Effect of quenching on molten core-concrete interaction product

北垣 徹; 池内 宏知; 矢野 公彦; Brissonneau, L.*; Tormos, B.*; Domenger, R.*; Roger, J.*; 鷲谷 忠博

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 56(9-10), p.902 - 914, 2019/09

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2019.1604272

Characterization of fuel debris is required to develop fuel debris removal tools. Especially, knowledge pertaining to the characteristics of molten core-concrete interaction (MCCI) product is needed because of the limited information available at present. The samples of a large-scale MCCI test performed under quenching conditions, VULCANO VW-U1, by CEA were analyzed to evaluate the characteristics of the surface of MCCI product generated just below the cooling water. As a result, the microstructure of the samples were found to be similar despite the different locations of the test sections. The Vickers hardness of each of the phases in these samples was higher than that of previously analyzed samples in another VULCANO test campaign, VBS-U4. From the comparison between analytical results of VULCANO MCCI test product, MCCI product generated under quenching condition is homogeneous and its hardness could be higher than that of the bulk MCCI product.

Research and development on membrane IS process for hydrogen production using solar heat

Odtsetseg, M.; 岩月 仁; 田中 伸幸; 野口 弘喜; 上地 優; 井岡 郁夫; 久保 真治; 野村 幹弘*; 八巻 徹也*; 澤田 真一*; et al.

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 44(35), p.19141 - 19152, 2019/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.03.132

Thermochemical hydrogen production has attracted considerable interest as a clean energy solution to address the challenges of climate change and environmental sustainability. The thermochemical water-splitting iodine-sulfur (IS) process uses heat from nuclear or solar power and thus is a promising next-generation thermochemical hydrogen production method that is independent of fossil fuels and can provide energy security. This paper presents the current state of research and development of the IS process based on membrane techniques using solar energy at a medium temperature of 600C. Membrane design strategies have the most potential for making the IS process using solar energy highly efficient and economical and are illustrated here in detail. Three aspects of membrane design proposed herein for the IS process have led to a considerable improvement of the total thermal efficiency of the process: membrane reactors, membranes, and reaction catalysts. Experimental studies in the applications of these membrane design techniques to the Bunsen reaction, sulfuric acid decomposition, and hydrogen iodide decomposition are discussed.

Verification of a probabilistic fracture mechanics code PASCAL4 for reactor pressure vessels

Lu, K.; 勝山 仁哉; Li, Y.; 宮本 裕平*; 廣田 貴俊*; 板橋 遊*; 永井 政貴*; 鈴木 雅秀*; 関東 康祐*

Proceedings of 27th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-27) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2019/05

Probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) is considered as a promising methodology in the integrity assessment of structural components in a nuclear power plant since it can rationally represent the influence parameters in their inherent probabilistic distributions without over-conservativeness. In Japan, a PFM analysis code called PASCAL4 (PFM Analysis of Structural Components in Aging LWRs Version 4) has been developed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency, which can be used for structural integrity assessments of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) considering neutron irradiation embrittlement and pressurized thermal shock events. Up till now, many efforts have been made on verifying the PASCAL4 code. Among them, a Japanese working group which is consisted of seven participants from industries, universities and institutes was established to conduct the verification studies. Based on verification activities during the past two years, the reliability and applicability of PASCAL4 for structural integrity assessments of Japanese RPVs were confirmed with great confidence. This paper summarizes the verification activities in this working group including the verification plan, analysis conditions and results.

Spectrochemistry of technetium by liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry and its applicability of quantification for highly active liquid waste

山本 昌彦; Do, V. K.; 田口 茂郎; 久野 剛彦; 高村 禅*

Spectrochimica Acta, Part B, 155, p.134 - 140, 2019/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2019.03.014

本研究では、発光分光分析装置の小型化に有効な液体電極プラズマに着目し、これに基づく発光分光分析法(LEP-OES)によりテクネチウム(Tc)の発光スペクトルについて調査した。その結果、200-500nmの波長範囲において合計52本のピークを確認し、全てTcの中性原子線とイオン線に帰属された。最も発光強度の高いピークは、254.3nm, 261.0nm, 264.7nmで確認された。模擬試料を用いて、高放射性廃液中に共存する成分による分光干渉の影響を評価した結果、264.7nmのピークでは干渉なく測定できることがわかった。そこで、264.7nmのピークを用いて分析性能を評価した結果、検出限界値は1.9mg/L、Tc標準試料(12.0mg/L)の繰り返し測定時の相対標準偏差は3.8%(N=5, 1)であった。

