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Okita, Shoichiro; Tasaki, Seiji*; Abe, Yutaka*
Nippon Genshiryoku Gakkai Wabun Rombunshi, 19(3), p.178 - 184, 2020/09
The Kyoto University Accelerator-based Neutron Source (KUANS) is a compact neutron source that is mainly used for spectrometer and detector development. In addition, it is also suited for experiments to study the neutronic design of moderators owing to the relatively low neutron generation yield by 
Be(p,n). We present a neutronic design of the neutron moderator on a reentrant-hole configuration for KUANS to enhance the neutron emission, and some experiments are conducted at KUANS for verification. A polyethylene moderator on a reentrant-hole configuration is designed by PHITS calculation and is introduced to KUANS to obtain intense oblong neutron beams. The intensity of the pulsed neutron beam is experimentally measured. The results reveal that the intensity becomes approximately 1.9 times stronger than that of the conventional rectangular design. In addition, the ratio of its intensity to the conventional intensity increases to approximately threefold as the neutron wavelength increases. It is interesting to note that the longer the neutron wavelength, the more efficiently they are extracted from the inside of the moderator owing to the existence of the reentrant-hole configuration.
Takada, Hiroshi; Haga, Katsuhiro
JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 28, p.081003_1 - 081003_7, 2020/02
At the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC), the pulsed spallation neutron source has been in operation with a redesigned mercury target vessel from October 2017 to July 2018, during which the operational beam power was restored to 500 kW and the operation with a 1-MW equivalent beam was demonstrated for one hour. The target vessel includes a gas-micro-bubbles injector and a 2-mm-wide narrow mercury flow channel at the front end as measures to suppress the cavitation damage. After the operating period, it was observed that the cavitation damage at the 3-mm-thick front end of the target vessel could be suppressed less than 17.5 
m.
Katano, Ryota; Yamanaka, Masao*; Pyeon, C. H.*
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 57(2), p.169 - 176, 2020/02
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：100(Nuclear Science & Technology)We proposed the linear combination method as a subcriticality measurement method which estimates the prompt neutron decay constant (
) correlated with the subcriticality using measurement results obtained at multiple detector positions. In the previous study, we confirmed applicability of the linear combination method through the pulsed neutron experiment with DT neutron source at Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA). In this study, we conduct the pulsed neutron source experiment with spallation neutrons at KUCA and confirm the robustness of the linear combination to neutron sources.
Komeda, Masao; Toh, Yosuke
Annals of Nuclear Energy, 135, p.106993_1 - 106993_6, 2020/01
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：100(Nuclear Science & Technology)This paper presents a conceptual study of a novel active method using a neutron source. The main feature of this new method is the fast rotation of a neutron source in order to derive the fission neutron counts and applying the counts to detect the nuclear material. Irradiating neutrons to a container that involves nuclear material, the measurement data include both neutrons from the neutron source and fission neutrons. However, if the neutron source is rotated quite fast, the components of the irradiation neutrons and fission neutrons are separated. Since this novel method does not require an expensive D-T tube, this new system is expected to be affordable and easy to assemble.
Katano, Ryota; Yamanaka, Masao*; Pyeon, C. H.*
Nuclear Science and Engineering, 193(12), p.1394 - 1402, 2019/12
Times Cited Count：2 Percentile：34.3(Nuclear Science & Technology)The author proposed the linear combination method as a subcriticality measurement method which estimates the prompt neutron decay constant (alpha) correlated with the subcriticality using measurement results obtained at multiple detector positions. In this study, we conduct the pulsed neutron experiment at Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA) and measure alpha by the linear combination method using measured neutron counts. Through experiment, we experimentally show that the linear combination method can reduce the higher-mode effect compared to the conventional method. In addition, experimentally show that the linear combination has capability of the different mode extraction.
