Compliance measures at the Radioactive Waste Treatment Facilities at the Nuclear Science Research Institute; Aseismic reinforcement of the Radioactive Waste Treatment Facility No. 3, Waste Size Reduction and Storage Facility, and Waste Volume Reduction Facility

Iketani, Shotaro; Suzuki, Takeshi; Yokobori, Tomohiko; Sugawara, Satoshi; Yokota, Akira; Kikuchi, Genta; Muraguchi, Yoshinori; Kitahara, Masaru; Seya, Manato; Kurosawa, Tsuyoshi; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2025-001, 169 Pages, 2025/08

JAEA-Technology-2025-001.pdf:14.22MB

The radioactive waste treatment facilities at the Nuclear Science Research Institute includes the Radioactive Waste Treatment Facility No. 3, Waste Size Reduction and Storage Facility, and Waste Volume Reduction Facility. These three facilities come under the purview of the Act on the Regulation of Nuclear Source Material, Nuclear Fuel Material and Reactors, and are included under Class C of the act based on the seismic requirements specified in the Act. We assessed the seismic capacity of these three radioactive waste treatment facilities based on the current Building Standards Act, to verify whether they comply with the new regulatory requirements enforced by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) in the aftermath of the 2011 nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station operated by the Tokyo Electric Power Company. We found that the allowable stress of a few structural members used in the construction of the facilities did not meet the regulatory requirements. After studying the approval granted by the NRA for the construction plans, including the design and construction methods (design and construction plans) of the three facilities on March 5, 2021, we made aseismic reinforcement at these facilities between 2021 and 2022. This report presents an overview of the seismic design of these facilities and an outline of the aseismic reinforcement conducted, management system existing, safety measures adopted, and the preoperational inspections conducted at these facilities.

Test using ROV and lifter for recovery waste of HASWS wet waste

Sano, Kyohei; Tameta, Yuito; Akuzawa, Tadashi; Kato, Soma; Takano, Yugo*; Akiyama, Kazuki

JAEA-Technology 2024-018, 68 Pages, 2025/02

JAEA-Technology-2024-018.pdf:4.73MB

High Active Solid Waste Storage Facility (HASWS) at the Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP) is a facility for storing highly radioactive solid waste generated from the reprocessing operation. Wet cells in HASWS store hull cans that contain fuel cladding tubes (hull) and fuel end pieces remained after the spent nuclear fuel shearing and dissolving, as well as used filters and contaminated equipment. Dry cells in HASWS store analytical waste containers that contain waste jugs and the other waste generated from analytical operation of samples in TRP. Since HASWS does not have waste recovery equipment from the cells, it is considered that recovery equipment to be installed. In the wet cells, methods of recovery wet-stored waste are being considered that utilize a ROV, which has been used in decommissioning in the UK, and a lifter, which is used in the marine industry to float and transport items sinking to the bottom of the sea. To confirm the feasibility of the recovery method that combines the functions of the ROV and the lifter, tests for removing waste were conducted in steps that came closer to the real environment: a "unit test" to confirm the functions required of each of the ROV and the lifter, a "combination test" to combine the ROV and the lifter to move waste underwater, and a "comprehensive test" to retrieve waste in an environment simulating the hull storage facility. Through this test, the ROV and the lifter were able to perform a series of tasks required to recovery waste - cutting the wires attached to the waste, attaching a lifter to the waste, moving the waste to under the opening, and attaching the recovery device to the moved waste - in series, confirming the feasibility of the method for recovery wet-stored waste using the ROV and the lifter.

Analysis of nuclear materials in process solution during flush-out activities for decommissioning of reprocessing plant

Yamamoto, Masahiko; Horigome, Kazushi; Goto, Yuichi; Taguchi, Shigeo

Proceedings of International Conference on Nuclear Fuel Cycle (GLOBAL2024) (Internet), 4 Pages, 2024/10

Flush-out activities of Tokai Reprocessing Plant were completed in February, 2024. Since it contained remaining nuclear materials in main process of the facility, purpose of activities was to flush-out them and to rinse with nitric acid solution. This paper describes analysis of nuclear materials related to flush-out activities.

