Predictive modeling of a simple field matrix diffusion experiment addressing radionuclide transport in fractured rock. Is it so straightforward?

Soler, J. M.*; Neretnieks, I.*; Moreno, L.*; Liu, L.*; Meng, S.*; Svensson, U.*; Iraola, A.*; Ebrahimi, K.*; Trinchero, P.*; Molinero, J.*; et al.

Nuclear Technology, 208(6), p.1059 - 1073, 2022/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2021.1988822

The SKB Task Force is an international forum on modelling of groundwater flow and solute transport in fractured rock. The WPDE experiments are matrix diffusion experiments in gneiss performed at the ONKALO underground facility in Finland. Synthetic groundwater containing several conservative and sorbing tracers was injected along a borehole interval. The objective of Task 9A was the predictive modelling of the tracer breakthrough curves from the WPDE experiments. Several teams, using different modelling approaches and codes, participated in this exercise. An important conclusion from this exercise is that the modelling results were very sensitive to the magnitude of dispersion in the borehole opening, which is related to the flow of water. Focusing on the tails of the breakthrough curves, which are more directly related to matrix diffusion and sorption, the results from the different teams were more comparable.

Status of the uncertainty quantification for severe accident sequences of different NPP-designs in the frame of the H-2020 project MUSA

Brumm, S.*; Gabrielli, F.*; Sanchez-Espinoza, V.*; Groudev, P.*; Ou, P.*; Zhang, W.*; Malkhasyan, A.*; Bocanegra, R.*; Herranz, L. E.*; Berda, M.*; et al.

Proceedings of 10th European Review Meeting on Severe Accident Research (ERMSAR 2022) (Internet), 13 Pages, 2022/05

Novel coupled channel framework connecting the quark model and lattice QCD for the near-threshold states

Yang, Z.*; Wang, G.-J.*; Wu, J.-J.*; Oka, Makoto; Zhu, S.-L.*

Physical Review Letters, 128(11), p.112001_1 - 112001_6, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.128.112001

A novel framework is proposed to extract near-threshold resonant states from finite-volume energy levels of lattice QCD and is applied to elucidate structures of the positive parity . The quark model, the quark-pair-creation mechanism and interaction are incorporated into the Hamiltonian effective field theory. The bare states are almost purely given by the states with heavy-quark spin bases. The physical and are the mixtures of bare core and component, while the and are almost dominated by bare . Furthermore, our model well reproduce the clear level crossing of the with the scattering state at a finite volume.

Current status and upgrading strategies of J-PARC Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) and related components

Teshigawara, Makoto; Nakamura, Mitsutaka; Kinsho, Michikazu; Soyama, Kazuhiko

JAEA-Technology 2021-022, 208 Pages, 2022/02

JAEA-Technology-2021-022.pdf:14.28MB

The Materials and Life science experimental Facility (MLF) is an accelerator driven pulsed spallation neutron and muon source with a 1 MW proton beam. The construction began in 2004, and we started beam operation in 2008. Although problems such as exudation of cooling water from the target container have occurred, as of April 2021, the proton beam power has reached up to 700 kW gradually, and stable operation is being performed. In recent years, the operation experience of the rated 1 MW has been steadily accumulated. Several issues such as the durability of the target container have been revealed according to the increase in the operation time. Aiming at making a further improvement of MLF, we summarized the current status of achievements for the design values, such as accelerator technology (LINAC and RCS), neutron and muon source technology, beam transportation of these particles, detection technology, and neutron and muon instruments. Based on the analysis of the current status, we tried to extract improvement points for upgrade of MLF. Through these works, we will raise new proposals that promote the upgrade of MLF, attracting young people. We would like to lead to the further success of researchers and engineers who will lead the next generation.

Establishing a new evaluation system to characterize radiation carcinogenesis by stem cell dynamics (Contract research); FY2020 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology*

JAEA-Review 2021-052, 52 Pages, 2022/01

JAEA-Review-2021-052.pdf:2.63MB

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2020. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO). For this purpose, intelligence was collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development were promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. The sponsor of the Project was moved from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to JAEA since the newly adopted proposals in FY2018. On this occasion, JAEA constructed a new research system where JAEA-academia collaboration is reinforced and medium-to-long term research/development and human resource development contributing to the decommissioning are stably and consecutively implemented. Among the adopted proposals in FY2019, this report summarizes the research results of the "Establishing a new evaluation system to characterize radiation carcinogenesis by stem cell dynamics" conducted in FY2020. In this study, the long-term clonal expansion of mammary stem cells after high- to low-dose radiation exposure was investigated using stem-cell lineage tracing technology that can permanently label stem cells and their progenies. The purpose of this study is to characterize radiation-induced breast cancer based on the dynamics of radiation-exposed stem cells by capturing proliferation and analyzing it using a mathematical model. We used a mouse model that can trace the cell lineage of basal cells of mammary gland. In this mouse, expansion of clones expressing fluorescent protein was observed over