幌延深地層研究計画; 平成29年度調査研究成果報告

花室 孝広; 雑賀 敦

JAEA-Review 2018-027, 125 Pages, 2019/02

JAEA-Review-2018-027.pdf:21.79MB

幌延深地層研究計画は、「地上からの調査研究段階(第1段階)」、「坑道掘削(地下施設建設)時の調査研究段階(第2段階)」、「地下施設での調査研究段階(第3段階)」の3つの段階に分けて実施している。平成29年度は、「幌延深地層研究計画 平成29年度調査研究計画」に従って、調査研究および地下施設の建設を進めた。研究開発は従来通り、「地層科学研究」と「地層処分研究開発」に区分して行った。具体的には、「地層科学研究」では、地質環境調査技術開発、地質環境モニタリング技術開発、深地層における工学的技術の基礎の開発、地質環境の長期安定性に関する研究、という研究課題を設定し、「地層処分研究開発」では、人工バリアなどの工学技術の検証、設計手法の適用性確認、安全評価モデルの高度化および安全評価手法の適用性確認、という研究課題を設定している。幌延深地層研究計画の成果は、日本原子力研究開発機構(原子力機構)における他の研究開発拠点での成果と合わせて一連の地層処分技術として、処分事業や安全規制に適宜反映していく。そのため、国内外の研究機関との連携を図り、大学などの専門家の協力を得つつ、本計画を着実かつ効率的に進めていく。また、研究開発業務の透明性・客観性を確保する観点から研究計画の策定から成果までの情報を積極的に公表し、特に研究成果については国内外の学会や学術誌などを通じて広く公開していく。

平成28年度楢葉遠隔技術開発センター年報

福島研究開発部門 福島研究開発拠点 楢葉遠隔技術開発センター

JAEA-Review 2018-014, 52 Pages, 2018/12

JAEA-Review-2018-014.pdf:5.62MB

楢葉遠隔技術開発センターは、試験棟と研究管理棟から構成され、東京電力ホールディングス福島第一原子力発電所(1F)の事故後の廃炉作業に向けて必要となる各種試験設備が設置されている。廃炉作業に携わる企業や研究開発機関、教育機関など幅広い利用者がこれらの試験設備を用いて遠隔操作ロボットの特性把握や性能評価を通じてロボット開発など効率的にできるほか、多くの企業が一堂に会して展示会、廃止措置に係る有識者の会議開催など様々な利用ができる拠点として、平成28年4月より本格的な運用を開始した。平成28年度の施設利用件数は38件である。また、建設当時から多くの方々の関心を集め、平成28年度には4,212名の視察・見学者を受け入れた。今後も引き続き幅広い分野での利用を受け入れるとともに、利用者のニーズを的確に反映した試験設備の拡充を進めて利用促進を図り、1Fの廃止措置及び福島復興における遠隔技術の研究開発拠点として展開してゆく。本報告は、当センターにおいて平成28年度に実施した遠隔技術開発、緊急時対応遠隔機材の整備と訓練、要素試験エリア等の利用状況などの活動状況についてまとめたものである。

Mechanical properties database of reactor pressure vessel steels related to fracture toughness evaluation

飛田 徹; 西山 裕孝; 鬼沢 邦雄

JAEA-Data/Code 2018-013, 60 Pages, 2018/11

JAEA-Data-Code-2018-013.pdf:1.67MB

原子炉圧力容器の健全性を判断する上で、破壊靱性をはじめとする材料の機械的特性は重要な情報となる。本レポートは、日本原子力研究開発機構が取得した中性子照射材を含む原子炉圧力容器鋼材の機械的特性、具体的には引張試験, シャルピー衝撃試験, 落重試験及び破壊靱性試験の公開データをまとめたものである。対象とした材料は、初期プラントから最新プラント相当の不純物含有量及び靱性レベルで製造されたJIS SQV2A(ASTM A533B Class1)相当の5種類の原子炉圧力容器鋼である。また母材に加え、原子炉圧力容器の内張りとして用いられている2種類のステンレスオーバーレイクラッド材の機械的特性データについても記載した。これらの機械的特性データは、材料ごとにグラフで整理するとともに今後のデータの活用しやすさを考慮して表形式でリスト化した。

