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.

Residual stress relief effect in gradient structural steel and remaining life evaluation under stochastic fatigue loads

Qin, T. Y.*; Hu, F. F.*; Xu, P. G.; Zhang, R.*; Su, Y. H.; Ao, N.*; Li, Z. W.*; Shinohara, Takenao; Shobu, Takahisa; Wu, S. C.*

International Journal of Fatigue, 202, p.109233_1 - 109233_16, 2026/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2025.109233

Evaluation of the flow rate of leachate from near surface waste disposal facilities of radioactive wastes from research, industrial and medical facilities based on the latest knowledge

Kitatani, Hikari; Ozone, Kenji; Nakata, Hisakazu

JAEA-Technology 2025-011, 57 Pages, 2025/12

JAEA-Technology-2025-011.pdf:5.32MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency is responsible for near-surface disposal of research-related low-level radioactive waste and is considering two types of facilities: trench and concrete-pit. In safety assessment of such facilities, dose evaluation requires data on infiltration water. Evaluating infiltration involves uncertainties due to waste conditions and disposal environment. Therefore, in this report, a reference model was established based on the conceptual design conditions of near-surface disposal facilities, and leachate from the facilities was estimated by groundwater flow analysis, using applications by prior operators as reference and reflecting the latest knowledge for safety assessment. This allowed evaluation of how the hydraulic conductivity of each facility layer and surrounding soil affects leachate. Specifically, the 2D FEM groundwater flow code MIG2DF was used: trench facilities were evaluated assuming cover degradation, and concrete-pit facilities assuming salt effects in waste packages. Results showed that in trench facilities, deterioration of clay hydraulic conductivity increased inflow to the waste layer, especially when drainage layer conductivity decreased, as horizontal flow paths failed and infiltration into clay was promoted. In concrete-pit facilities, clay fracturing increased local flow and water through the waste layer. These results quantitatively demonstrate how changes in hydraulic conductivity of each layer affect leachate, providing useful insights for scenario development in safety assessment and for facility management.

Analysis of deposits inside "X-6 penetration" for the Unit 2 primary containment vessel at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

Yoneyama, Kai; Nitta, Ayako; Tanaka, Yasuyuki; Kodaka, Noriyasu; Kikuchi, Riku; Sakano, Takuma; Furuse, Takahiro; Sato, Soichi; Sambongi, Mitsuru; Tanaka, Kosuke

JAEA-Technology 2025-008, 44 Pages, 2025/12

JAEA-Technology-2025-008.pdf:4.3MB

At the TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F), an investigation inside the reactors has been carried out. In order to safely carry out the decommissioning work such as fuel debris retrieval and building demolition, it is important to estimate the contamination in primary containment vessel for control the decommissioning planning and the worker radiation exposure levels. Therefore, the analysis of the deposit inside the penetration for the 1F Unit 2 primary containment vessel ("X-6 penetration") was performed to clarify the components and activity. The smears from the deposit were used for the analysis. Non-destructive analysis such as gamma-ray spectrometry, X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) for the smear-samples were performed to determine the gamma-nuclides and the morphology of elements in the deposit. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the nuclides and nuclide composition of the deposit in detail, the smear-samples were dissolved and the quantitative analysis of gamma-nuclides, Sr-90, alpha-nuclides in the dissolved solution were conducted. The results (nondestructive analysis and quantitative analysis) were compared with the results of samples collected at different locations in the X-6 penetration in 2020. In the gamma-ray spectrometry as non-destructive analysis where the smears were analyzed directly, Co- 60, Sb-125, Cs-134, Cs-137, Eu-154, Eu-155 and Am-241 were detected. In XRF results, Fe originating from construction material was detected as a major element and small amount of U and Zr originating from the fuel and fuel cladding were also detected. In SEM-EDX results, O and Fe were found as a major element of the deposit and U particles coexisting with Fe, Si, Cr, Ni and Zr were also found. These results were consistent with the SEM-EDX results of the samples collected in 2020. In radioactivity analysis, quantitative values for gamma-nuclides (Co-60, Sb-125, Cs-134, Cs-137, Eu-154, Eu-155), Sr-90, Pu-238, Pu-239+240, Am-241, Cm-244, U-235 and U-238 were obtained. Using the results, the ratios of radioactivity based on Cs-137 and U-238 were calculated. Both sets of the ratios were compared to the calculated value of the Unit 2 fuel composition from ORIGEN.

A Study on the methodology for rational treatment/disposal of contaminated concrete waste considering volume reduction of waste (Contract research); FY2023 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Hokkaido University*

JAEA-Review 2025-037, 103 Pages, 2025/12

JAEA-Review-2025-037.pdf:7.28MB

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 FY2023, this report summarizes the research results of the "A study on the methodology for rational treatment/disposal of contaminated concrete waste considering volume reduction of waste" conducted in FY2023. The present study aims to evaluate rational waste management strategies incorporating reuse and recycling focusing on radioactive concrete waste, which will be massively generated from dismantling. Feasibility and challenges of aggregate recycling are considered assuming a typical recycled aggregate production technique, based on the characteristics of the concrete. In 2023, the migration behaviors of radionuclides and ions in cementitious materials having interfacial transition zones (ITZ) were investigated through diffusion and leaching experiments using radioactive and non-radioactive tracers and modeled by random walk particle tracking method with a sampling technique using a probabilistic distribution model for two media with an interface. Properties of surrogate contaminated concrete samples prepared by immersing in Cs solution were examined. Migration of ions was studied for surrogate contaminated aggregates and recycled concrete using the surrogate. In addition, surrogate waste package was prepared using by-product powder to study mechanical and chemical properties as well as leaching behavior of radionuclides. Information on properties of the contaminated concrete and tools to estimate the amount of concrete were organized in order to evaluate different waste management scenarios incorporating reuse/recycling.

