Historical changes and Correspondence to Research and Test Reactors New Regulatory Standards for Monitoring Post in Oarai Research and Development Institute, JAEA

Hamaguchi, Takumi; Yamada, Junya; Komatsuzaki, Naoya*; Hatakeyama, Takumi; Seya, Natsumi; Muto, Yasunobu; Miyauchi, Hideaki; Hashimoto, Makoto

JAEA-Technology 2022-038, 65 Pages, 2023/03

JAEA-Technology-2022-038.pdf:4.3MB

New regulatory requirements were developed taking into account the lessons-learnt from the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on March 2011. The new regulatory standards required that monitoring posts should be diversified in transmission systems and equipped with backup power supply equipment for design basis accidents. In this report, we look back on the history of monitoring posts in Oarai Research and Development Institute, explained the application for the permission of reactor installment license, application for approval of the design and construction method, pre-use operator's inspection and improvement design of monitoring posts. This report also includes about inspection based on act on special measures concerning nuclear emergency preparedness and the installation of KURAMA-II, which was carried out in conjunction with the improvement of monitoring post for new regulatory standards. As an appendix, application document for approval of the design and construction method are included.

IAEA's recent activities on nuclear safety and nuclear security in transport of radioactive and nuclear materials

Tamai, Hiroshi

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 64(8), p.465 - 467, 2022/08

https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesjb.64.8_465

Though nuclear safety and nuclear security share the same goal of protecting the public and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation, their response actions may have differences, especially during transport, where protection could be vulnerable. The interface between them is a major issue. In December 2021, with the aim of complementarily strengthening nuclear safety and nuclear security in the transportation of radioactive materials IAEA published a related technical report and held an international conference. The outline of the technical report and the international conference is introduced.

Improving the safety of the high temperature gas-cooled reactor "HTTR" based on Japan's new regulatory requirements

Hamamoto, Shimpei; Shimizu, Atsushi; Inoi, Hiroyuki; Tochio, Daisuke; Homma, Fumitaka; Sawahata, Hiroaki; Sekita, Kenji; Watanabe, Shuji; Furusawa, Takayuki; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; et al.

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 388, p.111642_1 - 111642_11, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2021.111642

Following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency adapted High-Temperature engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) to meet the new regulatory requirements that began in December 2013. The safety and seismic classifications of the existing structures, systems, and components were discussed to reflect insights regarding High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs) that were acquired through various HTTR safety tests. Structures, systems, and components that are subject to protection have been defined, and countermeasures to manage internal and external hazards that affect safety functions have been strengthened. Additionally, measures are in place to control accidents that may cause large amounts of radioactive material to be released, as a beyond design based accident. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission rigorously and appropriately reviewed this approach for compliance with the new regulatory requirements. After nine amendments, the application to modify the HTTR's installation license that was submitted in November 2014 was approved in June 2020. This response shows that facilities can reasonably be designed to meet the enhanced regulatory requirements, if they reflect the characteristics of HTGRs. We believe that we have established a reference for future development of HTGR.

Evaluation of radioactivity concentration corresponding to dose criterion for near surface disposal of radioactive waste generated from research, medical, and industrial facilities, Volume 1

Sugaya, Toshikatsu; Abe, Daichi*; Okada, Shota; Nakata, Hisakazu; Sakai, Akihiro

JAEA-Technology 2021-004, 79 Pages, 2021/05

JAEA-Technology-2021-004.pdf:2.86MB
JAEA-Technology-2021-004(errata).pdf:0.38MB

JAEA has aims to carry out near surface disposal of low-level radioactive waste generated from research, medical, and industrial facilities. Therefore, radioactivity concentration corresponding to dose criteria of near surface disposal for 220 nuclides in the waste were calculated for the purpose of discussion for radioactivity limits between trench and concrete vault disposal, and key nuclides related to them. We calculated the radioactivity concentrations with consideration of not only the exposure pathways used at calculation of the radioactivity concentration limits of waste packages for near surface disposal by Nuclear Safety Commission but also ones used at the concentration limits for intermediate depth disposal. We also assumed the capacities of the disposal facilities as 44,000 m for pit disposal and 150,000 m for trench disposal. The radioactivity concentrations calculated in this report is used as the reference values because the disposal site has not been decided yet. Addition to this, the radioactivity concentrations will be revised according to circumstances of development of disposal facilities and so on. In the future, we will decide the radioactivity and radioactive concentration of a waste package described in the license application documents based on the dose assessment taken into consideration the disposal site conditions.