OECD/NEA benchmark on pellet-clad mechanical interaction modelling with fuel performance codes; Impact of number of radial pellet cracks and pellet-clad friction coefficient

Dostl, M.*; Rossiter, G.*; Dethioux, A.*; Zhang, J.*; 天谷 政樹; Rozzia, D.*; Williamson, R.*; Kozlowski, T.*; Hill, I.*; Martin, J.-F.*

Proceedings of Annual Topical Meeting on Reactor Fuel Performance (TopFuel 2018) (Internet), 10 Pages, 2018/10

The benchmark on PCMI was initiated by OECD/NEA Expert Group on Reactor Fuel Performance (EGRFP) in June 2015 and is currently in the latter stages of compiling results and preparing the final report. The aim of the benchmark is to improve understanding and modelling of PCMI amongst NEA member organisations. This is being achieved by comparing PCMI predictions of different fuel performance codes for a number of cases. Two of these cases are hypothetical cases aiming to facilitate understanding of the effects of code-to-code differences in fuel performance models. The two remaining cases are actual irradiations, where code predictions are compared with measured data. During analysis of participants' results of the hypothetical cases, the assumptions for number of radial pellet cracks and the pellet-clad friction coefficient (which can be zero, finite or infinite) were identified to be important factors in explaining differences between predictions once pellet-cladding contact occurs. However, these parameters varied in the models and codes used originally by the participants. This fact led to the extension of the benchmark by inclusion of two additional cases, where the number of radial pellet cracks and three different values of the friction coefficient were prescribed in the case definition. Seven calculations from six organisations contributed results were compared and analysed in this paper.

Development of crack evaluation models for probabilistic fracture mechanics analyses of Japanese reactor pressure vessels

Lu, K.; 眞崎 浩一; 勝山 仁哉; Li, Y.

Proceedings of 2018 ASME Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference (PVP 2018), 8 Pages, 2018/07

In Japan, a probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) analysis code PASCAL has been developed by Japan Atomic Energy Agency for structural integrity assessment of reactor pressure vessels (RPVs). The most recent release is PASCAL Version 4 (hereafter, PSACAL4) which can be used to evaluate the failure frequency of RPVs considering neutron irradiation embrittlement and pressurized thermal shock events. For the integrity assessment of RPVs, development of crack evaluation models is important. In this study, finite element analyses are performed firstly to verify the stress intensity factor calculations of cracks in PASCAL4. In addition, the applicability of the crack evaluation models in PASCAL4 such as the location of embedded cracks, crack shape and depth of surface cracks, and the increment of crack propagation is investigated. Based on sensitivity analyses of crack evaluation models for Japanese RPVs using PASCAL4, the effects of these evaluation models on failure frequency are clarified. From the analysis results, crack evaluation models recommended to the failure frequency evaluation for a Japanese model RPV are discussed.

Development of stress intensity factors for subsurface flaws in plates subjected to polynomial stress distributions

Lu, K.; 真野 晃宏; 勝山 仁哉; Li, Y.; 岩松 史則*

Journal of Pressure Vessel Technology, 140(3), p.031201_1 - 031201_11, 2018/06

https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4039125

The stress intensity factor (SIF) solutions for subsurface flaws near the free surfaces of components, which are known to be important in engineering applications, have not been provided yet. Thus, in this paper, SIF solutions for subsurface flaws near the free surfaces in flat plates were numerically investigated based on finite element analyses. The flaws with aspect ratios a/l = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5, the normalized ratios a/d = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8, and d/t = 0.01 and 0.10 were taken into account, where a is the half flaw depth, l is the flaw length, d is the distance from the center of the subsurface flaw to the nearest free surface and t is the wall thickness. Fourth-order polynomial stress distribution in the thickness direction was considered. In addition, the developed SIF solutions were incorporated into a Japanese probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) code, and PFM analyses were performed for a Japanese reactor pressure vessel containing a subsurface flaw near the inner surface. The PFM analysis results indicate that the obtained SIF solutions are effective in engineering applications.