Aso, Tomokazu; Tatsumoto, Hideki*; Otsu, Kiichi*; Kawakami, Yoshihiko*; Komori, Shinji*; Muto, Hideki*; Takada, Hiroshi
JAEA-Technology 2019-013, 77 Pages, 2019/09
JAEA-Technology-2019-013.pdf:5.59MB
At Materials and Life Science experimental Facility (MLF) of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC), a 1-MW pulsed spallation neutron source is equipped with a cryogenic hydrogen system which circulates liquid hydrogen (20 K and 1.5 MPa) to convert high energy neutrons generated at a mercury target to cold neutrons at three moderators with removing nuclear heat of 3.8 kW deposited there. The cryogenic system includes an accumulator with a bellows structure in order to absorb pressure fluctuations generated by the nuclear heat deposition in the system. Welded inner bellows of the first accumulator was failured during operation, forcing us to improve the accumulator to have sufficient pressure resistance and longer life-time. We have developed elemental technologies for manufacturing welded bellows of the accumulator by a thick plate with high pressure resistance, succeeding to find optimum welding conditions. We fabricated a prototype bellows block and carried out an endurance test by adding a pressure change of 2 MPa repeatedly. As a result, the prototype bellows was successfully in use exceeding the design life of 10,000 times. Since distortions given during welding and assembling affect functionality and lifetime of the bellows, we set the levelness of each element of the bellows as within 0.1
. The improved accumulator has already been in operation for about 25,000 hours as of January 2019, resulting that the number of strokes reached to 16,000. In July 2018, we demonstrated that the accumulator could suppress the pressure fluctuation generated by the 932 kW beam injection as designed. As current operational beam power is 500 kW, the current cryogenic hydrogen system could be applicable for stable operation at higher power in the future.
Ono, Masato; Kozawa, Takayuki; Fujimoto, Nozomu*
JAEA-Technology 2019-012, 15 Pages, 2019/09
JAEA-Technology-2019-012.pdf:2.83MB
The High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor has a neutron source of 
Cf to start up the reactor and to confirm count rates of wide range monitors. The half-life of Cf is short, about 2.6 years, so it is necessary to replace at an appropriate time. In order to estimate the period to replace, it is necessary to consider not only the half-life but also the fluctuation of the count rate of the wide range monitor to prevent alarm. For that reason, the method has been derived to predict a minimum count rate from relationship between the count rate and the standard deviation of the count rate of the wide range monitors. As a result of predicting the count rate using this method, it was found that the minimum count rate reaches to 3.0cps in 2022 and 1.5 cps in 2024. Therefore, it is necessary to exchange Cf by 2024.
Kondo, Hiroo*; Kanemura, Takuji*; Park, C. H.*; Oyaizu, Makoto*; Hirakawa, Yasushi; Furukawa, Tomohiro
Fusion Engineering and Design, 146(Part A), p.285 - 288, 2019/09
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：100(Nuclear Science & Technology)Herein, the wall shear stress in a double contraction nozzle has been evaluated experimentally to produce a liquid lithium (Li) target as a beam target for intense fusion neutron sources such as the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF), the Advanced Fusion Neutron Source (A-FNS), and the DEMO Oriented Neutron Source (DONES). The boundary layer thickness and wall shear stress are essential physical parameters to understand erosion-corrosion by the high-speed liquid Li flow in the nozzle, which is the key component in producing a stable Li target. Therefore, these parameters were experimentally evaluated using an acrylic mock-up of the target assembly. The velocity distribution in the nozzle was measured by a laser-doppler velocimeter and the momentum thickness along the nozzle wall was calculated using an empirical prediction method. The resulting momentum thickness was used to estimate the variation of the wall shear stress along the nozzle wall. Consequently, the wall shear stress was at the maximum in the second convergent section in front of the nozzle exit.
