environment chamber that can be cooled down to -30C, as a step towards visualisation of full-size fuel cells.

Evaluation of deformation and fracture behavior of reinforced concrete using neutron beam technique

Ueno, Kazuki*; Suzuki, Hiroshi; Takamura, Masato*; Nishio, Yuhei*; Kanematsu, Manabu*

Konkurito Kozobutsu No Hoshu, Hokyo, Appuguredo Rombun Hokokushu (CD-ROM), 20, p.273 - 278, 2020/10

no abstracts in English

Evaluation of deformation and fracture behavior of reinforced concrete using neutron beam technique

Ueno, Kazuki*; Suzuki, Hiroshi; Koyama, Taku*; Nishio, Yuhei*; Kanematsu, Manabu*

Konkurito Kozobutsu No Hoshu, Hokyo, Appuguredo Rombun Hokokushu (CD-ROM), 18, p.647 - 650, 2018/10

no abstracts in English

Visualization technique with the energy-resolved neutron imaging system, RADEN

Kai, Tetsuya; Shinohara, Takenao; Hiroi, Kosuke; Su, Y. H.; Oikawa, Kenichi

Hihakai Kensa, 67(5), p.209 - 216, 2018/05

no abstracts in English

Application of neutron imaging plate and neutron CT methods on nuclear fuels and materials

Yasuda, Ryo; Matsubayashi, Masahito; Nakata, Masahito; Harada, Katsuya; Amano, Hidetoshi; Sasajima, Fumio; Nishi, Masahiro; Horiguchi, Yoji

IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 52(1), p.313 - 316, 2005/02

https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2005.844297

Neutron radiography is useful to inspect macroscopic change in nuclear fuels before and after irradiation. We have been investigated the practicality of neutron imaging plate and neutron CT methods for the inspection of the spent fuels. A fresh UO2 fuel rod was examined by those methods. The test results of those samples are available to develop the system of those methods for the spent fuels and to determine the specifications of the system. Some good images of those samples are obtained by those examinations. The shape of the pellets in the fuel rod is clearly recognized in the image. Those images are analyzed to estimate the size of some parts in the fuel pellets.

Application of hydrogen analysis by neutron imaging plate method to Zircaloy cladding tubes

Yasuda, Ryo; Nakata, Masahito; Matsubayashi, Masahito; Harada, Katsuya; Hatakeyama, Yuichi; Amano, Hidetoshi

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 320(3), p.223 - 230, 2003/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3115(03)00112-0

Neutron radiography is one of effective tools to determine hydrided region in Zircaloy cladding tubes. In this work, the practicability of the neutron radiography for hydrogen analysis is further investigated by using standard samples with known hydrogen concentration. Local hydrogen concentration in hydrided Zircaloy tube is quantitatively estimated using the standard samples by neutron imaging plate (NIP) method. The local area is equivalent to a picture element in the image; e.g., 0.1mm0.1mm. In addition, contribution of an oxide film in the tubes to the images is investigated using oxidized samples with hydrides or no hydride. In NIP images of oxidized tube no oxide film was recognized. Numerical image analysis also shows no effect of the oxide film on the image. These results show that the influence of oxygen on image contrast can be neglected when hydrogen analysis is performed on the Zircaloy tube with oxide film and hydrides by NIP method.

Development of advanced neutron radiography for inspection on irradiated fuels and materials, 3; Examination of neutron imaging plate and computed tomography methods on unirradiated fuel rod

Yasuda, Ryo; Matsubayashi, Masahito; Nakata, Masahito; Harada, Katsuya; Amano, Hidetoshi; Ando, Hitoshi*; Sasajima, Fumio; Nishi, Masahiro; Horiguchi, Yoji

JAERI-Tech 2002-001, 23 Pages, 2002/02

JAERI-Tech-2002-001.pdf:3.79MB

Advanced neutron radiography techniques such as neutron imaging plate (NIP) and Computed Tomography (CT) methods have been investigated the practicality for Post Irradiation Examination (PIE). In this work, an unirradiated fuel rod was examined by NIP and CT methods in order to collect the fundamental data for applying these techniques to PIE.The fuel rod is composed of seven-enriched UO2 pellet and two-natural UO2 pellet that are loaded into a Zircaloy tube. There are somewhat difference in the size and shape among those UO2 pellets. A transmitted and cross-sectional images were obtained by NIP and CT methods, respectively.In the NIP image, the difference in the size, shape, and enrichment among the UO2 pellets is obviously recognized. In the case of CT method, the images clearly show the detailed shape of the cross section in the pellets, in addition, the difference in the enrichment between the natural and enriched pellets is recognized.