Background radiation monitoring using manned helicopter for application of technique of nuclear emergency response in the fiscal year 2019 (Contract research)

Futemma, Akira; Sanada, Yukihisa; Kawasaki, Yoshiharu*; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Hiraga, Shogo*; Sato, Kazuhiko*; Haginoya, Masashi*; Matsunaga, Yuki*; Kikuchi, Hikaru*; Ishizaki, Azusa; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2020-019, 128 Pages, 2021/02

JAEA-Technology-2020-019.pdf:15.75MB

A large amount of radioactive material was released by the nuclear disaster of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), Tokyo Electric Power Company, caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the following tsunami on March 11, 2011. After the nuclear disaster, airborne radiation monitoring using manned helicopter has been utilized to grasp rapidly and widely the distribution of the radioactive materials around FDNPS. We prepare the data of background radiation dose, geomorphic characteristics and the controlled airspace around nuclear facilities of the whole country in order to make effective use of the monitoring technique as a way of emergency radiation monitoring and supply the results during accidents of the facilities. Furthermore, the airborne radiation monitoring has been conducted in Integrated Nuclear Emergency Response Drill to increase effectiveness of the monitoring. This report is summarized that the knowledge as noted above achieved by the aerial radiation monitoring around Higashidori nuclear power station, the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Rokkasho village and Shika nuclear power station, the full details of the aerial radiation monitoring in Integrated Nuclear Emergency Response Drill in the fiscal 2019. In addition, examination's progress aimed at introduction of airborne radiation monitoring using unmanned helicopter during nuclear disaster and the technical issues are summarized in this report.

Human resource development related to remote control technology for monitoring inside RPV pedestal during retrieval of fuel debris (Contract research); FY2019 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; The University of Tokyo*

JAEA-Review 2020-028, 68 Pages, 2021/01

JAEA-Review-2020-028.pdf:4.01MB

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 FY2019. 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 "Human Resource Development Related to Remote Control Technology for Monitoring Inside RPV Pedestal during Retrieval of Fuel Debris". This study deals with construction of a monitoring platform for understanding the status inside a reactor during fuel debris removal, and measurement and visualization by sensors moving on the platform. In addition, to develop research personnel through research education by participating in such research projects, classroom lectures, and facility tours is also a goal of this project. In FY2019, the main activities were conceptual design, prototyping, and conceptual planning.

Preliminary study on radiation effects of monitoring equipment

Nakayama, Masashi; Tanai, Kenji

JAEA-Review 2019-032, 32 Pages, 2020/02

JAEA-Review-2019-032.pdf:1.84MB

There are various types of monitoring in the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste, such as monitoring for confirmation of construction quality and the status of engineered barrier, and monitoring to help manage construction, operation and closure activities, etc. Among these monitoring methods, monitoring related to the confirmation of the state of engineered barrier has been studied in international joint research on monitoring concepts and specific methods. Since monitoring equipment is affected by temperature, humidity, pressure, radiation, water quality, etc., it is important to consider geological environmental conditions and radiation effects. This report compares the radiation resistance of the materials used in the monitoring equipment with the absorbed dose in the buffer material obtained by analysis, and qualitatively examines the effects of radiation on the monitoring equipment. As a result of the examination, it was estimated that the dose did not affect the monitoring equipment. However, it is necessary to verify the possibility of reliable data acquisition by irradiation tests for monitoring devices with built-in electronic components.

Radiation distribution situation seven years after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident and the leading edge of technology for environmental radiation monitoring

Sanada, Yukihisa

Nippon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi, 61(6), p.453 - 456, 2019/06

no abstracts in English

Comparison of the Fukushima radioactive mapping by two different aerial radiation monitoring systems

Kim, B.-J.*; Sasaki, Miyuki; Sanada, Yukihisa

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 6, p.130 - 133, 2019/01

https://doi.org/10.15669/pnst.6.130

Development of a radiological characterization submersible ROV for use at Fukushima Daiichi

Nancekievill, M.*; Jones, A. R.*; Joyce, M. J.*; Lennox, B.*; Watson, S.*; Katakura, Junichi*; Okumura, Keisuke; Kamada, So*; Kato, Michio*; Nishimura, Kazuya*

IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 65(9), p.2565 - 2572, 2018/09

https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2018.2858563

In order to contribute to the development of technology to search fuel debris submerged in water inside the primary containment vessel of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, we are developing a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system equipped with a compact radiation detector and sonar. A cerium bromide (CeBr) scintillator detector for dose rate monitoring and ray spectroscopy was integrated into ROV and experimentally validated with a Cs source, both in the conditions of laboratory and submerged. In addition, the ROV combined with the IMAGENEX 831L sonar could characterize the shape and size of a simulated fuel debris at the bottom of the water pool facility.

Using two detectors concurrently to monitor ambient dose equivalent rates in vehicle surveys of radiocesium contaminated land

Takeishi, Minoru; Shibamichi, Masaru; Malins, A.; Kurikami, Hiroshi; Murakami, Mitsuhiro*; Saegusa, Jun; Yoneya, Masayuki

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 177, p.1 - 12, 2017/10

AA2016-0534.pdf:1.79MB

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.05.010

By convention radiation measurements from vehicle-borne surveys are converted to the dose rate at 1 m above the ground in the absence of the vehicle. To improve the accuracy of the converted results from vehicle-borne surveys, we investigated combining measurements from two detectors mounted on the vehicle at different heights above the ground. A dual-detector setup was added to a JAEA monitoring car and compared against hand-held survey meter measurements in Fukushima Prefecture. The dose rates obtained by combining measurements from two detectors were within 20% of the hand-held reference measurements. The combined results from the two detectors were more accurate than those from either the roof-mounted detector, or the detector inside the vehicle, taken alone. When radiocesium is deficient on a road compared to the adjacent land, mounting detectors high on vehicles yields dose rates closer to the values adjacent to the road. We also investigated mounting heights for vehicle-borne detectors using Monte Carlo -ray simulations.

Challenges for enhancing Fukushima environmental resilience, 3; Development of measurement and evaluation techniques for the environmental radiation monitoring

Sanada, Yukihisa

Nippon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi, 59(7), p.418 - 422, 2017/07

no abstracts in English

Altitude control performance improvement via preview controller for unmanned airplane for radiation monitoring system

Sato, Masayuki*; Muraoka, Koji*; Hozumi, Koki*; Sanada, Yukihisa; Yamada, Tsutomu*; Torii, Tatsuo

Nippon Koku Uchu Gakkai Rombunshu (Internet), 65(2), p.54 - 63, 2017/02

https://doi.org/10.2322/jjsass.65.54

This paper is concerned with the design problem of preview altitude controller for Unmanned Airplane for Radiation Monitoring System (UARMS) to improve its control performance. UARMS has been developed for radiation monitoring around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant which spread radiation contaminant due to the huge tsunamis caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The monitoring area contains flat as well as mountain areas. The basic flight controller has been confirmed to have satisfactory performance with respect to altitude holding; however, the control performance for variable altitude commands is not sufficient for practical use in mountain areas. We therefore design preview altitude controller with only proportional gains by considering the practicality and the strong requirement of safety for UARMS. Control performance of the designed preview controller was evaluated by flight tests conducted around Fukushima Sky Park.

Radiation monitoring using manned helicopter around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in the fiscal year 2013 (Contract research)

Sanada, Yukihisa; Nishizawa, Yukiyasu; Urabe, Yoshimi; Yamada, Tsutomu; Ishida, Mutsushi; Sato, Yoshiharu; Hirayama, Hirokatsu; Takamura, Yoshihide; Nishihara, Katsuya; Imura, Mitsuo; et al.

JAEA-Research 2014-012, 110 Pages, 2014/08

JAEA-Research-2014-012.pdf:169.17MB
JAEA-Research-2014-012(errata).pdf:0.27MB

By the nuclear disaster of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS), Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), caused by the East Japan earthquake and the following tsunami occurred on March 11, 2011, a large amount of radioactive materials was released from the NPP. This document was summarized in the results of the aerial radiation monitoring using the manned helicopter in the fiscal 2013.