Wakui, Takashi; Ishii, Hideaki*; Naoe, Takashi; Kogawa, Hiroyuki; Haga, Katsuhiro; Wakai, Eiichi; Takada, Hiroshi; Futakawa, Masatoshi
Materials Transactions, 60(6), p.1026 - 1033, 2019/06
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：100(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)The mercury target has large size as 1.3
1.32.5 m
. In view of reducing the amount of wastes, we studied the structure so that the fore part could be separated. The flange is required to have high seal performance less than 110
Pa m/s. Invar with low thermal expansion is a candidate. Due to its low stiffness, however, the flange may deform when it is fastened by bolts. Practically invar is reinforced with stainless steel where all interface between them has to be bonded completely with the HIP bonding. In this study, we made specimens at four temperatures and conducted tensile tests. The specimen bonded at 973 K had little diffusion layer, and so fractured at the interface. The tensile strength reduced with increasing the temperature, and the reduced amount was about 10% at 1473 K. The analyzed residual stresses near the interface increased by 50% at maximum. Then, we concluded that the optimum temperature was 1173 K.
Katano, Ryota
Proceedings of 27th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-27) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2019/05
no abstracts in English
Kondo, Hiroo*; Kanemura, Takuji*; Hirakawa, Yasushi; Furukawa, Tomohiro
Fusion Engineering and Design, 136(Part A), p.24 - 28, 2018/11
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：100(Nuclear Science & Technology)In the IFMIF-EVEDA project, we designed and constructed the IFMIF-EVEDA Li Test Loop (ELTL), and we performed experiments to validate the stability of the Li target. This project required a diagnostic tool to be developed in order to examine the Li target; as such, we developed a unique laser-based method that we call the laser-probe method; this method combines a high-precision laser distance meter with a statistical data analysis method. Following the successful development of the laser-probe method, we proposes a long-distance-measurement of the laser probe method (long-distance LP method) as a diagnostics tool in off-beam conditions for IFMIF or the relevant neutron sources. In this study, the measurement uncertainty resulting from coherency of the laser in a long-distance-measurement has been verified by using stationary objects and a water jet simulating the liquid Li target.
Ikeda, Yujiro; Shimizu, Hirohiko*
Reza Kenkyu, 46(11), p.641 - 646, 2018/11
In viewing significant progresses in technical achievement toward a high-intensity neutron source driven by a high-power laser came up with the high power laser development, we have reviewed the currently most advanced moderator system and neutron optics, which are the key elements for the neutron beam applications. Regarding the moderators, concepts adopted in J-PARC pulsed neutron source, which is one of most advanced system, were described to give a baseline design. Also a new direction of moderator concept is shown, which could be a high brightness candidate for the high-intensity laser driven system. On the neutron optics, the most fundamental consideration is primarily reviewed along with recent progress in new devises for enrichment of neutron-beam characteristics.
Futakawa, Masatoshi
Proceedings of 13th International Symposium on Advanced Science and Technology in Experimental Mechanics (13th ISEM'18) (USB Flash Drive), 6 Pages, 2018/10
Issues on the engineering technologies relating to high-power spallation neutron sources with liquid metals are introduced. The present status on research activities and results was reviewed.
Harada, Masahide; Teshigawara, Makoto; Oi, Motoki; Klinkby, E.*; Zanini, L.*; Batkov, K.*; Oikawa, Kenichi; Toh, Yosuke; Kimura, Atsushi; Ikeda, Yujiro
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 903, p.38 - 45, 2018/09
Times Cited Count：4 Percentile：29.78(Instruments & Instrumentation)Wakui, Takashi; Wakai, Eiichi; Naoe, Takashi; Shintaku, Yohei*; Li, T.*; Murakami, Kazuya*; Kanomata, Kenichi*; Kogawa, Hiroyuki; Haga, Katsuhiro; Takada, Hiroshi; et al.
