Study on actinide burning core concepts for the future phaseout of a fast reactor fuel cycle

Mori, Tetsuya; Naganuma, Masayuki; Oki, Shigeo

Nuclear Technology, 209(4), p.532 - 548, 2023/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2022.2133514

This paper deals with a conceptual study on a plutonium (Pu) and minor actinide (MA) burning fast reactor core for the distant future phaseout of a fast-reactor fuel cycle after it is commercialized and used for a long time. This burning core aims to reduce the Pu and MA inventories contained in the fuel cycle through multiple recycling. A key point for the core design is the degradation of Pu and MA during multiple recycling. This degradation affects the core feasibility by increasing the sodium void reactivity and decreasing the absolute value of the Doppler constant. A feasible core concept was found by incorporating the following three factors to improve the reactivity coefficients: core flattening, fuel burnup reduction, and the use of silicon carbide (SiC) in the cladding and wrapper tubes. Notably, softening the neutron spectrum using the SiC structural material not only improved the reactivity coefficients but also indirectly mitigated the degradation of Pu and MA. Consequently, the designed core allowed for multiple recycling to continue until the Pu and MA reduced significantly, particularly by about 99% in a phaseout scenario starting from a fast-reactor fleet of 30-GWe nuclear power capacity. Fast reactors were found to have the potential to become self-contained energy systems that can minimize the inventories of Pu they produced themselves, as well as long-lived MA. Fast reactors can be among the important options for environmental burden reduction in the future.

Absolute quantification of Cs activity in spent nuclear fuel with calculated detector response function

Sato, Shunsuke*; Nauchi, Yasushi*; Hayakawa, Takehito*; Kimura, Yasuhiko; Kashima, Takao*; Futakami, Kazuhiro*; Suyama, Kenya

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(6), p.615 - 623, 2022/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2130462

A new non-destructive method for evaluating Cs activity in spent nuclear fuels was proposed and experimentally demonstrated for physical measurements in burnup credit implementation. Cs activities were quantified using gamma ray measurements and numerical detector response simulations without reference fuels, in which Cs activities are well known. Fuel samples were obtained from a lead use assembly (LUA) irradiated in a commercial pressurized water reactor (PWR) up to 53 GWd/t. Gamma rays emitted from the samples were measured using a bismuth germinate (BGO) scintillation detector through a collimator attached to a hot cell. The detection efficiency of gamma rays with the detector was calculated using the PHITS particle transport calculation code considering the measurement geometry. The relative activities of Cs, Cs, and Eu in the sample were measured with a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector for more accurate simulations of the detector response for the samples. The absolute efficiency of the detector was calibrated by measuring a standard gamma ray source in another geometry. Cs activity in the fuel samples was quantified using the measured count rate and detection efficiency. The quantified Cs activities agreed well with those estimated using the MVP-BURN depletion calculation code.

Numerical assesment of sodium fire incident

Takata, Takashi; Aoyagi, Mitsuhiro; Sonehara, Masateru

IAEA-TECDOC-1972, p.224 - 234, 2021/08

Sodium fire is one of the key issues for plant safety of sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) regardless of its size. In general, a concrete structure, which includes free and bonging water inside, is used in a reactor building. Accordingly, water vapor will release from the concrete during sodium fire incident due to temperature increase resulting in a hydrogengeneration even in a dry air condition. The probability of hydrogen generation will increase in accordance with a decrease of a dimension of compartment that corresponds to a small and medium sized or modular reactor (SMR). A numerical investigation of a small leakage sodium pool fire has been carried out by changing a dimension of compartment. Furthermore, numerical challenges to enhance a prediction accuracy of hydrogen generation during sodium fire has also been discussed in the paper.

Oxide dispersion strengthened steels

Ukai, Shigeharu*; Ono, Naoko*; Otsuka, Satoshi

Comprehensive Nuclear Materials, 2nd Edition, Vol.3, p.255 - 292, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-803581-8.11718-7

Fe-Cr-based oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels have a strong potential for high burnup (long-life) and high-temperature applications typical for SFR fuel cladding. Current progress in the development of Fe-Cr-based ODS steel claddings is reviewed, including their relevant mechanical properties, e.g. tensile and creep rupture strengths in the hoop directions. In addition, this paper reviewed the current research status on corrosion resistant Fe-Cr-Al-based ODS steel claddings, which are greatly paid attention recently as the accident tolerant fuel claddings for the light water reactor (LWR) and also as the claddings of the lead fast reactors (LFR) utilizing Pb-Bi eutectic (LBE) coolant.

Development of ODS tempered martensitic steel for high burn up fuel cladding tube of SFR

Otsuka, Satoshi; Tanno, Takashi; Oka, Hiroshi; Yano, Yasuhide; Tachi, Yoshiaki; Kaito, Takeji; Hashidate, Ryuta; Kato, Shoichi; Furukawa, Tomohiro; Ito, Chikara; et al.

2018 GIF Symposium Proceedings (Internet), p.305 - 314, 2020/05

Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) steel has been developed worldwide as a high-strength and radiation-tolerant steel used for advanced nuclear system. Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been developing ODS steel as the primary candidate material of Sodium cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) high burn-up fuel cladding tube. Application of high burn-up fuel to SFR core can contribute to improvement of economical performance of SFR in conjunction with volume and hazardousness reduction of radioactive waste. This paper described the current status and future prospects of ODS tempered martensitic steel development in JAEA for SFR fuel application.

