Non-condensable gas accumulation and distribution due to condensation in the CIGMA Facility; Implications for Fukushima Daiichi Unit 3 (1F3)

Hamdani, A.; 相馬 秀; 安部 諭; 柴本 泰照

Progress in Nuclear Energy, 185, p.105771_1 - 105771_13, 2025/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnucene.2025.105771

This study, motivated by previous TEPSYS analysis, examined how different temperatures on the 4th and 5th floors of the Fukushima Daiichi Unit 3 reactor building (R/B) influenced non-condensable gas distribution during the 2011 severe accident. Understanding this is vital for assessing risks related to gas accumulation, especially since the hydrogen explosion may have involved multiple stages. An experimental study was conducted using the CIGMA facility, designed to mimic the R/B structure, where steam and helium (as a substitute for hydrogen) were injected for 10,000 seconds to simulate leakage. Two cooling conditions were tested: 50C (Case 1) and 90C (Case 2). Results showed that the highest concentration of non-condensable gases was often found downstream rather than near the injection point. In Case 1, after 10,000 seconds, helium concentration reached 65% in the middle region (4th floor) and 45% in the top region (5th floor). Analysis indicated that the gas mixture in the middle region posed a potential detonation risk. This study offers crucial insights for enhancing safety measures and risk mitigation strategies in nuclear reactor designs.

令和5年度原子力科学研究所年報

原子力科学研究所

JAEA-Review 2024-058, 179 Pages, 2025/03

JAEA-Review-2024-058.pdf:7.42MB

原子力科学研究所(原科研)は、従来からの部署である保安管理部、放射線管理部、工務技術部、研究炉加速器技術部、臨界ホット試験技術部、バックエンド技術部の6部及び計画管理部に加えて、先端基礎研究センター、原子力基礎工学研究センター、原子力エネルギー基盤連携センター及び物質科学研究センターで構成され、各部署は、中長期計画の達成に向け、施設管理、研究技術開発などを行っている。本報告書は、今後の研究開発や事業推進に資するため、令和5年度の原科研の活動(各センターでの研究開発活動を除く)並びに原科研を拠点とする廃炉環境国際共同研究センター、安全研究センター、原子力人材育成センターなどが原科研の諸施設を利用して実施した研究開発及び原子力人材育成活動の実績を記録したものである。

Feasibility study of reactor radiation photon spectroscopy in Fugen for nuclear decommissioning

冠城 雅晃; 宮本 勇太; 森 教匡; 岩井 紘基; 手塚 将志; 黒澤 俊介*; 田川 明広; 高崎 浩司

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 62(3), p.308 - 316, 2025/03

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2024.2417786

Nuclear decommissioning has recently accelerated, particularly following the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Holdings. -ray/X-ray (radiation photon) spectroscopy provides information on the types of radionuclides with radiation photon emissions. Radiation photon spectroscopy in a control rod guide tube positioned at the center of Fugen was conducted. Fugen is a prototype advanced thermal reactor with 165 MWe electric power generation that is being decommissioned. The dose rates measured in a control rod guide tube positioned at the center of the reactor were 4.1 - 9.1 Gy/h. The dose rate considerably increased at a position close to a tank that contained Co caused by the radioactivation of stainless steel. Radiation photon spectroscopy was performed without radiation shielding, identifying Co with an energy resolution better than 5.4% at 1333 keV and Nb with an energy resolution better than 5.9% at 871 keV.

Pu燃焼高温ガス炉のための模擬燃料核の微細構造観察

相原 純; 植田 祥平; 本田 真樹*; 笠原 清司; 岡本 孝司*

JAEA-Research 2024-012, 98 Pages, 2025/02

JAEA-Research-2024-012.pdf:32.24MB

Pu燃焼高温ガス炉とは、再処理Puの量を安全に減らすための高温ガス炉である。Pu燃焼高温ガス炉では、PuO-イットリア安定化ジルコニア(PuO-YSZ)の微小球にZrC層を被覆し、更にSiC-TRISO被覆を施した核拡散抵抗性の高い被覆燃料粒子(CFP)を用いる計画である。ZrC層の役割は酸素ゲッターである。平成26-29年に行われたPu燃焼高温ガス炉研究プロジェクトでは、Puの模擬物質としてCeを用いて模擬CFPが製造され、更に、この模擬CFPがHTTR燃料と同様に黒鉛母材で焼き固められ模擬燃料コンパクトが製造された。本報告では、模擬燃料コンパクト製造までの各段階におけるCeO-YSZ核及びZrC層の微細構造観察の結果を報告する。

