Development of a high-resolution imaging camera for alpha dust and high-dose rate monitor (Contract research); FY2022 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Tohoku University*

JAEA-Review 2024-016, 61 Pages, 2024/12

JAEA-Review-2024-016.pdf:2.88MB

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 FY2022. 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 "Development of a high-resolution imaging camera for alpha dust and high-dose rate monitor" conducted in FY2022. The present study aims to develop a high-resolution imaging camera for alpha dust and a high-dose rate monitor. To realize the high-resolution imaging camera for alpha dust, we have developed novel scintillation materials with emission bands of 500-800 nm. Moreover, we have prepared several materials for the camera and software. We have also developed novel scintillation materials with emission bands of 650-1,000 nm, and simulation studies have been conducted for the high-dose-rate monitor system consisting of optical fiber.

Radiation tolerant rapid criticality monitoring with radiation-hardened FPGAs (Contract research); FY2021 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Okayama University*

JAEA-Review 2024-008, 59 Pages, 2024/07

JAEA-Review-2024-008.pdf:3.34MB

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 FY2021. 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 "Radiation tolerant rapid criticality monitoring with radiation-hardened FPGAs" conducted from FY2019 to FY2021. The present study aims to be developing a radiation-hardened optoelectronic FPGA with a 1 Grad total-ionizing-dose tolerance on which optical technologies are introduced onto a semiconductor technology and a radiation hardened FPGA with a 200 Mrad total-ionizing-dose tolerance not using any optical component. Moreover, Japanese research group will support hardware acceleration on FPGAs used for neutron-detection system developed by UK team. Finally, we will provide our radiation-hardened FPGA for the UK neutron-detection system.

Rapid multi-nuclide identification method by simultaneous , , and X-ray spectrum analysis

Oshima, Masumi*; Goto, Jun*; Hayakawa, Takehito*; Asai, Masato; Kin, Tadahiro*; Shinohara, Hirofumi*

Isotope News, (790), p.19 - 23, 2023/12

When analyzing samples that contain many radionuclides at various concentrations, such as radioactive waste or fuel debris, it is difficult to apply general spectrum analysis methods and is necessary to chemically separate each nuclide before quantifying it. The chemical separation is especially essential for analysis using a liquid scintillation counter (LSC). In this report, the authors explain the newly developed spectral determination method (SDM) in which the entire spectrum is fitted to quantify radioactivity of nuclides mixed in a sample. By applying the SDM to - and X-ray spectrum measured by LSC and -ray spectrum measured by Ge detector simultaneously, the authors demonstrated that radioactivity of 40 radionuclides mixed in a sample at concentrations varying by two orders could be quantified, which is useful to simplify chemical separation process in radionuclide quantification.

Neutron/-ray discrimination based on the property and thickness controls of scintillators using Li glass and LiCAF(Ce) in a -ray field

Kaburagi, Masaaki; Shimazoe, Kenji*; Terasaka, Yuta; Tomita, Hideki*; Yoshihashi, Sachiko*; Yamazaki, Atsushi*; Uritani, Akira*; Takahashi, Hiroyuki*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1046, p.167636_1 - 167636_8, 2023/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2022.167636

We focus on the thickness and property controls of inorganic scintillators used for thermal neutron detection in intense -ray fields without considering pulse shape discrimination techniques. GS20 (a lithium glass) and LiCaAlF:Ce(LiCAF:Ce) cintillators with thicknesses of 0.5 and 1.0 mm, respectively, have been employed. Pulse signals generated by photomultiplier tubes, to which the scintillators were coupled, were inserted into a digital pulse processing unit with 1 Gsps, and the areas of waveforms were integrated for 360 ns. In a Co -ray field, the neutron detection for GS20 with a 0.5-mm thickness was possible at dose rates of up to 0.919 Gy/h; however, for LiCAF:Ce, neutron detection was possible at 0.473 Gy/h, and it failed at 0.709 Gy/h. Threfore, in a Co -ray field, the neutron/-ray discrimination of GS20 was better than that of LiCAF:Ce due to its better energy resolution and higher detection efficiency.

Development of high-resolution imaging camera for alpha dust (Contract research); FY2020 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Tohoku University*

JAEA-Review 2021-044, 58 Pages, 2022/01

JAEA-Review-2021-044.pdf:3.53MB

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 FY2020. 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 FY2018, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of high-resolution imaging camera for alpha dust" conducted in FY2020. The present study aims to develop a novel alpha-ray camera consisting of imaging and an energy spectrometer to find the alpha dust to reduce the risk of health damage in Decommissioning. We have developed the camera in FY2020, and the measurement test for the energy spectra. Moreover, the imaging test has been operated. In addition, we have also developed a high-dose-rate monitor system using novel scintillators with red/infra-red emission.

