Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory Project Investigation Report for the 2023 Fiscal Year

Nakayama, Masashi

JAEA-Review 2024-042, 111 Pages, 2024/11

JAEA-Review-2024-042.pdf:7.83MB

The Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to enhance the reliability of relevant technologies for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste through investigating the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary rocks at Horonobe Town in Hokkaido, north Japan. In the fiscal year 2023, we continued R&D on "Study on near-field system performance in geological environment", "Demonstration of repository design options", and "Understanding of buffering behaviour of sedimentary rock to natural perturbations". These are identified as key R&D on challenges to be tackled in the Horonobe underground research plan for the fiscal year 2020 onwards. Specifically, "full-scale engineered barrier system (EBS) performance experiment" and "solute transport experiment with model testing" were carried out as part of "Study on nearfield system performance in geological environment". "Demonstration of engineering feasibility of repository technology" and "evaluation of EBS behaviour over 100C" were addressed for "Demonstration of repository design options". The validation of a method for assessing permeability using the Ductility Index and a method for estimating the state of in-situ ground pressure from hydraulic perturbation tests were investigated as part of the study "Understanding of buffering behaviour of sedimentary rock to natural perturbations". In FY2023, we resumed construction of the subsurface facilities, 3 new tunnels in the 350 m gallery and resumed excavation of the East Access Shaft and the Ventilation Shaft. By the end of FY2023, the 350 m gallery extension (tunnel extension 66 m) had been completed, and the depths of the East Access Shaft and Ventilation Shaft were GL-424 m and GL-393 m respectively.

Research report on information of the Nuclear Ship "MUTSU" (Contract research)

Aomori Research and Development Center

JAEA-Review 2022-039, 36 Pages, 2023/02

JAEA-Review-2022-039.pdf:4.3MB

In order to use for the consideration of floating nuclear power plant, results of survey about actual process and literature are summarized in this report.

Design of microchannel suitable for packing with anion exchange resins; Uranium separation from seawater containing a large amount of cesium

Ouchi, Kazuki; Tsukahara, Takehiko*; Brandt, A.*; Muto, Yuki*; Nabatame, Nozomi*; Kitatsuji, Yoshihiro

Analytical Sciences, 37(12), p.1789 - 1794, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.2116/analsci.21P110

We attempted to scale down a separation process of uranium (U) using the microchip column loaded with anion exchange resin to develop safety and waste-reducing separation technique. The ideal separation performance of U was obtained by the properly design of a microchannel. The concentration of U in seawater as a real-world sample could be quantified with the prepared microchip column. It indicates that the microchip column is sufficiently practical. Compared to separation of U with a general column, the column size was successfully scaled down to 1/5000.

Implementation of a low-activation Au-In-Cd decoupler into the J-PARC 1 MW short pulsed spallation neutron source

Teshigawara, Makoto; Ikeda, Yujiro; Oi, Motoki; Harada, Masahide; Takada, Hiroshi; Kakishiro, Masanori*; Noguchi, Gaku*; Shimada, Tsubasa*; Seita, Kyoichi*; Murashima, Daisuke*; et al.

Nuclear Materials and Energy (Internet), 14, p.14 - 21, 2018/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2018.02.001

We developed an Au-In-Cd (AuIC) decoupler material to reduce induced radioactivity instead of Ag-In-Cd one, which has a cut off energy of 1eV. In order to implement it into an actual moderator-reflector assembly, a number of critical engineering issues need to be resolved with regard to large-sized bonding between AuIC and A5083 alloys by the hot isostatic pressing process. We investigated this process in terms of the surface conditions, sizes, and heat capacities of large AuIC alloys. We also show a successful implementation of an AuIC decoupler into a reflector assembly, resulting in a remarkable reduction of radioactivity by AuIC compared to AIC without sacrificing neutronic performance.

Effects of irradiation on mechanical properties of HIP-bonded reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steel F82H first wall

Furuya, Kazuyuki; Wakai, Eiichi; Miyamoto, Kenji*; Akiba, Masato; Sugimoto, Masayoshi

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 367-370(1), p.494 - 499, 2007/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2007.03.011

A partial mock-up of a breeding blanket structure made of F82H steel has been successfully fabricated. In this study, microstructural observation and EDX analysis of the HIP interfaces were performed, and effects of irradiation on mechanical properties of the HIP-bonded region were also examined. Neutron irradiation was performed up to about 2 dpa at about 523 K. After the irradiation, tensile test was performed at temperatures of 295 and 523 K. The HIP interfaces possessed many precipitates, and enriched peak spectrum of chromium was detected from the precipitates. In addition, aspect of the spectrum was qualitatively equivalent to that of MC in grain boundaries of F82H steel. In result, the HIP boundary has many MC which were generally seen in grain boundaries of F82H steel. Rupture did not occur in the HIP interface. In result, it can be mentioned that bondability is maintained under the irradiation and testing conditions. The strength and elongation of the HIP-bonded region decreased somewhat in comparison with the results of an IEA standard steel.