Guidance for developing fuel design limit of high temperature gas-cooled reactor

Sato, Hiroyuki; Aoki, Takeshi; Ohashi, Hirofumi

Proceedings of 2020 International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 2020) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE2020-16050

The present study aims to propose a guidance that facilitates to determine fuel design limits of commercial HTGR on the basis of licensing experience through the HTTR construction. The guidance consists of a set of FOMs and a process to determine their evaluation criteria. The FOMs are firstly identified to satisfy safety requirements and a basic concept of safety guides established in a special committee under the AESJ with the support of the Research Association of High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor Plant. The development process for the evaluation criteria takes into account not only the top-level regulatory criteria but also design dependent constraints including the performance of fission product containment in physical barriers other than fuel, fuel qualification criteria, design specifications of an instrumentation and control system. As a result, a comprehensive and transparent procedure for designers of prismatic-type commercial HTGR has been developed.

Outline of the R&D plan for the fast reactor cycle system development in JAEA

Hayafune, Hiroki; Maeda, Seiichiro; Ohshima, Hiroyuki

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 61(11), p.798 - 803, 2019/11

https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesjb.61.11_798

In the "Strategic Roadmap" of Fast Reactor Development decided at the Inter-Ministerial Council for Nuclear Power in December 2018, the development works for the around next 10 years were identified, and the role of JAEA was presented. In response, JAEA has prepared a framework for R&D plans for about 5 years on the fast reactor technology and the fuel cycle technology (reprocessing, fuel manufacturing, fuel and material development). In the future, JAEA will promote independent R&D works based on these plans, and provide the obtained R&D results together with various testing functions of JAEA to the activities of the private sector, etc. Through these actions, JAEA will actively contribute to the future fast reactor development. This article outlines JAEA's policy and the R&D items (development of ARKADIA; Advanced Reactor Knowledge- and AI-Aided Design Integration Approach through the whole Plant Life Cycle, development of standards and standards system, development of safety improvement technology, research in the fuel cycle technology), the policy of international cooperation, the human resource development, and the future perspective were explained.

Development of waste acceptance criteria and current challenges relating to the disposal project of LLW generated in research, medical and industrial facilities

Nakata, Hisakazu; Amazawa, Hiroya; Izumo, Sari; Okada, Shota; Sakai, Akihiro

Dekomisshoningu Giho, (58), p.10 - 23, 2018/09

Low level radioactive wastes are generated in the research and development of the nuclear energy, medical and industrial use of radioisotope except NPP in Japan. The disposal of wastes arising from NPP has already been implemented while not the one for wastes from research institutes etc. Japan Atomic Energy Agency therefore has been assigned an implementing organization for the disposal legally in 2008 in order to promote the disposal program as quickly and firmly as possible. Since then, JAEA has conducted their activity relating to the disposal facility design on generic site conditions and developing Waste Acceptance Criteria for LLW from research institutes. This report summarizes the WAC and current challenges.

Study of the calculation method for the elastic follow-up coefficient by inelastic analysis

Watanabe, Sota*; Kubo, Koji*; Okajima, Satoshi; Wakai, Takashi

Nihon Kikai Gakkai M&M 2017 Zairyo Rikigaku Kanfarensu Koen Rombunshu (Internet), p.581 - 585, 2017/10

no abstracts in English

Selection of design basis event for modular high temperature gas-cooled reactor

Sato, Hiroyuki; Nakagawa, Shigeaki; Ohashi, Hirofumi

JAEA-Technology 2016-014, 64 Pages, 2016/06

JAEA-Technology-2016-014.pdf:4.21MB

In this study, we investigate a deterministic approach to select design basis events utilizing information obtained from probabilistic approach. In addition, selections of design basis events are conducted for commercial HTGR designed by JAEA. As a result, an approach for selecting design basis event considering multiple failures of safety systems is established which has not been considered as design basis in the safety guideline for existing nuclear facility. Furthermore, selection of design basis events for commercial HTGR has completed.

Impact assessment of the forest fires on Oarai Research and Development Center Waste Treatment Facility

Shimomura, Yusuke; Hanari, Akira*; Sato, Isamu*; Kitamura, Ryoichi

JAEA-Technology 2015-062, 47 Pages, 2016/03

JAEA-Technology-2015-062.pdf:1.85MB

In response to new standards for regulating waste management facilities, it was carried out impact assessment of forest fires on the waste management facilities existed in Oarai Research and Development Center of Japan Atomic Energy Agency. At first, a fire spread scenario of forest fires was assumed. The intensity of forest fires was evaluated from field surveys, forest fire evaluation models and so on. As models of forest fire intensity evaluation, Rothermel Model and Canadian Forest Fire Behavior Prediction (FBP) System were used. Impact assessment of radiant heat to the facilities was carried out, and temperature change of outer walls for the assumed forest fires was estimated. The outer wall temperature of facilities was estimated around 160C at the maximum, it was revealed that it doesn't reach allowable temperature limit. Consequently, it doesn't influence the strength of concrete. In addition, a probability of fire breach was estimated to be about 20%. This report illustrates an example of evaluation of forest fires for the new regulatory standards through impact assessment of the forest fires on the waste management facilities.