Study on the specifications of the basic core configurations of the modified STACY

Gunji, Satoshi; Araki, Shohei; Izawa, Kazuhiko; Suyama, Kenya

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 209, p.110783_1 - 110783_7, 2024/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2024.110783

Since the compositions and properties of the fuel debris are uncertain, critical experiments are required to validate calculation codes and nuclear data used for the safety evaluation. For this purpose, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been modifying a critical assembly called "STACY." The first criticality of the modified STACY is scheduled for spring 2024. This paper reports the consideration results of the specifications of the basic core configurations of the modified STACY at the first criticality. We prepared two types of gird plates with different neutron moderation conditions (their intervals are 1.50 cm and 1.27 cm). However, there is a limitation on the number of available UO fuel rods. The core configurations for the first criticality satisfying these experimental constraints were designed by computational analysis. A cylindrical core configuration with a 1.50 cm grid plate close to the optimum moderation condition needs 253 fuel rods to reach criticality. As to the 1.27 cm grid plate, we considered core configurations with 2.54 cm intervals by using doubled pitches of the grid plate. It will need 213 fuel rods for the criticality. In addition, we considered the experimental core configuration with steel/concrete simulant rods to simulate fuel debris conditions. This paper shows these core configurations and their evaluated specifications.

Development of new simulation method; Design support of next generation advanced reactors

Uchibori, Akihiro; Okano, Yasushi

Isotope News, (793), p.32 - 35, 2024/06

The design of a containment vessel in a sodium-cooled fast reactor was optimized from simulation on the hypothetical severe accident including sodium leakage and combustion. The simulation method is one of the base technologies of the design optimization system, ARKADIA. The simulation was performed on the different design conditions including volume of the containment vessel and the safety equipment as optimization parameters. The iterative simulation successfully found that the safety under this accident was kept even in the downsized containment vessel by selecting an effective safety equipment. This study demonstrated that the developed method has basic capability for design optimization in ARKADIA.

Critical experiment plans on the new STACY to clarify the criticality characteristics of the molten core-concrete interaction products

Gunji, Satoshi; Araki, Shohei; Izawa, Kazuhiko; Suyama, Kenya

Proceedings of International Conference on Physics of Reactors (PHYSOR 2024) (Internet), p.227 - 236, 2024/04

https://doi.org/10.13182/PHYSOR24-43644/

It is considered that a large amount of fuel debris was generated in the TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident. In particular, the criticality characteristics of the fuel debris, including concrete components, which are products of molten core-concrete interaction (MCCI), have not been well investigated. In this study, to plan physical simulation in critical experiments at the critical assembly using pseudo fuel debris samples including concrete, we evaluated the sensitivity to the effective multiplication factor of the Si and Ca cross sections in the concrete-simulant sample based on the results of elemental analysis of the prototype. These sensitivity calculations were carried out for each sample loading method and composition. We focused on the energy profile of the sensitivity of the Ca capture reaction and confirmed that the shape of the sensitivity energy profile changed depending on the sample compositions and neutron moderation conditions. We could know the characteristics of each experimental method by clarifying the trends of sensitivity obtained in different experimental cases. It was found that increasing the amount of concrete in the samples and changing the neutron moderation conditions in the experimental core configurations produced similar changes in the shape of the sensitivity energy profile. This result shows the possibility of reproducing the characteristics of MCCI products through practical critical experiments using concrete materials that do not contain fissile materials.

Development of an RPV cooling system for HTGRs

Takamatsu, Kuniyoshi

Kakushinteki Reikyaku Gijutsu; Mekanizumu Kara Soshi, Shisutemu Kaihatsu Made, p.179 - 183, 2024/01

The HTGR has excellent safety, and even in the event of an accident where the reactor coolant is lost, the decay heat and residual heat in the core can be dissipated from the outer surface of the RPV, so the fuel temperature never exceeds the limit value, and the core stabilizes. On the other hand, regarding the cooling system that transports the heat emitted from the RPV to the final heat sink, an active cooling system using forced circulation of water by a pump, etc., and a passive cooling system using natural circulation of the atmosphere have been proposed. However, there is a problem that the cooling performance is affected by the operation of dynamic equipment and weather conditions. This paper presents an overview of a new cooling system concept using radiative cooling, which has been proposed to solve the above problem, and introduces the results of analysis and experiments aimed at confirming the feasibility of this concept.

Planning of the debris-simulated critical experiments on the new STACY

Gunji, Satoshi; Araki, Shohei; Arakaki, Yu; Izawa, Kazuhiko; Suyama, Kenya

Proceedings of 12th International Conference on Nuclear Criticality Safety (ICNC2023) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2023/10

JAEA has been modifying a critical assembly called STACY from a solution system to a light-water moderated heterogeneous system to validate computation results of criticality characteristics of fuel debris generated in the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. To experimentally simulate the composition and characteristics of fuel debris, we will prepare several grid plates which make particular neutron moderation conditions and a number of rod-shaped concrete and stainless-steel materials. Experiments to evaluate fuel debris's criticality characteristics are scheduled using these devices and materials. This series of STACY experiments are planned to measure the reactivity of fuel debris-simulated samples, measure the critical mass of core configurations containing structural materials such as concrete and stainless steels, and the change in critical mass when their arrangement becomes non-uniform. Furthermore, two divided cores experiments are scheduled that statically simulate fuel debris falling, and also scheduled that subcriticality measurement experiments with partially different neutron moderation conditions. The experimental plans have been considered taking into account some experimental constraints. This paper shows the schedule of these experiments, as well as the computation results of the optimized core configurations and expected results for each experiment.

