Reaction behavior between sodium and molten salt caused by the heat transfer tube failure for sodium-cooled fast reactor coupled to thermal energy storage system

Sato, Rika; Kondo, Toshiki; Umeda, Ryota; Kikuchi, Shin; Yamano, Hidemasa

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 8, p.137 - 142, 2025/09

https://doi.org/10.15669/pnst.8.137

In a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) coupled to thermal energy storage (TES) system, the reaction between nitrate molten salt as thermal energy storage medium and sodium (Na) as reactor coolant might occur under postulated accidental conditions. Thus, the reaction behavior of Na-nitrate molten salt is one of the important phenomena in terms of safety assessment of the SFR with TES system. In this study, reaction experiments on Na-solar salt were performed. It was found that Na-solar salt reaction occurred after the NaNO-KNO eutectic melting. Based on the measured reaction temperature, the kinetic parameters and rate constant were obtained and compared with the sodium-water reaction. From the results of kinetic analysis, it could be assumed that Na-solar salt reaction occurs in the time frame of the accident such as the failure of heat transfer tube of sodium-molten salt heat exchanger.

Statistical optimization of nZVI chemical synthesis approach towards P and NO removal from aqueous solutions; Cost-effectiveness & parametric effects

Maamoun, I.; Eljamal, R.*; Eljamal, O.*

Chemosphere, 312, Part 1, p.137176_1 - 137176_11, 2023/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137176

Estimation of hydrogen gas production at transient criticality in uranyl nitrate solution

Yoshida, Ryoichiro; Yamane, Yuichi; Abe, Hitoshi

Proceedings of International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference / Light Water Reactor Fuel Performance Conference (Global/Top Fuel 2019) (USB Flash Drive), p.408 - 414, 2019/09

In a criticality accident, it is known that some kinds of radiolysis gases are generated mainly due to kinetic energy of fission fragments. Hydrogen gas (H) is one of them, which is able to initiate explosion. The rate of H generation and its total amount can be estimated from the number of fission per second if its G value is known. In this study, it was tried to estimate G value of hydrogen gas (G(H)) by using the H concentration measured as time-series data in Transient Experiment Critical Facility (TRACY) which was carried out by Japan Atomic Energy Agency. There was time lag in the measured H concentration from its generation. To overcome those problems, measured profile of H concentration was reproduced based on a hypothetical model and its total amount was evaluated. Based on the model, the obtained G(H) was 1.2.

Demonstration of -ray pipe-monitoring capabilities for real-time process monitoring safeguards applications in reprocessing facilities

Rodriguez, D. C.; Tanigawa, Masafumi; Nishimura, Kazuaki; Mukai, Yasunobu; Nakamura, Hironobu; Kurita, Tsutomu; Takamine, Jun; Suzuki, Satoshi*; Sekine, Megumi; Rossi, F.; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 55(7), p.792 - 804, 2018/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2018.1439412

Nuclear material in reprocessing facilities is safeguarded by random sample verification with additional continuous monitoring applied to solution masses and volume in important tanks to maintain continuity-of-knowledge of process operation. Measuring the unique rays of each solution as the material flows through pipes connecting all tanks and process apparatuses could potentially improve process monitoring by verifying the compositions in real time. We tested this ray pipe-monitoring method using plutonium-nitrate solution transferred between tanks at the PCDF-TRP. The rays were measured using a lanthanum-bromide detector with a list-mode data acquisition system to obtain both time and energy of -ray. The analysis and results of this measurement demonstrate an ability to determine isotopic composition, process timing, flow rate, and volume of solution flowing through pipes, introducing a viable capability for process monitoring safeguards verification.

Stabilization of MOX dissolving solution at STACY

Kobayashi, Fuyumi; Sumiya, Masato; Kida, Takashi; Kokusen, Junya; Uchida, Shoji; Kaminaga, Jota; Oki, Keiichi; Fukaya, Hiroyuki; Sono, Hiroki

JAEA-Technology 2016-025, 42 Pages, 2016/11

JAEA-Technology-2016-025.pdf:17.88MB

A preliminary test on MOX fuel dissolution for the STACY critical experiments had been conducted in 2000 through 2003 at Nuclear Science Research Institute of JAEA. Accordingly, the uranyl / plutonium nitrate solution should be reconverted into oxide powder to store the fuel for a long period. For this storage, the moisture content in the oxide powder should be controlled from the viewpoint of criticality safety. The stabilization of uranium / plutonium solution was carried out under a precipitation process using ammonia or oxalic acid solution, and a calcination process using a sintering furnace. As a result of the stabilization operation, recovery rate was 95.6% for uranium and 95.0% for plutonium. Further, the recovered oxide powder was calcined again in nitrogen atmosphere and sealed immediately with a plastic bag to keep its moisture content low and to prevent from reabsorbing atmospheric moisture.

