Seven-year temporal variation of caesium-137 discharge inventory from the port of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant; Continuous monthly estimation of caesium-137 discharge in the period from April 2011 to June 2018

Machida, Masahiko; Yamada, Susumu; Iwata, Ayako; Otosaka, Shigeyoshi; Kobayashi, Takuya; Watanabe, Masahisa; Funasaka, Hideyuki; Morita, Takami*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 57(8), p.939 - 950, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2020.1740809

After direct discharges of highly contaminated water of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (1F) from April to May 2011, Kanda suggested that relatively small amounts of run-off of radionuclides from the 1F port into the Fukushima coastal region subsequently continued by his estimation method. However, the estimation period was limited to up to September 2012. Therefore, this paper estimates the discharge inventory up to June 2018. In the missing period, the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings have continued efforts to stop the discharge, and consequently, the radionuclide concentration in seawater inside the 1F port has gradually diminished. We show the monthly discharge inventory of Cs up to June 2018 by two methods, i.e., Kanda method partially improved by the authors and a more sophisticated method using Voronoi tessellation reflecting the increase in the number of monitoring points inside the 1 F port. The results show that the former always yields overestimated results compared with the latter, but the ratio of the former to the latter is less than one order of magnitude. Using these results, we evaluate the impact of the discharge inventory from the 1F port into the coastal area and radiation dose upon fish ingestion.

Measurement of thermal decomposition temperature and rate of sodium hydride

Kawaguchi, Munemichi

Proceedings of 2020 International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 2020) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE2020-16423

In decommissioning sodium-cooled fast reactors, the operators can be exposed to radiation during dismantling of the cold trap equipment (C/T). The C/T has higher dose equipment because the C/T trapped the tritium of the fission product during the operation to purify the sodium coolant. In this research, the thermal decomposition temperature and rate of sodium hydride were measured as the fundamental research for improvement of the thermorlysis method prior to the dismantling. We measured the thermal decomposition temperature and rate using sodium hydride powder (95.3%, Sigma-Aldrich) in AlO crucible with TG-DTA (STA2500, NETASCH Japan). The heating rates were set to = 2.0, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0 K/min, and the weight decrease was measured. The thermal decomposition temperature and rate were obtained from the temperature of the onset of the weigh decrease and the Kissinger plot, respectively. Furthermore, we set to the thermal decomposition temperature of around 600 K, and the weight decreasing rates were measured. The change of the chemical composition of the sodium hydride with heating (from NaH to Na) was measured with X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis. As a result, the thermal decomposition occurred at around 600 K, and the almost all hydrogen in the sodium hydride released within 1 h. The thermal decomposition rate strongly depended on the heating temperature.

Document collection of the 37th Technical Special Committee on Fugen Decommissioning

Nakamura, Yasuyuki; Koda, Yuya; Yamamoto, Kosuke; Soejima, Goro; Iguchi, Yukihiro

JAEA-Review 2020-002, 40 Pages, 2020/05

JAEA-Review-2020-002.pdf:8.78MB

Fugen Decommissioning Engineering Center, in planning and carrying out our decommissioning technical development, has been establishing "Technical special committee on Fugen decommissioning" which consists of the members well-informed, aiming to make good use of Fugen as a place for technological development which is opened inside and outside the country, as the central point in the energy research and development base making project of Fukui prefecture, and to utilize the outcome in our decommissioning to the technical development effectively. This report compiles presentation materials "The Current Situation of Fugen Decommissioning", "Development of Dismantling Mon-hours Estimated system by Achieved Data in Fugen", "Future Plan Based on the Operational Status of Clearance System" and "The Result and Future Plan of the Sampling work from Core Internal of Fugen", presented in the 37th Technical special committee on Fugen decommissioning which was held on December 2, 2019.

Seven-year temporal variation of cesium-137 discharge inventory from the port of Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant; Continuous monthly estimation of cesium-137 discharge in the period from April 2011 to June 2018

Machida, Masahiko; Yamada, Susumu; Iwata, Ayako; Otosaka, Shigeyoshi; Kobayashi, Takuya; Watanabe, Masahisa; Funasaka, Hideyuki; Morita, Takami*

Nippon Genshiryoku Gakkai Wabun Rombunshi, 18(4), p.226 - 236, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.3327/taesj.J18.030