Study on the basic core analysis of the new STACY

Gunji, Satoshi; Yoshikawa, Tomoki; Araki, Shohei; Izawa, Kazuhiko; Suyama, Kenya

Proceedings of 12th International Conference on Nuclear Criticality Safety (ICNC2023) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2023/10

Since the compositions and properties of the fuel debris are uncertain, critical experiments are required to validate calculation codes and nuclear data used for the safety evaluation. For this purpose, JAEA has been modifying a critical assembly called "STACY". The first criticality of the new STACY is scheduled for spring 2024. This paper reports the consideration results of the core configurations of the new STACY at the first criticality. We prepared two sets of gird plates with different neutron moderation conditions (their intervals are 1.50 cm and 1.27 cm). However, there is a limitation on the number of available UO fuel rods. In addition, we would like to set the critical water heights for the first criticality at around 95 cm. This is to avoid the reactive effect of the aluminum alloy middle grid plates (Approx. 98 cm high). The core configurations for the first criticality satisfying these conditions were constructed by computational analysis. A square core configuration with the 1.50 cm grid plate that is close to the optimum moderation condition needs 261 fuel rods to reach criticality. As to the 1.27 cm grid plate, we considered two core configurations with 1.80 cm intervals by using a checkerboard arrangement. One of them has two regions core configuration with 1.27 and 1.80 cm intervals, and the other has only 1.80 cm intervals. They need 341 and 201 fuel rods for the criticality, respectively. This paper shows these three core configurations and their calculation models.

Current status of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) development, 1; Overview of ATF development conducted under the technology development project for improving nuclear safety

Yamashita, Shinichiro

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 65(4), p.233 - 237, 2023/04

https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesjb.65.4_233

In the wake of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) of TEPCO due to the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, interest in the early implementation of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) not only for many existing NPPs but also for future NPPs, which is expected to dramatically improve the safety of light water reactors, has increased globally, and research and development is currently underway in many countries around the world. In this article, an overview of domestic ATF technology development that has been carried out with the support of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry since 2015, will be introduced.

Inherent core safety performance of small sodium-cooled fast reactor with oxide fuel

Takano, Kazuya; Oki, Shigeo; Doda, Norihiro; Chikazawa, Yoshitaka; Maeda, Seiichiro

Proceedings of 2023 International Congress on Advanced in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2023) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2023/04

The MOX fueled SMR-SFRs with lower linear heat rating of 100 W/cm and 50 W/cm, whereas the linear heat rating at rated power is around 400 W/cm in general, were designed to decrease the fuel temperature during its rated power state in order to pursue the inherent core safety for MOX fueled SMR-SFRs. The transient analyses for Anticipated Transient Without Scram (ATWS) events represented by an Unprotected Loss of Flow (ULOF) accident on the lower linear heat rating cores were performed considering their inherent feedback reactivity. Through the transient analysis, the inherent core safety performances for the lower linear heat rating cores were discussed based on the evaluated maximum coolant temperature and Cumulative Damage Fraction (CDF) as criteria to maintain the core and fuel integrity. The feasible design window for MOX fueled SMR-SFRs with the inherent core safety focusing on the linear heat rating was identified based on the transient analysis results.

Development of plant lifecycle optimization method, ARKADIA for advanced reactors

Uchibori, Akihiro; Sogabe, Joji; Okano, Yasushi; Takata, Takashi*; Doda, Norihiro; Tanaka, Masaaki; Enuma, Yasuhiro; Wakai, Takashi; Asayama, Tai; Ohshima, Hiroyuki

Proceedings of Technical Meeting on State-of-the-art Thermal Hydraulics of Fast Reactors (Internet), 10 Pages, 2022/09

The ARKAIDA has been developed to realize automatic optimization of plant design from safety evaluation for the advanced reactors represented by a sodium-cooled fast reactor. ARKADIA-Design offers functions to support design optimization both in normal operating conditions and design basis events. The multi-level simulation approach by the coupled analysis such as neutronics, core deformation, core thermal hydraulics was developed as one of the main technologies of the ARKADIA-Design. On the other hand, ARKAIDA-Safety aims for safety evaluation considering severe accidents. As a key technology, the numerical methods for in- and ex-vessel coupled phenomena during severe accidents in sodium-cooled fast reactors were tested through a hypothetical severe accident event.

Construction of a design model for an electromagnet power supply with safety and reliability in the accelerator

Ono, Ayato; Takayanagi, Tomohiro; Ueno, Tomoaki*; Horino, Koki*; Yamamoto, Kazami; Kinsho, Michikazu

JAEA-Technology 2020-023, 40 Pages, 2021/02

JAEA-Technology-2020-023.pdf:2.98MB

The 3 GeV rapid cycling synchrotron of Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) uses a large number of electromagnet power supplies in order to generate a high-intensity beam of 1 MW. These devices have been specially developed to meet the required specifications of the proton beams. Ten years have passed since the 3 GeV synchrotron had started operation, and we need to replace and update of the components due to failures caused by the aging deterioration. Since the J-PARC is used by many users, it is quite important to recover as soon as possible when a trouble occurs. However, we often spend lots of time to investigate the status and cause of the problem, then it results in the delay of recovery work. One of the major reasons is due to the differences in the manufacturers of sensors and monitors. Therefore, we have to create a manual for each power supply and prepare some exclusive tools. However, troubles rarely occur in the same state and situation, so we have to rely on the experience and knowledge. Even for power supplies with different purposes and specifications, some components, such as sensors, can be shared in many cases. In addition, if the concept of the interlock system, for monitoring the status of the power supply and detecting malfunctions, is shared between the different power supplies, the method and response for failure investigation can be standardized. By using a device with good maintainability, the accelerator operation will be more stable and reliable. In this report, we introduce the necessity of sharing the design concept and common parts. We also explain the basic design model for safety and reliability, using an example of manufacturing an electromagnet power supply for the 3 GeV synchrotron.