Difference in accumulation of plutonium and curium isotopes formed in americium targets irradiated in Joyo and JMTR

大西 貴士; 小山 真一*; 横山 佳祐; 森下 一喜; 渡部 雅; 前田 茂貴; 矢野 康英; 大木 繁夫

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 432, p.113755_1 - 113755_17, 2025/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2024.113755

The burning of minor actinide (MA) elements, such as neptunium (Np) and americium (Am), in fast reactors (FRs) has been proposed to reduce the volume of high-level radioactive waste. Evaluation of the transmutation behavior of Am for a wide spectral range from thermal to fast neutrons requires experimental validation based on the irradiation of Am targets with well-known isotopic compositions. Four samples each of two types of Am targets, Am-241 oxide and Am-243 oxide, were prepared and irradiated in the experimental fast reactor Joyo under fast neutron flux. Additionally, a ninth sample consisting of Am-241 oxide contained in a MgO pellet was prepared and irradiated in the JMTR under thermal neutron flux. All irradiated samples were analyzed by a radiochemical method. Indexes of the transmutation behavior such as the transmutation ratio, the ratio between burnup and accumulation of an actinide could be evaluated based on the analytical results.

Review of JAEA's Monte Carlo codes for nuclear reactor core analysis

長家 康展

EPJ Nuclear Sciences & Technologies (Internet), 11, p.1_1 - 1_7, 2025/01

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjn/2024020

日本原子力研究開発機構(JAEA)では、原子炉炉心解析のための汎用連続エネルギーモンテカルロコードMVPを開発している。最近、MVPの改良は、先進的核熱カップリングコードの開発に重点を置いている。原子力機構はまた、臨界安全解析のための新しいモンテカルロソルバーSolomonを開発している。Solomonは燃料デブリを含む損傷炉心の臨界性を計算することを目的としている。本論文では、MVPとSolomonの機能の概要と最近の適用事例を紹介する。

Quantitative evaluation of leakage flow rate in the sealing part using graphite gland packing to mount a hydrogen separation membrane tube for HI decomposition membrane reaction

杉本 千紘; Myagmarjav, O.; 田中 伸幸; 野口 弘喜; 竹上 弘彰; 久保 真治

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 95, p.98 - 107, 2024/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.10.334

The thermochemical iodine-sulfur (IS or SI) process can produce hydrogen by decomposing water through chemical reactions and nuclear heat. The hydrogen iodine (HI) decomposition reaction of the IS process thermally decomposes HI at ca. 500C to produce hydrogen. The thermal efficiency of hydrogen production in the thermochemical IS process can be effectively enhanced using a membrane reactor for the HI decomposition reaction; hydrogen separation membrane tubes made of ceramic are attached to a tube plate via sealing parts. The applicability of a sealing method using the expanded graphite grand packing was investigated. During 50 thermal cycles ranging between 25 C-450 C and gas pressure of 0.2-0.8 MPa (gauge), the leakage flow rate was approximately 210 Pa m s. This value is comparable to a detection limit of the standard bubble leak test, indicating that this sealing method works effectively.

Thermal analysis of the hydrogen release behavior of sodium hydride and kinetic analysis using master plot methods

土井 大輔

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 91, p.1245 - 1252, 2024/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.10.227

Hydrogen is a major nonmetallic impurity in the coolant of sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs) during normal operation. A higher hydrogen concentration than the gas-liquid equilibrium has been transiently detected in the gas space of actual SFR plants. The presence of several sodium compounds can increase hydrogen generation; however, a thorough understanding of the thermal behavior of candidate reactions is lacking. Herein, thermal analysis reveals the hydrogen release behavior of sodium hydride. Mass spectrometry indicates hydrogen generation with decreasing sample mass, indicating thermal decomposition. Detailed kinetic analysis based on master plot methods indicates that the hydrogen release reaction occurred through a mechanism involving random nucleation and growth of nuclei. Furthermore, the reaction rate was newly formulated based on a kinetic model function representing the above mechanism and the Arrhenius-type reaction rate constant comprising an activation energy of 119.0 0.8 kJ mol and a frequency factor of 1.8 10 s. These findings will enable the numerical simulation of the hydrogen release behavior in SFRs.