After direct discharges of highly-contaminated water from Unit 2 and 3 in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (1F) in April to May 2011, Kanda suggested that relatively small run-off of radionuclides from 1F port into Fukushima coastal region has subsequently continued by using his estimation scheme. However, the estimation period was limited until September 2012, and there has been no report on the issue since the work. Therefore, this paper focuses on discharge inventory from 1F port until June 2018. In the missing period, the central government and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings have done continuous efforts to stop the discharge, and consequently sea water concentration inside 1F port has diminished gradually. We show monthly discharge inventory of Cs-137 until June 2018 by two schemes, i.e., Kanda's scheme partially improved by authors and more sophisticated one using Voronoi tessellation reflecting the increment of the number of monitoring points inside 1F port. The results show that the former always presents overestimated results compared to the latter but the ratio of former to latter is less than one order. Based on these results, we evaluate impact of discharge inventory from 1F port into the coastal area and radiation does via fish digestion.

Research on activation assessment of a reactor structural materials for decommissioning

Seki, Misaki; Ishikawa, Koji*; Nagata, Hiroshi; Otsuka, Kaoru; Omori, Takazumi; Hanakawa, Hiroki; Ide, Hiroshi; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko; Sano, Tadafumi*; Fujihara, Yasuyuki*; et al.

KURNS Progress Report 2018, P. 257, 2019/08

http://www.rri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/PUB/report/PR/ProgRep2018/KURNS_Progress_Report2018_web.pdf

no abstracts in English

Status of decommissioning of FUGEN Decommissioning Engineering Center

Takiya, Hiroaki; Aratani, Kenta; Awatani, Yuto; Ishiyama, Masahiro; Tezuka, Masashi; Mizui, Hiroyuki

Dekomisshoningu Giho, (59), p.2 - 12, 2019/03

FUGEN Decommissioning Engineering Center received the approval of the decommissioning program in 2008, and we have been progressing the decommissioning. The first phase of decommissioning (Heavy Water and Other system Decontamination Period) finished in May 2018, and FUGEN has entered into the second phase of decommissioning (Reactor Periphery Facilities Dismantling Period). This report outlines the results obtained in the first phase of decommissioning of FUGEN.

The User manual of the simplified decommissioning cost estimation code for nuclear facilities "DECOST"

Takahashi, Nobuo; Suekane, Yurika; Sakaba, Ryosuke*; Kurosawa, Takuya*; Sato, Koichi; Meguro, Yoshihiro

JAEA-Testing 2018-002, 45 Pages, 2018/07

JAEA-Testing-2018-002.pdf:4.44MB

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has many nuclear facilities such as research reactors, nuclear fuel facilities and research facilities. Although these facilities will be decommissioned due to the termination of the purpose of use of the facility and aging, it is necessary to evaluate the decommissioning cost of these facilities prior to the decommissioning. We have developed an evaluation method called DECOST code that can efficiently calculate the decommissioning cost in a short time based on factors such as features, similarity, and dismantling methods. This report is as a manual of the DECOST code prepared for improving convenience. Here, the evaluation formulae used for DECOST are presented and the method of using them is explained for each kind of nuclear facilities to be evaluated. In addition, the preparation method of facility information and dismantled waste amount that are need for evaluation is also shown.

Outline of decommissioning plan of Tokai Reprocessing Plant

Okano, Masanori; Akiyama, Kazuki; Taguchi, Katsuya; Nagasato, Yoshihiko; Omori, Eiichi

Dekomisshoningu Giho, (57), p.53 - 64, 2018/03

The construction of Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP) was initiated in June 1971, and its hot test using spent fuel started in September 1977. Thereafter TRP had been operated to reprocess 1,140 tons of spent fuel for approximately 30 years until May 2007, according to the reprocessing contract with domestic electric power companies. JAEA announced a policy of TRP in report of JAEA reform plan published in September 2014. The policy shows that TRP will shift to a decommissioning stage by economic reasons. Based on the policy, application of approval for TRP decommissioning plan was submitted to Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) in June 2017. This plan provides basic guidelines such as procedures for decommissioning and specific activities for risk reduction, and implementation divisions of decommissioning, management of spent fuels and radioactive wastes, decommissioning budget, and decommissioning schedule. The process of TRP decommissioning is planned to continue for approximately 70 years until the release of controlled areas of approximately 30 facilities.

Report on OPIC Laser Solutions for Space and the Earth (LSSE 2017)

Ebisuzaki, Toshikazu*; Wada, Satoshi*; Saito, Norihito*; Fujii, Takashi*; Nishimura, Akihiko

Reza Kenkyu, 45(10), p.664 - 665, 2017/10

no abstracts in English

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.