Development of denitration technique for MA-type bituminized waste product by aqueous leaching method

Irisawa, Keita; Komatsuzaki, Toshio; Kawato, Yoshimi; Sakakibara, Tetsuro; Nakazawa, Osamu; Meguro, Yoshihiro

JAEA-Technology 2015-008, 28 Pages, 2015/03

JAEA-Technology-2015-008.pdf:13.63MB

In JAEA, 16,671 drums of intermediate-radioactive bituminized waste products (BWPs) have been stored in asphalt solidification storages. As a way of reduction of uncertainty in assessment of disposal of the BWPs, a processing technique of separation of nitrate salts from the BWP by means of an aqueous leaching method was studied. As elemental techniques for the denitration process, (1) crushing techniques of a BWP and (2) denitration techniques for the crushed BWP by the aqueous leaching method were investigated. In order to promote leaching amounts of nitrates, the BWP was crushed, and the grain size distribution was investigated by sieving. Moreover, leaching behaviors of nitrate, nitrite and elements as radionuclides including in the BWP were investigated.

Report on the fuel treatment facility operation

Kokusen, Junya; Seki, Masakazu; Abe, Masayuki; Nakazaki, Masato; Kida, Takashi; Umeda, Miki; Kihara, Takehiro; Sugikawa, Susumu

JAERI-Tech 2005-004, 53 Pages, 2005/03

JAERI-Tech-2005-004.pdf:5.92MB

This report presents operating records of dissolution of uranium dioxide and concentration of uranyl nitrate solution and acid removal, which have been performed from 1994 through 2003, for the purpose of feeding 10% and 6% enriched uranyl nitrate solution fuel to Static Experimental Critical Facility(STACY) and Transient Experimental Critical Facility(TRACY) in Nuclear Fuel Safety Engineering Facility(NUCEF).

Measurement of temperature effect on low enrichment STACY heterogeneous core

Watanabe, Shoichi; Yamamoto, Toshihiro; Miyoshi, Yoshinori

Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, 91, p.431 - 432, 2004/11

Temperature effect is a main factor which affects the transient characteristics at a criticality accident. A series of reactivity effects due to changes in fuel temperatures were measured for two kinds of STACY heterogeneous lattice configurations. The core was composed of LWR-type fuel rod array and low-enriched uranyl-nitrate-solution concerning the dissolver of the reprocessing facility for LWR spent fuel. The critical solution heights at various solution temperatures were measured. From the change of the critical water height with fuel temperature, the reactivity effect was evaluated by a critical-solution-level worth method. The temperature effect was also calculated by using SRAC and the transport calculation code TWODANT. The experimental value was estimated to be -2.0 cent/C for the case "2.1cm-pitch", and -2.5 cent/C for the case "1.5cm-pitch". The calculated results gave agreement with the experiments within 10%.

Present status of chemical analysis of uranyl nitrate solution used for the criticality experiments in NUCEF

Haga, Takahisa*; Gunji, Kazuhiko; Fukaya, Hiroyuki; Sonoda, Takashi; Sakazume, Yoshinori; Sakai, Yutaka; Niitsuma, Yasushi; Togashi, Yoshihiro; Miyauchi, Masakatsu; Sato, Takeshi; et al.

JAERI-Tech 2004-005, 54 Pages, 2004/02

JAERI-Tech-2004-005.pdf:2.06MB

Criticality experiments using uranyl nitrate solution fuel are being conducted at STACY (the Static Experiment Critical Facility) and TRACY (the Transient Experiment Critical Facility) in NUCEF (the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Safety Engineering Research Facility). Chemical analyses of the solution have been carried out to take necessary data for criticality experiments, for treatment and control of the fuel, and for safeguards purpose at the analytical laboratory placed in NUCEF. About 300 samples are analyzed annually that provide various kinds of data, such as uranium concentration, isolation acid concentration, uranium isotopic composition, concentration of fission product (FP) nuclides, tri-butyl phosphoric acid (TBP) concentration, impurities in the solution fuel and so on. This report summarizes the analytical methods and quality management of the analysis for uranyl nitrate solution relating to the criticality experiments.

Reactivity effect measurement of neutron interaction between two slab cores containing 10% enriched uranyl nitrate solution without neutron isolater

Tonoike, Kotaro; Miyoshi, Yoshinori; Okubo, Kiyoshi

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 40(4), p.238 - 245, 2003/04

https://doi.org/10.3327/jnst.40.238

The reactivity effect of neutron interaction between two identical units containing low enriched (10% enrichment) uranyl nitrate solution was measured in the STACY. The unit has 350mm of thickness and 690mm of width and distance between those two units was adjustable from 0mm to 1450mm. Condition of the solution was about 290gU/L in uranium concentration, about 0.8N in free nitric acid molarity, 2427C in temperature and about 1.4g/cm in solution density. The reactivity effect was estimated from variation of critical solution level from 495mm to 763mm depending on the core distance. The reactivity effect was also evaluated by the solid angle method and a computational method using the continuous energy Monte Carlo code MCNP-4C and the nuclear data library JENDL3.2. Comparison of those estimations is presented.