Removal of spent fuel sheared powder for decommissioning of Main Plant

Nishino, Saki; Okada, Jumpei; Watanabe, Kazuki; Furuuchi, Yuta; Yokota, Satoru; Yada, Yuji; Kusaka, Shota; Morokado, Shiori; Nakamura, Yoshinobu

JAEA-Technology 2023-011, 39 Pages, 2023/06

JAEA-Technology-2023-011.pdf:2.51MB

Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP) which shifted to decommissioning phase in 2014 had nuclear fuel materials such as the spent fuel sheared powder, the diluted plutonium solution and the uranium solution in a part of the reprocessing main equipment because TRP intended to resume reprocessing operations when it suspended the operations in 2007. Therefore, we have planned to remove these nuclear materials in sequence as Flush-out before beginning the decommissioning, and conducted removal of the spent fuel sheared powder as the first stage. The spent fuel sheared powder that had accumulated in the cell of the Main Plant (MP) as a result of the spent fuel shearing process was recovered from the cell floor, the shearing machine and the distributor between April 2016 and April 2017 as part of maintenance. Removing the recovered spent fuel sheared powder was conducted between June 2022 and September 2022. In this work, the recovered powder was dissolved in nitric acid at the dissolver in a small amount in order to remove it safely and early, and the dissolved solution was sent to the highly radioactive waste storage tanks without separating uranium and plutonium. Then, the dissolved solution transfer route was rinsed with nitric acid and water. Although about 15 years had passed since previous process operations, the removing work was successfully completed without any equipment failure because of the organization of a system that combines veterans experienced the operation with young workers, careful equipment inspections, and worker education and training. Removing this powder was conducted after revising the decommissioning project and obtaining approval from the Nuclear Regulation Authority owing to operating a part of process equipment.

Physical property investigation of gloves for glove boxes in nuclear fuel reprocessing plants; Physical properties of used gloves and estimation of its life-time

Yamamoto, Masahiko; Nishida, Naoki; Kobayashi, Daisuke; Nemoto, Ryo*; Hayashi, Hiroyuki*; Kitao, Takahiko; Kuno, Takehiko

JAEA-Technology 2023-004, 30 Pages, 2023/06

JAEA-Technology-2023-004.pdf:1.94MB

Glove-box gloves, that are used for handling nuclear fuel materials at the Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP) of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, have an expiration date by internal rules. All gloves are replaced at a maximum of every 4-year. However, degrees of glove deterioration varies depending on its usage environment such as frequency, chemicals, and radiation dose. Therefore, physical properties such as tensile strength, elongation, hardness of gloves are measured and technical evaluation method for the glove life-time is established. It was found that gloves without any defects in its appearance have enough physical properties and satisfies the acceptance criteria values of new gloves. Thus, it was considered that the expired gloves could be used for total of 8-year, by adding 4-year of new glove life-time. In addition, the results of extrapolation by plotting the glove's physical properties versus the used years showed that the physical properties at 8-year is on the safer side than the reported physical properties of broken glove. Also, the data are not significantly different from the physical properties of the long-term storage glove (8 and 23 years). Based on these results, life-time of gloves at TRP is set to be 8-year. The frequency of glove inspections are not changed, and if any defects is found, the glove is promptly replaced. Thus, the risk related to glove usage is not increased. The cost of purchasing gloves, labor for glove replacement, and the amount of generated waste can be reduced by approximately 40%, respectively, resulting in more efficient and rationalized glove management.

Accurate and precise measurement of uranium content in uranium trioxide by gravimetry; Comparison with isotope dilution mass spectrometry and its uncertainty estimation

Yamamoto, Masahiko; Horigome, Kazushi; Kuno, Takehiko

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 190, p.110460_1 - 110460_7, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2022.110460

Gravimetric measurement of U content in UO with ignition in the air has been investigated. The ignition temperature, ignition time and aliquot sample mass are optimized as 900C, 60 minutes, and 1 g, respectively. The method is validated by IDMS with uncertainty estimation. The obtained result by gravimetry is 0.782360.00051 g/g (k=2) and agreed with IDMS value within its uncertainty. It has been found that U in UO can be measured accurately and precisely by gravimetry.

