Neutronics-thermal-hydraulics-coupled transient analysis for reactor power change in an inclined offshore floating boiling water reactor

Fukuda, Kodai; Obara, Toru*; Suyama, Kenya

Nuclear Technology, 211(5), p.963 - 973, 2025/05

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2024.2368966

Analysis methodology of the calculation code, WRAC-JAEA, for determining major indexes of corrosive circumstance in light water reactors

Uchida, Shunsuke; Hata, Kuniki; Hanawa, Satoshi

JAEA-Data/Code 2024-003, 119 Pages, 2025/01

JAEA-Data-Code-2024-003.pdf:11.29MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2024-003-appendix(CD-ROM).zip:0.28MB

The calculation code for determining corrosive circumstance in light water reactors, WRAC-JAEA, has been developed based on water radiolysis calculation codes for BWR. The code has involved several new calculation functions to apply it for PWR, i.e., (1) high temperature pH (pH), (2) pH effects on water radiolysis, (3) electrochemical corrosion potential (ECP) based on the mixed potential theory, and (4) ECP based on the water radiolysis calculation results. Moderation of corrosive conditions in the primary cooling systems is one of the promising procedures to mitigate the loss of reliabilities of major components in the systems, especially in aging plants. However, water chemistry control for corrosive environment mitigation procedures are much different in BWRs and PWRs. In BWRs, intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) of stainless steel is the dominant causes for determining plant reliability. It is difficult to increase pH and injected hydrogen amounts due to direct power cycle operation. So, precise control of hydrogen injection with supported by water radiolysis and ECP analyses has been carried out to keep material reliability. In PWRs, it is possible to maintain stable control of corrosive circumstances with higher pH and sufficiently large hydrogen concentration. Recently, it was pointed out that one of the major causes of primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) of nickel alloys was hydrogen. The optimal hydrogen concentration should be evaluated to mitigate ECP without increasing hydrogen concentration. For this, a combined water radiolysis and ECP analysis code is required to determine the suitable hydrogen concentration and ECP. WRAC-JAEA can contribute not only to evaluation of corrosive conditions each of BWR and PWR, but also to prepare for suitable countermeasures for both BWR and PWR by cross-talking the knowledge and experience with assistance of the code results.

Numerical analysis of melt penetration behavior in the control rod drive housing of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit-2

Li, X.; Yamaji, Akifumi*; Sato, Ikken*; Yamashita, Takuya; Nagae, Yuji

Proceedings of 11th European Review Meeting on Severe Accident Research Conference (ERMSAR 2024) (Internet), 12 Pages, 2024/05

Evaluation of core material energy change during the in-vessel phase of Fukushima Daiichi Unit 3 based on observed pressure data utilizing GOTHIC code analysis

Sato, Ikken; Arai, Yuta*; Yoshikawa, Shinji

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 58(4), p.434 - 460, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2020.1862718

Thresholds for failure of high-burnup LWR fuels by pellet cladding mechanical interaction under reactivity-initiated accident conditions

Udagawa, Yutaka; Sugiyama, Tomoyuki; Amaya, Masaki

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 56(12), p.1063 - 1072, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2019.1637795

no abstracts in English

Empirical equations of crack growth rates based on data fitting of neutron irradiated stainless steel under high temperature water simulating boiling water reactor core conditions

Kasahara, Shigeki; Chimi, Yasuhiro; Hata, Kuniki; Fukuya, Koji*; Fujii, Katsuhiko*

Proceedings of 19th International Conference on Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Power Systems - Water Reactors (Internet), p.1345 - 1355, 2019/08

This paper describes empirical equation development of crack growth rates (CGR) in consideration of IASCC of neutron irradiated stainless steel to contribute to structural integrity assessment of BWR reactor internals. Empirical equations of CGR (da/dt) were developed based on a formula of da/dt = MK, assuming that "M" and "n" tend to be saturated with increasing neutron fluence. To obtain the empirical equations for normal water chemistry (NWC) and hydrogen water chemistry (HWC) of BWR, a data fitting with least square method was applied to the datasets consisting of F, K and CGR from post irradiation examinations of neutron irradiated stainless steel under simulated NWC and HWC conditions from open literature. As a result, calculated results by the equation for NWC showed good agreement with measured CGR data, meanwhile those for HWC did not. The above difference was seemed to be attributed that CGR data obtained under HWC conditions were scattered extensively.