Journal of Nuclear Materials, 506, p.3 - 11, 2018/08
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：100(Materials Science, Multidisciplinary)The mercury target vessel is designed as multi-walled structure with thin wall (min. 3 mm), and assembled by welding. In order to estimate the structural integrity of the vessel, it is important to measure the defects in welding accurately. For nondestructive tests of the welding, radiographic testing is applicable but it is difficult to detect for some defect shapes. Therefore it is effective to do ultrasonic testing together with it. Because ultrasonic methods prescribed in JIS inspect on the plate with more than 6 mm in thickness, these methods couldn't be applied as the inspection on the vessel with thin walls. In order to develop effective method, we carried out measurements using some testing method on samples with small defect whose size is specified. In the case of the latest phased array method, measured value agreed with actual size. It was found that this method was applicable to detect defects in the thin-walled structure for which accurate inspection was difficult so far.
Kitatani, Fumito; Tsuchiya, Harufumi; Toh, Yosuke; Hori, Junichi*; Sano, Tadafumi*; Takahashi, Yoshiyuki*; Nakajima, Ken*
KURRI Progress Report 2017, P. 99, 2018/08
Teshigawara, Makoto; Harada, Masahide; Oi, Motoki; Takada, Hiroshi
Journal of Physics; Conference Series, 1021(1), p.012061_1 - 012061_4, 2018/06
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：100At the spallation neutron source of J-PARC, the structural material of moderators and reflector, such as an aluminum alloy, is going to reach to the design value (20 DPA) around 2020 by an accumulation of irradiation-damage. We started the fabrication of the spare moderators and reflector in 2013 with following design of two improvements. The invar joints, such as invar-A6061 and invar- SS316L joints were newly developed to utilize them in the cryogenic multi-layered pipe with 5th annular geometry, improving the fabrication procedure much simple. The Gold-Indium-Cadmium (Au-In-Cd) as a decoupler material is also developed to reduce residual radioactivity of the used components significantly for the decoupled moderator. In this presentation, we will report these results and progress of fabrication.
Takada, Hiroshi
Plasma and Fusion Research (Internet), 13(Sp.1), p.2505013_1 - 2505013_8, 2018/03
The pulsed spallation neutron source of Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) has been supplying users with high intensity and sharp pulse cold neutrons using the moderators with following distinctive features; (1) 100% para-hydrogen for increasing pulse peak intensity with decreasing pulse tail, (2) cylindrical shape with 14 cm diam.12 cm long for providing high intensity neutrons to wide neutron extraction angles of 50.8, (3) neutron absorber made from Ag-In-Cd alloy to make pulse width narrower and pulse tails lower. Actually, it was measured at a low power operation that high neutron intensity of 4.510
n/cm
/s/sr could be emitted from the coupled moderator surface for 1-MW operation, and a superior resolution of 
d/d = 0.035% was achieved at a beamline (BL8) with a poisoned moderator, where d is the d-spacing of reflection. Towards the goal to achieve the target operation at 1-MW for 5000 h in a year, technical developments to mitigate cavitation damages on the target vessel with injecting gas micro-bubbles into mercury target and design improvement of target vessel structure to reducing welds and bolt connections as much as possible are under way.
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
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：100(Nuclear Science & Technology)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.
Haga, Katsuhiro
Hamon, 27(4), p.155 - 158, 2017/11
The pulsed spallation neutron source driven by a high-power accelerator is one of the most powerful apparatus to provide high intensity and high quality neutrons with narrow pulse width for conducting cutting-edge researches in several domains of materials and life science. In this system, proton beams of several kW to MW order extracted from the high power accelerator is injected into a target, which is heavy metal, to generate vast amount of neutrons via the spallation reactions with the target nuclei, and slows down these neutrons to thermal to cold neutrons with a moderator and a reflector. Resultant neutron beams are then supplied to a suit of the state-of-the-art experimental devices. In this paper, mechanism to produce neutron beams and outline of the spallation neutron source, engineering design of a target system such as a mercury target, and technical topics to solve the pitting damage problem of the target vessel which is caused by the pressure wave of up to 40MPa at maximum generated in the mercury by the pulsed proton beam injection are reviewed by referring mainly to the mercury target system of the pulsed spallation neutron source at J-PARC.