Revision of The Japan Electric Association's "Guide for Personal Dose Monitoring (JEAG 4610)"

Fujii, Yutaka*; Takada, Chie

FBNews, (540), p.7 - 11, 2021/12

no abstracts in English

Activity for improvement of reprocessing plant quality assurance system; Transition to decommissioning stage, complying with new regulatory requirements for new inspection program, giving up ISO 9001 certification; Operations report FY 2012-2019

Yoshinaka, Kazuyuki; Shimizu, Kazuyuki; Sugiyama, Takayuki

JAEA-Review 2021-008, 112 Pages, 2021/07

JAEA-Review-2021-008.pdf:5.99MB

We had drastically been improving quality assurance system for Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP), through applying new regulatory requirements, giving up ISO certification from FY2012 to 2019. In revising QA system, it is obviously necessary to satisfy the regulatory requirements, but it is important to continuously improve the QA system considering effectiveness to safety performance based on earlier experiences. In this report, the background of QA system revision, interpretation and thinking way of conformation and application to new regulation and "Application Guide to Quality Assurance Code for Safety in Nuclear Power Plants (JEAC 4111)" to TRP, issues considered. And matters that require attention for future QA activities are described. Key points are "in work processes planning, relationship with other sections and responsibility boundaries should be clearly defined with such as flow chart", "to manage decision-making processes is important, including input information, judgment criteria and so on", "concerning process monitoring and measurement, not only focusing on scheduling but also viewpoints toward conditions of facilities/systems, conformance to regulatory requirements and process improvement are necessary", and "in documentation, matching for existing system, clear relation to other fundamental documents are necessary".

Safety measures in the melting facilities of The Advanced Volume Reduction Facilities; Document collection of discussion meetings related to melting facilities

Iketani, Shotaro; Yokobori, Tomohiko; Ishikawa, Joji; Yasuhara, Toshiyuki*; Kozawa, Toshiyuki*; Takaizumi, Hirohide*; Momma, Takeshi*; Kurosawa, Shingo*; Iseda, Hirokatsu; Kishimoto, Katsumi; et al.

JAEA-Review 2018-016, 46 Pages, 2018/12

JAEA-Review-2018-016.pdf:12.79MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) adopts melting process for the waste processing and packaging method of radioactive miscellaneous solid waste in NSRI because melting process is effective in radioactivity evaluation, volume reduction, and stabilization treatment. Metal melting processing facilities, Incinerator, and Nonmetal melting processing facilities (hereinafter referred to as melting process facilities) have taken lots of safety measures, including measures for preventing the recurrence of the fire accidents. To exchange opinions and discuss the validity of these measures and so on with internal personnel and external experts, "Discussions on Melting Process Facilities" was held. As a document collection, this paper summarizes presentation materials of discussion meetings. Presentation materials describe "Outline of AVRF", "Safety measures in the melting facilities in WVRF", "Operation management of the melting facilities in WVRF", "Comparison of the past accident cases between facilities in and outside Japan and WVRF", and "Introduction of past accident cases and safety measures in other facilities from each committee".

Development of cement based encapsulation for low radioactive liquid waste in Tokai Reprocessing Plant

Matsushima, Ryotatsu; Sato, Fuminori; Saito, Yasuo; Atarashi, Daiki*

Proceedings of 3rd International Symposium on Cement-based Materials for Nuclear Wastes (NUWCEM 2018) (USB Flash Drive), 4 Pages, 2018/10

At TRP, LWTF was constructed as a facility for processing low radioactive liquid waste and solid waste generated at TRP, and a cold test is been carrying out. In this facility, initially, nitrate waste liquid after separation of nuclides generated with treatment of low radioactive liquid waste was to be solidified by using borate. However, at present, it is necessary to decompose the nitrate in the liquid waste to reduce the environmental burden. For the reason, as a plan to replace the nitrate with the carbonate and to make it as a cement based encapsulation, we are studying for the introduction of the facility. Currently, as a cement solidification technology development for this liquid waste, we are studying the application of cement material based on blast furnace slag (BFS) as a main component. In this report, we show the results of the test conducted on the actual scale (200 L drum can scale).