An Interpretation of Fukushima-Daiichi Unit 3 plant data covering the two-week accident-progression phase based on correction for pressure data

Sato, Ikken

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 56(5), p.394 - 411, 2019/05

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2019.1588798

Water columns were adopted in the pressure measurement system of Fukushima-Daiichi Unit-3. Part of these water columns evaporated during the accident condition jeopardizing correct understanding on actual pressure. Through comparison of RPV (Reactor Pressure Vessel) and S/C pressures with D/W pressure, such water-column effect was evaluated. Correction for this effect was developed enabling clarification of slight pressure difference among RPV, S/C and D/W. This information was then integrated with other available data such as, water level, CAMS and environmental dose rate, into an interpretation of accident focusing on RPV and PCV pressurization/depressurization and radioactive material release to environment. It is suggested that dryout of in-vessel and ex-vessel debris was likely causing pressure decrease. S/C water poured into pedestal heated by relocated debris was the likely cause of pressurization. Cyclic reflooding of pedestal debris and dryout was likely.

Mass transfer inside narrow crevice of SUS316L in high temperature water

Yamamoto, Masahiro; Soma, Yasutaka; Igarashi, Takahiro; Ueno, Fumiyoshi

Proceedings of Annual Congress of the European Federation of Corrosion (EUROCORR 2018) (USB Flash Drive), 7 Pages, 2018/09

In order to clarify the SCC behavior of SUS316L under BWR environment, mass transfer inside crevice of SUS316L in high temperature water using various crevice gap samples was investigated. The samples were prepared by put together two SUS316L sheets. Crevice gap differs from 0.005 mm to 0.1 mm. Corrosion tests were conducted in 8 ppm dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions. Surface oxide film was analysed by laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS) after immersion. Numerical simulations were also conducted by using COMSOL Maltiphysics. Diffusion process of DO and the other chemical species were calculated with connected to electrochemical process. Electrical conductivities inside the crevice were 100 times larger than these of outer water. The reason of high conductivity is existence of Fe ions at the DO depletion crevice.

Phenomenology of BWR fuel assembly degradation

Kurata, Masaki; Barrachin, M.*; Haste, T.*; Steinbrueck, M.*

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 500, p.119 - 140, 2018/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.12.004

Severe accidents occurred at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) required an immediate re-examination of fuel degradation phenomenology. The present paper reviews the updated knowledge on the phenomenology of the fuel degradation, focusing mainly on the BWR fuel assembly degradation at the macroscopic scale and that of the individual interactions at the meso-scale. Oxidation of boron carbide (BC) control rods potentially generate far larger amounts of heat and hydrogen under BWR accident conditions. All integral tests with BC control rods or control blades have shown early failure, liquefaction, relocation and oxidation of BC starting at temperatures around 1250C, well below the significant interaction temperatures of UO-Zry. These interactions or reactions potentially influence the progress of fuel degradation in the early phase. The steam-starved conditions, which are being discussed as a likely scenario at the FDNPS accident, highly influence the individual interactions and potentially lead the fuel degradation in non-prototypical directions. The detailed phenomenology of individual interactions and their influence on the transient and on the late phase of the severe accidents are also discussed.

Evaluation of crack growth rates and microstructures near the crack tip of neutron-irradiated austenitic stainless steels in simulated BWR environment

Chimi, Yasuhiro; Kasahara, Shigeki; Seto, Hitoshi*; Kitsunai, Yuji*; Koshiishi, Masato*; Nishiyama, Yutaka

Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Power Systems - Water Reactors, Vol.2, p.1039 - 1054, 2018/00

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68454-3_76

In order to understand irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) growth behavior, crack growth rate (CGR) tests have been performed in simulated Boiling Water Reactor water conditions at 288C on neutron-irradiated 316L stainless steels (SSs) at 12-14 dpa. After the tests, the microstructures near the crack tip of the specimens are examined with scanning transmission electron microscope (FE-STEM). In comparison with a previous study at 2 dpa, this result shows a less benefit of low electrochemical corrosion potential (ECP) conditions on CGR. A crack tip immersed over 1000 hours was filled with oxides, while almost no oxide film was observed near the crack front in the low-ECP conditions. In addition, a high density of deformation twins and dislocations were found near the fracture surface of the crack front. It is considered that both localized deformation and oxidation are possible dominant factors for the SCC growth in highly irradiated SSs.