JSME series in thermal and nuclear power generation Vol.3 (Sodium-cooled fast reactor development; R&Ds on thermal-hydraulics and safety assessment towards social implementation)

Tanaka, Masaaki; Uchibori, Akihiro; Okano, Yasushi; Yokoyama, Kenji; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Enuma, Yasuhiro; Wakai, Takashi; Asayama, Tai

Dai-27-Kai Doryoku, Enerugi Gijutsu Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 5 Pages, 2023/09

The book, JSME Series in Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation Vol.3 Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor, was published as a 30th anniversary memorial project of Power & Energy Systems Division. This paper describes an introduction of the book on a part of key technologies regarding safety assessment, thermal-hydraulics, neutronics, and fuel and material development. This introductory paper also provides an overview of an integrated evaluation system named ARKADIA to offer the best possible solutions for challenges arising during the design process, safety assessment, and operation of a nuclear plant over its life cycle, in active use of the R&D efforts and knowledges on thermal-hydraulics and safety assessment with state-of-the-art numerical analysis technologies.

Concerning aging of nuclear fuel material use facilities Examination of measures to improve safety assessment methods

Sakamoto, Naoki; Fujishima, Tadatsune; Mizukoshi, Yasutaka

Hozengaku, 19(2), p.125 - 126, 2020/07

The five post-irradiation examination facilities in JAEA's Oarai research and development institute have been operated for over 40 years in order to investigate the irradiation performance of fast reactor fuel materials. The equipment associated with these facilities has been managed to maintain secure from the problems occurred in the process of aging. Therefore, we established a safety assessment method for aging facilities in 2002, and we have been conducting maintenance management of facilities since then. In this study, improvement plans of the safety assessment method are considered in order to solve the issues detected as a result of analysis of past maintenance information.

Development of evaluation method for variability of groundwater flow conditions associated with long-term topographic change and climate perturbations

Onoe, Hironori; Kosaka, Hiroshi*; Matsuoka, Toshiyuki; Komatsu, Tetsuya; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Iwatsuki, Teruki; Yasue, Kenichi

Genshiryoku Bakkuendo Kenkyu (CD-ROM), 26(1), p.3 - 14, 2019/06

https://doi.org/10.3327/jnuce.26.1_3

In this study, it is focused on topographic changes due to uplift and denudation, also climate perturbations, a method which is able to assess the long-term variability of groundwater flow conditions using the coefficient variation based on some steady-state groundwater flow simulation results was developed. Spatial distribution of long residence time area which is not much influenced due to long-term topographic change and recharge rate change during the past one million years was able to estimate through the case study of the Tono area, Central Japan. By applying this evaluation method, it is possible to identify the local area that has low variability of groundwater flow conditions due to topographic changes and climate perturbations from the regional area quantitatively and spatially.

A Study of probabilistic risk assessment methodology of external hazard combinations; Identification of hazard combination impacts on air-cooling decay heat removal system

Okano, Yasushi; Nishino, Hiroyuki; Yamano, Hidemasa; Kurisaka, Kenichi

Proceedings of International Topical Meeting on Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Analysis (PSA 2019), p.274 - 281, 2019/04

A sodium-cooled fast reactor uses the ambient air as an ultimate heat sink to remove decay heat, thus meteorological phenomena can potentially pose risks to the reactor. If a rare and intense external hazard occurs concurrently with another external hazard, it would affect the systems (i.e. air cooler of decay heat removal system). In this study, a new scheme of screening of the external hazard combinations was proposed. The authors classified simultaneous or sequential combinational hazards, and identified associated potential effects in terms of hazard duration and sequential order. As a result, this study identified scenarios of the external hazard combinations of preceding rare and intense external hazard with an following additional external hazard.

K setting approaches for rocks for the performance assessment of geological disposal; Application for granitic rocks

Tachi, Yukio; Suyama, Tadahiro*; Shibutani, Sanae*

Genshiryoku Bakkuendo Kenkyu (CD-ROM), 24(2), p.109 - 133, 2017/12

https://doi.org/10.3327/jnuce.24.2_109

For performance assessment (PA), the distribution coefficient (K) need to be determined taking into account the specific PA conditions, including geochemical variability or uncertainty. The K setting approach for rocks was developed by integrating three methods; (i) direct use of measured K data extracted from the sorption database, (ii) semi-quantitative estimation by scaling differences between experimental and PA conditions, and (iii) thermodynamic sorption models. This approach was tested for granitic rock by comparing K values and their uncertainties of Cs and Am. The results indicated that K can be quantitatively evaluated by all approaches when adequate data and models are available. The K dataset for safety-relevant 25 radionuclides was developed based on the direct use of measured data, and compared with the recent K dataset in European PA projects. This K setting approaches allowed to estimate the K values and their uncertainties under the expected site conditions.