Gamma-ray spectroscopy with a CeBr scintillator under intense -ray fields for nuclear decommissioning

Kaburagi, Masaaki; Shimazoe, Kenji*; Kato, Masahiro*; Kurosawa, Tadahiro*; Kamada, Kei*; Kim, K. J.*; Yoshino, Masao*; Shoji, Yasuhiro*; Yoshikawa, Akira*; Takahashi, Hiroyuki*; et al.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 988, p.164900_1 - 164900_8, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2020.164900

An increasing number of nuclear facilities have been decommissioned worldwide following the 2011 accident of the TEPCO' Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. During the decommissioning, radioactive materials have to be retrieved under proper management. In this study, a small cubic CeBr spectrometer with dimensions of 5 mm 5 mm 5 mm was manufactured to perform -ray spectroscopy under intense -ray fields. Furthermore, thanks to a fast digital process unit and a customized photomultiplier, the device could perform -ray spectroscopy at dose rates of over 1 Sv/h. The energy resolution (FWHM) at 662 keV ranged from 4.4% at 22 mSv/h to 5.2% at 1407 mSv/h for a Cs radiation field. Correspondingly, at 1333 keV, it ranged from 3.1% at 26 mSv/h to 4.2% at 2221 mSv/h for a Co radiation field, which suggested to realize -ray assessment of Cs, Cs, Co, and Eu at dose rates of over 1 Sv/h.

Development of high-resolution imaging camera for alpha dust (Contract research); FY2019 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Tohoku University*

JAEA-Review 2020-039, 59 Pages, 2021/01

JAEA-Review-2020-039.pdf:4.18MB

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 FY2018, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of high-resolution imaging camera for alpha dust" conducted in FY2019. We have developed an imaging camera with a position resolution of less than approximately 10 m to monitor alpha dust in the nuclear plant during the decommissioning process, because the operators avoid to drawing in such dusts. Moreover, we have developed real-time monitor system with optical fiber and scintillator under high dose-rate condition.

Quantitative analysis method for radiation distribution in high radiation environment by gamma-ray image spectroscopy (Contract research); FY2018 Center of World Intelligence Project for Nuclear Science/Technology and Human Resource Development

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Kyoto University*

JAEA-Review 2019-036, 65 Pages, 2020/03

JAEA-Review-2019-036.pdf:4.46MB

JAEA/CLADS, had been conducting the Center of World Intelligence Project for Nuclear Science/Technology and Human Resource Development (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2018. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. 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 FY2018, this report summarizes the research results of the "Quantitative Analysis Method for Radiation Distribution in High Radiation Environment by Gamma-ray Image Spectroscopy". Electron-tracking Compton camera (ETCC) has been developed originally for nuclear gamma-ray astronomy, and also applied to medical use as a technology that greatly improves the resolution of conventional Compton camera by measuring three-dimensional tracking of electrons using a gaseous 3-dimensional position detector (so called Time Projection Chamber) in the first stage. In the present study, based on the ETCC that has been developed for medical use, we produce a prototype of light weight ETCC with the emphasis on the operability at the site, and evaluate its practicability by field tests.

Development of a position-sensitive scintillation neutron detector for a new protein single-crystal diffractometer at J-PARC MLF

Nakamura, Tatsuya; To, Kentaro; Tsutsui, Noriaki; Ebine, Masumi; Birumachi, Atsushi; Sakasai, Kaoru

Journal of Instrumentation (Internet), 12(12), p.C12025_1 - C12025_9, 2017/12

https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/12/12/C12025

A high-spatial-resolution, large-area position-sensitive scintillation-based neutron detector module has been developed for a new time-of-flight Laue single-crystal diffractometer to be constructed at J-PARC MLF. A first prototype detector implementing commercial Li:ZnS screens was produced based on a scintillator/wavelength-shifting fibre technology. The detector exhibited a spatial resolution of 2.5 mm with a neutron-sensitive area of 320 320 mm. We report on an initial evaluation of the detector performance, including its spatial resolution, detection efficiency and long-term background measurement, and also provide a brief description of a new neutron instrument.

High spatial resolution ZnO scintillator for an in situ imaging device in EUV region

Arita, Ren*; Nakazato, Tomoharu*; Shimizu, Toshihiko*; Yamanoi, Kohei*; Empizo, M.*; Hori, Tatsuhiro*; Fukuda, Kazuhito*; Minami, Yuki*; Sarukura, Nobuhiko*; Maruyama, Momoko; et al.

Optical Materials, 36(12), p.2012 - 2015, 2014/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2014.01.031

A single shot image of a ZnO crystal excited by the EUV laser of Kansai Photon Science Institute was captured. The evaluated EUV beam waist radii from the ZnO emission pattern along the horizontal and vertical axes are 5.0 and 4.7m, respectively. The expected focal spot size of EUV laser and the spatial resolution of the magnifier (including the Schwarzschild objectives and lenses) are however 1 and 4m, respectively. The discrepancy on the spatial resolutions is attributed to exciton diffusion. We estimated the ZnO exciton diffusion length from the effective decay time which is shortened by exciton-exciton collision quenching and which is dependence on excitation energy density. Our results indicate that the short lifetime of ZnO is required to improve the spatial resolution.