Neutron irradiation effect on mechanical properties of SS/SS HIP joint materials for ITER shielding blankets

Yamada, Hirokazu*; Sato, Satoshi; Mori, Kensuke*; Nagao, Yoshiharu; Takada, Fumiki; Kawamura, Hiroshi

Fusion Engineering and Design, 81(1-7), p.631 - 637, 2006/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2005.07.012

This study estimated the neutron irradiation effect with 1.5 dpa on the mechanical properties of the SS/SS HIP joint materials jointed in the standard HIP joint condition. Results of this study showed that the HIP process in the standard HIP condition could make SS/SS HIP joint material of which tensile properties was equivalent to that of the SS base material. In addition, the effect of surface roughness at the HIP joint material on the mechanical properties of SS/SS HIP joint material was estimated.

Cladding technique for development of Ag-In-Cd decoupler

Teshigawara, Makoto; Harada, Masahide; Saito, Shigeru; Kikuchi, Kenji; Kogawa, Hiroyuki; Ikeda, Yujiro; Kawai, Masayoshi*; Kurishita, Hiroaki*; Konashi, Kenji*

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 343(1-3), p.154 - 162, 2005/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2004.08.036

For decoupled and poisoned moderator, a thermal neutron absorber, i.e., decoupler, is located around the moderator to give neutron beam with a short decay time. A B4C decoupler is already utilized, however, it is difficult to use in a MW class source because of He void swelling and local heating by (n,a) reaction. Therefore, a Ag-In-Cd (AIC) alloy which gives energy-dependence of macroscopic neutron cross section like that of BC was chosen. However, from heat removal and corrosion protection points of view, AIC is needed to bond between an Al alloy (A6061-T6), which is the structural material of a moderator. An AIC plate is divided into a Ag-In (15wt%) and Ag-Cd (35wt%) plate to extend the life time, shorten by burn up of Cd. We performed bonding tests by HIP (Hot Isostatic Pressing). We found out that a better HIP condition was holding at 803 K, 100 MPa for 1 h for small test pieces (f20mm). Though a hardened layer is found in the bonding layer, the rupture strength of the bonding layer is more than 20 MPa, which is less than that of the design stress.

Fabrication of model for fusion nuclear first wall made from F82H steel by HIP method and the metallurgical and mechanical properties

Furuya, Kazuyuki

JAERI-Research 2004-013, 165 Pages, 2004/09

JAERI-Research-2004-013.pdf:53.73MB

no abstracts in English

Thermal cycling tests of 1st wall mock-ups with Beryllium/CuCrZr bonding

Uda, Minoru*; Iwadachi, Takaharu*; Uchida, Munenori*; Yamada, Hirokazu*; Nakamichi, Masaru*; Kawamura, Hiroshi

JAERI-Conf 2004-006, p.60 - 65, 2004/03

https://jopss.jaea.go.jp/pdfdata/JAERI-Conf-2004-006.pdf

no abstracts in English

Tensile and impact properties of F82H steel applied to HIP-bond fusion blanket structures

Furuya, Kazuyuki; Wakai, Eiichi; Ando, Masami; Sawai, Tomotsugu; Iwabuchi, Akira*; Nakamura, Kazuyuki; Takeuchi, Hiroshi

Fusion Engineering and Design, 69(1-4), p.385 - 389, 2003/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0920-3796(03)00079-6

In a fusion reactor, a blanket made of a low activation material like F82H is fabricated by solid Hot Isostatic pressing (HIP) joining method. In a previous study, blanket, grain coarsenings were found in a mock-up around HIP-joined region. To verify an effect of the coarsenings on a strength of the HIP-joined region, tensile test and hardness measurement were done. As the results, the tensile strength increased by about 50 MPa, and the elongation decreased by about 4 % in comparison with that of a standard alloy. Though the hardness was almost constant both in the coarsening and a non-coarsening regions, both of these hardness increased by about 5 %. Therefore, it could be judged that change of the tensile property is due to increase of the hardness. On the other hand, tensile and impact tests of a base metal without coarsening resulted in DBTT increase by about 40 K, although the tensile property was nearly equal to that of the joined-region with coarsening. It can be understood that this is the effect of the heat treatments in the fabrication process of the mock-up.