Evaluation of source term parameters for spent fuel disposal in foreign countries, 2; Dissolution rates of spent fuel matrices and construction materials for fuel assemblies

Kitamura, Akira; Chikazawa, Takahiro*; Akahori, Kuniaki*; Tachi, Yukio

Genshiryoku Bakkuendo Kenkyu (CD-ROM), 23(1), p.55 - 72, 2016/06

https://doi.org/10.3327/jnuce.23.1_55

The Japanese geological disposal program has started researching disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SF) in deep geological strata (hereafter "direct disposal of SF") as an alternative management option other reprocessing followed by vitrification and geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. We conducted literature survey of dissolution rate of SF matrix and constructing materials (e.g. zircaloy cladding and control rods) selected in safety assessment reports for direct disposal of SF in Europe and United States. We also investigated basis of release rate determination and assignment of uncertainties in the safety assessment reports. Furthermore, we summarized major conclusions proposed by some European projects governed by European Commission. It was found that determined release rates are fairly similar to each other due to use of similar literature data in all countries of interest. It was also found that the determined release rates were including conservativeness because it was difficult to assign uncertainties quantitatively. It is expected that these findings are useful as fundamental information for determination of the release rates for the safety assessment of Japanese SF disposal system.

Evaluation for influence of new volcanic eruption on geological disposal site

Shimada, Taro; Takeda, Seiji; Sakai, Ryutaro*; Takubo, Kazuya; Tanaka, Tadao

MRS Advances (Internet), 1(61), p.4081 - 4086, 2016/00

https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2017.193

Volcanic eruption which may affect geological disposal system directly depends on the regional location in Japan. It is required that the disposal site should be located far from existing volcanos. However, there are regions where it is impossible to exclude the possibility of appearance of new volcanic activity on the site even if the site is located far from existing volcanos. In order to identify the influence of volcanic eruption at disposal site to public if it occurs public exposure doses were evaluated based on the two scenarios considering types of eruption at new volcanic activity in Japan. One is the exposure by tephra widespread by Strombolian eruption and deposited on the ground surface, including radionuclides from vitrified waste forms after a volcanic conduit penetrated disposal galleries. The other is that by waste forms appeared at the surface by Merapi type pyroclastic flow. Exposure doses of the residents living on the tephra do not exceed 1mSv/y even when the eruption occurs at 1,000 years after closure of disposal site. Dose rate for the volcanic researchers temporarily approaching waste forms becomes less than 1mSv/h when the eruption occurs 100,000 years after. It indicated that attention should be paid to the impact by Merapi type pyroclastic flow on researchers approaching waste forms appeared rather than that by Strombolian eruption on residents living on the tephra widespread.

Preliminary assessment of geological disposal system for spent fuel in Japan; First progress report on direct disposal

Radioactive Waste Processing and Disposal Research Department

JAEA-Research 2015-016, 327 Pages, 2015/12

JAEA-Research-2015-016.pdf:41.98MB

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has prepared the technical progress report on preliminary assessment of geological disposal for spent fuel (hereinafter referred to as "First Progress Report on Direct Disposal"). This report is aiming to examine the technical feasibility of the direct disposal of spent fuel in Japan, based on the results of research and development (R&D) on SF direct disposal carried out during FY 2013. In the First Progress Report on Direct Disposal, the available technology for the direct disposal of spent fuel in Japan was discussed through the preliminary design and safety assessment for the geological disposal system which were made under the limited conditions of representative characteristics of geological environment and spent fuel. Through R&D, the challenges and concerns on the engineering technology and the safety assessment, to be resolved for the Second Progress Report on Direct Disposal, were identified and classified.

Development of the assessment tool for has migration scenario concerning sub-surface disposal

Sakatani, Keiichi; Nakamura, Yasuo; Tsuji, Tomoyuki; Nakatani, Takayoshi

JAEA-Data/Code 2014-020, 38 Pages, 2014/11

JAEA-Data-Code-2014-020.pdf:30.04MB

The safety assessment for sub-surface disposal of radioactive wastes should ensure that calculated dose will be lower than the dose assigned to the scenario in question over the whole evaluation period of hundreds of thousands years. We have developed several assessment tools for the safe disposal of radioactive wastes on the GoldSim platform, and calculated doses since JFY 2008. These assessment tools have been improved reflecting the last view of assessment. In addition, we have developed an assessment tool for the gas migration scenario. This report describes concept of assessment model and structure of tool for the gas migration scenario.

Experimental study on long-term safety assessment considering uncertainties for geological disposal of radioactive wastes; JAERI status at 2005

Yamaguchi, Tetsuji; Sakamoto, Yoshifumi; Iida, Yoshihisa; Negishi, Kumi; Taki, Hiroshi; Akai, Masanobu; Jinno, Fumika; Kimura, Yuichiro; Ueda, Masato; Tanaka, Tadao; et al.

Proceedings of International Conference on Nuclear Energy System for Future Generation and Global Sustainability (GLOBAL 2005) (CD-ROM), 6 Pages, 2005/10

no abstracts in English