First freezing experiments with a molten mixture of boron carbide and stainless steel in core disruptive accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactors

江村 優軌; 松場 賢一; 菊地 晋; 山野 秀将

Proceedings of 13th Korea-Japan Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS13) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2024/11

Assuming the CDA of SFRs, the eutectic melting between BC as a control rod material and stainless steel (SS) as a structural material could occur below their melting points. After that, the mixture produced by eutectic melting between BC and SS (BC-SS mixture) would relocate inside or outside of the original core region. From the viewpoint of core reactivity changes, the relocation behavior of BC-SS mixture induced by its melting/freezing behavior, is one of the key elements to evaluate the CDA consequences. Many experimental studies on freezing behavior using core materials and its simulants, including molten UO, SS, tin, wood's metal have been reported in the past. Based on these experimental findings, the freezing/blockage model for the severe accident simulation code was established and discussed through analyses of freezing process. Specifically, it has been considered that the experimental correlation of melt-penetration length was a key indicator to quantitatively describe freezing behavior. However, there was no experimental data for the freezing behavior of actual BC-SS mixture. Therefore, the freezing experiments of BC-SS mixture were conducted to investigate the freezing and blockage behavior inside a flow path such as fuel pin bundle. In the freezing experiments, BC powder and SS block were heated up to around 1,750 K using a graphite heating furnace, then BC-SS mixture flowed down into an SS pipe for cooling below 750 K. The experimental results showed that the BC-SS mixture solidified and resulted in the blockage in the SS pipe with 4 mm or 6.7 mm in inner diameter, respectively. Furthermore, the observations for cross section of SS pipe suggested that the BC-SS mixture penetrated deeper than molten SS. This difference is considered to be influenced by decrease of the melting point.

汎用炉心解析システムMARBLE3の開発

横山 賢治; 羽様 平; 谷中 裕; 大木 繁夫

JAEA-Data/Code 2024-007, 41 Pages, 2024/10

JAEA-Data-Code-2024-007.pdf:1.1MB

汎用炉心解析システムMARBLEの第3版であるMARBLE3を開発した。MARBLEの開発ではオブジェクト指向スクリプト言語Pythonを用いており、これまでの開発ではPythonバージョン2(Python2)を用いていたが、Pythonのバージョンアップの後方非互換性の問題により、Pythonの最新版であるPythonバージョン3(Python3)では、MARBLEを動作させることができなくなっていた。このため、MARBLE3の開発では全面的に改修を行って、Python3で動作するように整備した。また、MARBLE3では、新しく開発された解析コードのカプセル化や新しく提案された計算手法等の組み込みを行うとともに、メンテナンス性や拡張性、柔軟性の観点からユーザインターフェースの拡張やソルバーの再実装等を行った。MARBLE3では、新規に開発された3次元六角/三角体系輸送計算コードMINISTRIVer.7(MINISTRI7)と3次元六角/三角体系拡散計算コードD-MINISTRIを利用できるように整備した。これらのコードは、MARBLEのサブシステムである核特性解析システムSCHEMEや高速炉燃焼解析システムOPRHEUSで利用できる。また、MARBLEに組み込まれている炉心解析システムCBGのユーザインターフェースを拡張して、CBGの2次元RZ体系の拡散計算ソルバーや輸送計算ソルバーをSCHEME上で利用できるように整備した。一方、計算手法についても改良を加えた。MARBLE3では、チェビシェフ有理関数近似法に基づく燃焼計算手法の改良に関する論文やミニマックス多項式近似法に基づく燃焼計算手法に関する論文で提案された計算手法を利用できるように、燃焼計算ソルバーの機能拡張を行った。また、メンテナンス性の観点から、MARBLE2で導入された一点炉動特性ソルバーPOINTKINETICSを廃止して、MARBLE3ではKINETICSソルバーとして新たに整備し直した。