Evaluation of the minimum critical amount for heterogeneous lattice systems composed of fuel rods utilized in low-power water-moderated research and test reactors by using continuous-energy Monte Carlo code MVP with JENDL-4.0

Yanagisawa, Hiroshi

JAEA-Technology 2021-023, 190 Pages, 2021/11

JAEA-Technology-2021-023.pdf:5.25MB

Computational analyses on nuclear criticality characteristics were carried out for heterogeneous lattice systems composed of water moderator and fuel rods utilized in low-power research and test reactors, in which the depletion of fuel due to burnup is relatively small, by using the continuous-energy Monte Carlo code MVP Version 2 with the evaluated nuclear data library JENDL-4.0. In the analyses, the minimum critical number of fuel rods was evaluated using calculated neutron multiplication factors for the heterogeneous systems of the uranium dioxide fuel rod in the Static Experiments Critical Facility (STACY) and the Tank-type Critical Assembly (TCA), and the uranium-zirconium hydride fuel rod in the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR). In addition, six sorts of the ratio of reaction rates, which are components of neutron multiplication factors, were calculated in the analyses to explain the variation of neutron multiplication factors with the ratio of water moderator to fuel volume in a unit fuel rod cell. Those results of analyses are considered to be useful for the confirmation of reasonableness and validity of criticality safety measures as data showing criticality characteristics for water-moderated heterogeneous lattice systems composed of the existing fuel rods in research and test reactors, of which criticality data are not sufficiently provided by the Criticality Safety Handbook.

Review of research on advanced computational science in FY2020

Center for Computational Science & e-Systems

JAEA-Evaluation 2021-001, 66 Pages, 2021/11

JAEA-Evaluation-2021-001.pdf:1.66MB

Research on advanced computational science for nuclear applications, based on "the plan to achieve the mid- and long-term goal of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency", has been performed by Center for Computational Science & e-Systems (CCSE), Japan Atomic Energy Agency. CCSE established a committee consisting of external experts and authorities which does research evaluation and advice for the assistance of the future research and development. This report summarizes the results of the R&D performed by CCSE in FY2020 (April 1st, 2020 - March 31st, 2021), the results expected at the end of the 3rd mid and long-term goal period, and the evaluation by the committee on them.

Evolution of the reaction and alteration of mudstone with ordinary Portland cement leachates; Sequential flow experiments and reactive-transport modelling

Bateman, K.; Murayama, Shota*; Hanamachi, Yuji*; Wilson, J.*; Seta, Takamasa*; Amano, Yuki; Kubota, Mitsuru*; Ouchi, Yuji*; Tachi, Yukio

Minerals (Internet), 11(9), p.1026_1 - 1026_23, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.3390/min11091026

Outline of guideline for seismic response analysis method using 3D finite element model of reactor building

Choi, B.; Nishida, Akemi; Shiomi, Tadahiko; Kawata, Manabu; Li, Y.

Proceedings of 28th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering; Nuclear Energy the Future Zero Carbon Power (ICONE 28) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1115/ICONE28-61786

In the seismic safety assessment of building structures in nuclear facilities, lumped mass models are conventionally used. However, they cannot possess the required high-accuracy evaluation of nuclear facilities, such as the local response at the equipment location in a reactor building. In this point of view, a seismic response analysis method using a three-dimensional finite element (3D FE) model is indispensable. Although, it has been reported that the analysis results obtained using 3D FE models vary greatly depending on the experience and knowledge of analysts, the quality of analysis results should be insured by developing a standard analysis method. In the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, we have developed a guideline for seismic response analysis methods that adopt 3D FE models of reactor buildings. The guideline consists of a main body, commentary, and several supplements; it also includes procedures, recommendations, points of attention, and a technical basis for conducting seismic response analysis using 3D FE models of reactor buildings. In this paper, the outline of the guideline and analysis examples based on the guideline are presented.

Evaluation report of Task 9B based on comparisons and analyses of modelling results for the sp HRL LTDE-SD experiments

Soler, J. M.*; Meng, S.*; Moreno, L.*; Neretnieks, I.*; Liu, L.*; Keklinen, P.*; Hokr, M.*; ha, J.*; Vetenk, A.*; Reimitz, D.*; et al.

SKB TR-20-17, 71 Pages, 2021/07

Task 9B of the SKB Task Force on Modelling of Groundwater Flow and Transport of Solutes in fractured rock focused on the modelling of experimental results from the LTDE-SD in situ tracer test performed at the sp Hard Rock Laboratory in Sweden. Ten different modelling teams provided results for this exercise, using different concepts and codes. Three main types of modelling approaches were used: (1) analytical solutions to the transport-retention equations, (2) continuum-porous-medium numerical models, and (3) microstructure-based models accounting for small-scale heterogeneity (i.e. mineral grains and microfracture distributions). The modelling by the different teams allowed the comparison of many different model concepts, especially in terms of potential zonations of rock properties (porosity, diffusion, sorption), such as the presence of a disturbed zone at the rock and fracture surface, the potential effects of micro- and cm-scale fractures.