Effect of neutron beam properties on dose distributions in a water phantom for boron neutron capture therapy

Ishikawa, Akihisa; Tanaka, Hiroki*; Nakamura, Satoshi*; Kumada, Hiroaki*; Sakurai, Yoshinori*; Watanabe, Kenichi*; Yoshihashi, Sachiko*; Tanagami, Yuki*; Uritani, Akira*; Kiyanagi, Yoshiaki*

Journal of Radiation Research (Internet), 65(6), p.765 - 775, 2024/11

https://doi.org/10.1093/jrr/rrae076

Thinning behavior of solid boron carbide immersed in molten stainless steel for core disruptive accident of sodium-cooled fast reactor

Emura, Yuki; Takai, Toshihide; Kikuchi, Shin; Kamiyama, Kenji; Yamano, Hidemasa; Yokoyama, Hiroki*; Sakamoto, Kan*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 61(7), p.911 - 920, 2024/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2023.2287109

Design of a portable backup shutdown system for the high temperature gas cooled reactor

Hamamoto, Shimpei; Ho, H. Q.; Iigaki, Kazuhiko; Goto, Minoru; Shimazaki, Yosuke; Sawahata, Hiroaki; Ishitsuka, Etsuo

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 386, p.111564_1 - 111564_8, 2022/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2021.111564

The experience of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident caused by the great earthquake that occurred in eastern Japan in 2011 showed the importance of preparing for the loss of function of the engineered safety features. Increasing the strength of equipment to prevent loss of function in an accident is effective, but the possibility of loss of function remains. Therefore, it is important to have an alternative to lost functions in order to put the accident under control early. Thus, this study designed an alternative shutdown system, namely a portable backup shutdown system (PBSS), to make countermeasures in the event of a loss of shutdown function more robust without impairing economic efficiency of the High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR). The PBSS is portable and capable of being installed manually so that it can operate in a total loss of off-site electricity. Various neutron absorber materials for the PBSS were also considered from the viewpoints of technical and cost-effective properties. As results of optimization, the boron nitride (BN) was selected as it shows a good neutronic property as well as a reasonable cost in comparison with other materials.

Thermophysical properties of austenitic stainless steel containing boron carbide in a solid state

Takai, Toshihide; Furukawa, Tomohiro; Yamano, Hidemasa

Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 8(4), p.20-00540_1 - 20-00540_11, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1299/mej.20-00540

In a core disruptive accident scenario, boron carbide, which is used as a control rod material, may melt below the melting temperature of stainless steel owing to the eutectic reaction with them. The eutectic mixture produced is assumed to extensively relocate in the degraded core, and this behavior plays an important role in significantly reducing the neutronic reactivity. However, these behaviors have never been simulated in previous severe accident analysis. To contribute to the improvement of the core disruptive accident analysis code, the thermophysical properties of the eutectic mixture in the solid state were measured, and regression equations that show the temperature (and boron carbide concentration) dependence are created.

Study of charged particle activation analysis, 2; Determination of boron concentration in human blood samples

Ikebe, Yurie*; Oshima, Masumi*; Bamba, Shigeru*; Asai, Masato; Tsukada, Kazuaki; Sato, Tetsuya; Toyoshima, Atsushi*; Bi, C.*; Seto, Hirofumi*; Amano, Hikaru*; et al.

Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 164, p.109106_1 - 109106_7, 2020/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2020.109106

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a radiotherapy for the treatment of intractable cancer. In BNCT precise determination of B concentration in whole blood sample before neutron irradiation is crucial for control of the neutron irradiation time and the neutron dosimetry. We have applied the Charged Particle Activation Analysis (CPAA) to non-destructive and accurate determination of B concentration in whole blood sample. The experiment was performed at JAEA Tandem Accelerator using an 8 MeV proton beam. The 478 keV ray of Be produced in the B(p,)Be reaction was used to quantify the B, and rays of Co originating from the reaction with Fe in blood was used to normalize the -ray intensity. The results demonstrated that the present CPAA method can be applied to the determination of the B concentration in the blood sample.

Study on eutectic melting behavior of control rod materials in core disruptive accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactors, 2; Thermophysical properties of eutectic mixture containing of high concentration boron in a solid state

Takai, Toshihide; Furukawa, Tomohiro; Yamano, Hidemasa

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

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE2020-16091

Boron chemistry during transportation in the high temperature region of a boiling water reactor under severe accident conditions

Miwa, Shuhei; Takase, Gaku; Imoto, Jumpei; Nishioka, Shunichiro; Miyahara, Naoya; Osaka, Masahiko

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 57(3), p.291 - 300, 2020/03

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2019.1671913

For the evaluation of transport behavior of control material boron in a severe accident of BWR from the viewpoint of chemical effects on cesium and iodine behavior, boron chemistry during transportation in the high temperature region above 400 K was experimentally investigated. The heating tests of boron oxide specimen were conducted using the dedicated experimental apparatus reproducing fission product release and transport in steam atmosphere. Released boron oxide vapor was deposited above 1,000 K by the condensation onto stainless steel. The boron deposits and/or vapors significantly reacted with stainless steel above 1,000 K and formed the stable iron-boron mixed oxide (FeO)BO. These results indicate that released boron from degraded BWR control blade in a severe accident could remain in the high temperature region such as a Reactor Pressure Vessel. Based on these results, it can be said that the existence of boron deposits in the high temperature region would decrease the amount of transported cesium vapors from a Reactor Pressure Vessel due to possible formation of low volatile cesium borate compounds by the reaction of boron deposits with cesium vapors.

Study on eutectic melting behavior of control rod materials in core disruptive accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactor, 2; Effect of BC addition on thermophysical properties of austenitic stainless steel in a solid state

Takai, Toshihide; Furukawa, Tomohiro; Yamano, Hidemasa

Proceedings of International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference / Light Water Reactor Fuel Performance Conference (Global/Top Fuel 2019) (USB Flash Drive), p.847 - 852, 2019/09

Retention of uranium in cement systems; Effects of cement degradation and complexing ligands

Ochs, M.*; Vriens, B.*; Tachi, Yukio

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 5, p.208 - 212, 2018/11

https://doi.org/10.15669/pnst.5.208

The clean-up activities related to the accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant give rise to several types of wastes containing cementitious materials, such as concrete. Further, the use of cement-based barriers may be considered, due to their favorable and stable chemical properties, including their ability to sorb or incorporate radionuclides. Wastes from Fukushima are expected to contain substances that can have perturbing effects on retention, especially organic complexing substances, boron, and chloride salts. The present study focuses on a methodology for quantifying the retention behaviour of UVI) and U(IV) in cement materials of different degradation and in the presence of organics, boron, and salts on the basis of available literature information. A stepwise approach is proposed and illustrated for Kd setting for U(VI) and U(IV).

Prediction of chemical effects of Mo and B on the Cs chemisorption onto stainless steel

Di Lemma, F. G.; Yamashita, Shinichiro; Miwa, Shuhei; Nakajima, Kunihisa; Osaka, Masahiko

Energy Procedia, 127, p.29 - 34, 2017/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.08.092

Chemical effects of molybdenum (Mo) and boron (B), which were considered to form compounds with Cs, on the Cs chemisorption were predicted using a chemical equilibrium calculation. It is seen that CsMoO were formed in the chemisorbed compounds. On the other hand, little effects were observed for B. The results suggest that the effects of Mo should be considered for further experimental investigation.