Burnup calculation with versatile reactor analysis code system MARBLE2 (interactive execution demo)

Yokoyama, Kenji

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai Dai-51-Kai Robutsuri Kaki Semina Tekisuto "Nensho Keisan No Kiso To Jissen", p.95 - 135, 2019/08

The burnup calculation function included in the versatile reactor analysis code system system MARBLE2 is introduced by an interactive execution demo. Although the main purpose of MARBLE2 is to analyze nuclear characteristics of fast reactors, the users can use it while assembling small functions according to purpose. Therefore, it can be applied other purposes than the nuclear characteristic analysis of fast reactors. In order to realize such usage, MARBLE is developed by using an object-oriented scripting language Python. As the Python implementation is short and easy to understand, the burnup function of MARBLE is explained by showing several examples of the implementation. In addition, an example of constructing a simple burnup calculation system using MARBLE is introduced.

Uranium-based TRU multi-recycling with thermal neutron HTGR to reduce environmental burden and threat of nuclear proliferation

Fukaya, Yuji; Goto, Minoru; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Yan, X.; Nishihara, Tetsuo; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 55(11), p.1275 - 1290, 2018/11

AA2017-0752.pdf:1.25MB

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2018.1492983

To reduce environmental burden and thread of nuclear proliferation, multi-recycling fuel cycle with High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) has been investigated. Those problems are solved by incinerating TRans Uranium (TRU) nuclides, which is composed of plutonium and Minor Actinoide (MA), and there is concept to realize TRU incineration by multi-recycling with Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR). In this study, multi-recycling is realized even with thermal reactor by feeding fissile uranium from outside of the fuel cycle instead of breeding fissile nuclide. In this fuel cycle, recovered uranium by reprocessing and natural uranium are enriched and mixed with recovered TRU by reprocessing and partitioning to fabricate fresh fuels. The fuel cycle was designed for a Gas Turbine High Temperature Reactor (GTHTR300), whose thermal power is 600 MW, including conceptual design of uranium enrichment facility. Reprocessing is assumed as existing Plutonium Uranium Redox EXtraction (PUREX) with four-group partitioning technology. As a result, it was found that the TRU nuclides excluding neptunium can be recycled by the proposed cycle. The duration of potential toxicity decaying to natural uranium level can be reduced to approximately 300 years, and the footprint of repository for High Level Waste (HLW) can be reduced by 99.7% compared with GTHTR300 using existing reprocessing and disposal technology. Suppress plutonium is not generated from this cycle. Moreover, incineration of TRU from Light Water Reactor (LWR) cycle can be performed in this cycle.

Analysis of post irradiation examination of used BWR fuel with SWAT4.0

Kikuchi, Takeo; Tada, Kenichi; Sakino, Takao; Suyama, Kenya

JAEA-Research 2017-021, 56 Pages, 2018/03

JAEA-Research-2017-021.pdf:2.15MB
JAEA-Research-2017-021(errata).pdf:0.13MB

The criticality management of the fuel debris is one of the most important research issues in Japan. The current criticality management adopts the fresh fuel assumption. The adoption of the fresh fuel assumption for the criticality control of the fuel debris is difficult because the k of the fuel debris could exceed 1.0 in most of cases which the fuel debris contains water and does not contain neutron absorbers such as gadolinium. Therefore, the adoption of the burnup credit is considered. The prediction accuracy of the isotopic composition of used nuclear fuel must be required to adopt the burnup credit for the treatment of the fuel debris. JAEA developed a burnup calculation code SWAT4.0 to obtain reference calculation results of the isotopic composition of the used nuclear fuel. This code is used to evaluate the composition of fuel debris. In order to investigate the prediction accuracy of SWAT4.0, we analyzed the PIE of BWR obtained from 2F2DN23.

Another important piece; One point burnup calculation code as a Killer Application

Suyama, Kenya; Yokoyama, Kenji

Kaku Deta Nyusu (Internet), (119), p.38 - 47, 2018/02

http://www.aesj.or.jp/~ndd/ndnews/pdf119/No119-05.pdf

We have developed numerous neutronics calculation codes in Japan. However, development of the one-point burnup calculation code which replaces the still widely used ORIGEN2 code has not been successful. The one point burnup code is indispensable to evaluate the characteristics of the used nuclear fuel increasing in Japan, and it uses all evaluated nuclear data including the fission yield and decay data as well as cross section data. It means that it could be the Killer Application in the field of the nuclear data and neutronics code. This report describes the necessity of the one point burnup calculation code development in Japan and required function and performance which have been considered by authors.

Handbook of advanced nuclear hydrogen safety (1st Edition)

Hino, Ryutaro; Takegami, Hiroaki; Yamazaki, Yukie; Ogawa, Toru

JAEA-Review 2016-038, 294 Pages, 2017/03

JAEA-Review-2016-038.pdf:11.08MB

In the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear accident, safety measures against hydrogen in severe accident have been recognized as a serious technical problem in Japan. Therefore, efforts have begun to form a common knowledge base between nuclear engineers and experts on combustion and explosion, and to secure and improve future nuclear energy safety. As one of such activities, we have prepared the "Handbook of Advanced Nuclear Hydrogen Safety" under the Advanced Nuclear Hydrogen Safety Research Program funded by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The concepts of the handbook are as follows: to show advanced nuclear hydrogen safety technologies that nuclear engineers should understand, to show hydrogen safety points to make combustion-explosion experts cooperate with nuclear engineers, to expand information on water radiolysis considering the situation from just after the Fukushima accidents and to the waste management necessary for decommissioning after the accident, etc.