Validation of underwater radiation monitoring detector

Ji, W.*; Lee, E.*; Ji, Y.-Y.*; Ochi, Kotaro; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Funaki, Hironori; Sanada, Yukihisa

Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 58(2), p.103933_1 - 103933_6, 2026/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2025.103933

We aimed to validate the performance of an in situ underwater radiation detector, MARK-U1 (Monitoring of Ambient Radiation of KAERI - Underwater), was used to estimate Cs activity concentration in river and reservoir sediment at predicted sites of contamination. Additionally, underwater core samples were collected to measure the radioactivity using a high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. To estimate radioactivity, a conversion factor was derived by comparing the measured spectrum and Cs activity in the sample. A Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) simulation was conducted to determine the effective source geometry for in situ measurement. The simulation results correlated well with the on-site MARK-U1 monitoring results, with a deviation of 31.62%. These findings validate the performance of the in situ detector. This device can therefore be used to estimate Cs activity concentration in the underwater sediment via on-site monitoring, without requiring sample collection.

Development of radiation field mapping measurement system based on high radiation tolerant solar cells for low-light illumination (Contract research); FY2023 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Institute of Physical and Chemical Research*

JAEA-Review 2025-031, 124 Pages, 2025/12

JAEA-Review-2025-031.pdf:7.93MB

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 FY2023. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F), 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 FY2022, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of radiation field mapping measurement system based on high radiation tolerant solar cells for low-light illumination" conducted in FY2023. The present study aims to develop a system that can map radiation fields by applying independent and remotely operated sensors to obtain radiation information in the Primary Containment Vessel (PCV) in real time. The system will be implemented in a real environment to ensure the safety of workers and equipment by monitoring the leakage of gamma rays and neutrons, which are highly penetrating and can be a cause of accidents. A solar cell dosimeter is being developed as a compact sensor of the built-in potential drive type that utilizes a device with high radiation tolerance that has been developed as a solar cell for space use. The CIGS solar cell dosimeter is the basis for the development of a system with high functionality and systemization for 1F packaging. In FY2023, we will investigate the conditions for creating a flexible device based on the structure of a CIGS solar cell device, and clarify the initial characteristics of a prototype device using a CIGS device on a glass substrate through irradiation tests using gamma rays, electron beams, and neutron beams. In the neutron detection structure, we will explore the conditions for applying the conversion material boron, investigate the conditions for adjusting the particle size of the powder material by milling, and select the coating method and solvent conditions. In mapping measurements, we will develop a system that can display dose information by measuring multiple sensors.

Development of nuclear security technologies for a large public event (Collaboration research)

Takahashi, Tone; Mochimaru, Takanori*; Koizumi, Mitsuo; Yoshimi, Yuki*; Yamanishi, Hirokuni*; Wakabayashi, Genichiro*; Ito, Fumiaki*

JAEA-Review 2025-039, 34 Pages, 2025/11

JAEA-Review-2025-039.pdf:2.18MB

To prevent acts of terrorism involving nuclear or radioactive materials at major public events, it is required to have surveillance technologies that either prevent these materials from being brought in or detect quickly if somebody brings them in secretly. Setting radiation gate monitors to survey pedestrians and vehicles is one of the effective methods. However, considering the possibility of individuals bypassing these monitors, complementary technologies are needed to continuously survey areas inside the gates. To survey extensive areas, radiation mapping is effective. By using multiple detectors and aggregating the data, the survey becomes much more efficient. We have developed mobile detectors capable of simultaneously measuring location data and radiation levels outdoors, with the ability to aggregate measurement results via a network and immediately visualize them on a map. For indoor environments, we have developed a technology that integrates radiation measurement results with environmental mapping created using SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) to produce 3D maps of the surveyed areas. Additionally, we have been working on the development of a source search technology using a fast neutron detector to quickly detect neutron sources, including nuclear materials. In this report, we describe a concept of the wide area survey system and report technology development results so far.

Embedded system using a radiation-hardened processor (Contract research); FY2023 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Okayama University*

JAEA-Review 2025-022, 51 Pages, 2025/10

JAEA-Review-2025-022.pdf:3.05MB

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 FY2023. 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 FY2022, this report summarizes the research results of the "Embedded system using a radiation-hardened processor" conducted in FY2023. The present study aims to develop a radiation-hardened optoelectronic processor with 10 MGy total-ionizing-dose (TID) tolerance, a radiation-hardened processor with 4 MGy TID tolerance, a radiation-hardened memory with 4 MGy TID tolerance, and a radiation-hardened power supply unit with 1 MGy TID tolerance. Up to now, we have successfully developed a radiation-hardened optoelectronic processor with 10 MGy TID tolerance, a radiation-hardened memory with 4 MGy TID tolerance. Moreover, Japanese research group will support radiation-hardened field programmable gate arrays, power supply units, and radiation-hardened optical systems for radiation-hardened robot systems and radiation sensor systems developed by UK team. Finally, we will provide our radiation-hardened robot system which can identify the intensity and type of radiation.

Development of a cooperative operation robot system for radiation source exploration (Contract research); FY2023 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Tohoku University*

JAEA-Review 2025-011, 74 Pages, 2025/08

JAEA-Review-2025-011.pdf:5.31MB

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science &Z Technology and Human Resource Development Project (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2023. 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 FY2021, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of a cooperative operation robot system for radiation source exploration" conducted from FY2021 to FY2023. The present study aims to develop a robot system (CORRASE: Cooperative Operation Robot system for RAdiation Source Exploration), realizing radiation source exploration with wide field of view, rapidity, and low cost. In FY2023, our research efforts focused on verification tests for radiation source exploration by summarizing the results of our previous studies. Polyhedral type gamma-ray directional detectors were fabricated from 8 BGO scintillators and shielding bodies. Radiation source exploration experiments were performed by developing a cooperative operation robot system consisting of 3 multi-legged robots carrying the gamma-ray detectors, IMUs (Inertial Measurement Units), and LiDARs (Light Detection And Ranging). An unknown test environment for the radiation source exploration was constructed by placing obstacles and a 10 MBq Cs sealed source as a simulated radioactive contamination source in a room measuring 7.8 5.3 m. The developed system was used to create the environmental map, to formulate the exploration plan, to create the heatmap of the radiation counts, and to image the radiation source from the calculated optimal observation position. The localization of the simulated radioactive contamination source was successfully performed with the cooperation of the 3 robot systems by displaying the image of the radiation source fused on the environmental map. It can be concluded that the initial goal of this study has been successfully achieved by developing the robot system realizing radiation source exploration.

Control and irradiation behaviors of oxygen potential of MOX fuel

Hirooka, Shun; Vauchy, R.; Horii, Yuta; Sunaoshi, Takeo*; Saito, Kosuke; Ozawa, Takayuki

Proceedings of Workshop on Fuel Performance Assessment and Behaviour for Liquid Metal Cooled Fast Reactors (Internet), 8 Pages, 2025/07

no abstracts in English

Residual stresses of small-bore butt-welded piping measured by quantum beam hybrid method

Suzuki, Kenji*; Miura, Yasufumi*; Toyokawa, Hidenori*; Shiro, Ayumi*; Shobu, Takahisa; Morooka, Satoshi; Shibayama, Yuki

Quantum Beam Science (Internet), 9(2), p.15_1 - 15_15, 2025/06

https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs9020015

Nacre-like MXene/polyacrylic acid layer-by-layer multilayers as hydrogen gas barriers

Auh, Y. H.*; Neal, N. N.*; Arole, K.*; Regis, N. A.*; Nguyen, T.*; Ogawa, Shuichi*; Tsuda, Yasutaka; Yoshigoe, Akitaka; Radovic, M.*; Green, M. J.*; et al.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 17(21), p.31392 - 31402, 2025/05

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.5c03632

Calculation method improvement of the original one-dimensional code GENGTC

Fuyushima, Takumi; Sayato, Natsuki; Otsuka, Kaoru; Endo, Yasuichi; Tobita, Masahiro*; Takemoto, Noriyuki

JAEA-Testing 2024-008, 38 Pages, 2025/03

JAEA-Testing-2024-008.pdf:2.37MB

In Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR), irradiation tests had been conducted by loading specimens into capsules for irradiating fuels and materials. The thermal design calculation of capsules is significant to irradiate various types of specimens at the target temperature. The decommissioning plan of JMTR was approved in March 2021, and the Department of Waste Management and Decommissioning Technology Development is currently working on irradiation plans by foreign testing reactors as an alternative for JMTR. A one-dimensional thermal calculation code "GENGTC", which was developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in U.S., is used for capsule design and irradiation tests. GENGTC has been repeatedly improved as improvements of computer performance, but there were some defects in calculation function. Therefore, we investigated the cause of the problem and changed the program from the currently used FORTRAN77 language program to a Visual Basic language program that uses the macro calculation function of Excel. In addition, the program was improved to make it easier to use the calculation code.

Background aerial monitoring and UAV radiation monitoring technology development for emergency response and preparedness in fiscal year 2023 (Contract research)

Futemma, Akira; Sanada, Yukihisa; Nakama, Shigeo; Sasaki, Miyuki; Ochi, Kotaro; Sawahata, Yoshiro*; Kawasaki, Yoshiharu*; Iwai, Takeyuki*; Hiraga, Shogo*; Haginoya, Masashi*; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2024-022, 170 Pages, 2025/03

JAEA-Technology-2024-022.pdf:15.09MB

On March 11, 2011, the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake caused a tsunami that led to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, releasing radioactive material into the environment. Since then, Aerial Radiation Monitoring (ARM) using manned helicopters has been employed to measure radiation distribution. As a commissioned project from the Nuclear Regulation Authority, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) utilizes this technology for emergency monitoring during nuclear facility accidents, aiming to provide prompt results by pre-arranging information on background radiation, topography, and control airspaces around nuclear power plants nationwide. In fiscal year 2023, the commissioned project included conducting ARM around the Sendai Nuclear Power Station and preparing related information. To enhance effectiveness during emergencies, ARM and the first domestic training flight of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) were conducted during the FY2023 Nuclear Energy Disaster Prevention Drill. Furthermore, UAVs radiation monitoring technology was advanced by selecting UAVs and investigating their performance. This report summarizes the results and technical issues identified providing insights to improve emergency preparedness.