None

Koizumi, Mitsuo; Yogo, Akifumi*

Isotope News, (802), p.11 - 14, 2025/12

no abstracts in English

Effect of grain refinement on cracks occurring in SUS304L stainless steel under nuclear reactor operating conditions

Hirota, Noriaki; Takeda, Ryoma; Ide, Hiroshi; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko; Kobayashi, Yoshinao*

Nuclear Materials and Energy (Internet), 45, p.102009_1 - 402009_10, 2025/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2025.102009

Using SUS304L stainless steel, which is employed in reactor structural components, the effects of grain refinement on stress corrosion cracking occurring under nuclear reactor operating conditions were investigated. As a result, after conducting slow strain rate testing (SSRT) in air and nuclear reactor operating environments, a comparison of the tensile properties of SUS304L with the same grain size revealed that elongation significantly decreased with increasing grain size under nuclear reactor operating conditions. In SSRT conducted in air, the -value obtained from the Hall-Petch relationship was lower than the conventional values. Observations showed the absence of cracks on SUS304L with 0.59 and 1.52 m grains; however, SUS304L with larger grains exhibited rougher fracture surfaces and side cracks. Thin oxide films were formed on SUS304L with 0.59 m and 1.52 m grains, while SUS304L with coarse grains of 28.4 m or larger enabled the formation of oxide films with over 2 m thickness. CrO films were formed on SUS304L with 0.59 m, 1.52 m, and 28.4 m, while CrO and Fe based oxides were formed on SUS304L with 39.5 m and 68.6 m. Crystal orientation analysis revealed linear surface layers without cracks in the -phase for SUS304L with 0.59 m and 1.52 m. In materials with Larger grain sizes, surface irregularities and cracks were observed in the -phase. In fine-grained SUS304L, lattice diffusion caused uniform O diffusion in the -phase, resulting in the formation of a thin CrO layer that suppressed cracks. In coarse-grained SUS304L, grain boundary diffusion caused Fe oxide formation at the grain boundaries, weakening them, and supersaturated O led to the formation of thick films comprising CrO and Fe-based oxides, resulting in peeling and cracking.

Development of real-time mapping software for wide-area radiation survey

Takahashi, Tone; Koizumi, Mitsuo; Yoshimi, Yuki*; Mochimaru, Takanori*

JAEA-Technology 2025-007, 26 Pages, 2025/11

JAEA-Technology-2025-007.pdf:1.6MB

To prevent the smuggling of nuclear and radioactive materials into event venues for the purpose of terrorism, it is common practice to individually inspect people and vehicles entering and exiting using radiation detectors. However, since there remains a risk of such inspections being bypassed, it is necessary to complement them with a wide-area radiation survey to ensure that no nuclear or radioactive materials have been brought in. Radiation mapping is an effective method for efficiently surveying large areas. In this method, a gamma-ray detector equipped with GPS is used to record location data and radiation dose rates while moving. By utilizing network connectivity, measurement data from multiple detectors can be aggregated at a central command post, allowing real-time monitoring of survey progress. This system helps to prevent both redundant and missing measurements and enables the prompt detection of suspicious radiation sources. Furthermore, by incorporating spectrometers into the gamma -ray detectors, it becomes possible to identify radioactive isotopes, thereby enabling appropriate responses. To enable such wide-area radiation surveys, we developed real-time mapping software. The developed software receives measurement data transmitted from GPS-equipped gamma-ray spectrometers, processes it sequentially in real time, and plots it onto pre -downloaded map data. Additionally, by integrating the spectral data collected from regions showing abnormal radiation levels can be displayed immediately. To enhance information security, the software is designed to function within local networks without requiring internet connectivity. In this report, we introduce an overview of the developed software and provide a simplified version of the source code as an appendix. The provided code is developed using open and free operating systems, libraries, and environments, making it freely available and usable by anyone.

Development of a prototype shielding-free radiation-resistant diamond neutron measurement system (Contract research); FY2023 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Hokkaido University*

JAEA-Review 2025-028, 66 Pages, 2025/11

JAEA-Review-2025-028.pdf:3.59MB

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 FY2023, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of a prototype shielding-free radiation-resistant diamond neutron measurement system" conducted in FY2023. The present study aims to develop a prototype of a shielding-free neutron measurement system for 1F. The system consists of diamond neutron detectors and radiation-resistant silicon integrated circuits, and has radiation resistance of more than 10 MGy and 4 MGy, respectively, at the component level in terms of integrated dose, and has a track record of stable operation under -ray dose rate environment of 1.5 kGy/h. Future applications are expected to include neutron detectors for debris investigation, criticality proximity monitoring monitors, and neutron detectors for dry tube investigation in pressure vessels. In this development, a prototype consisting of 100 diamond detector elements of 5 mm square will be developed to obtain system construction technology and to evaluate system performance. In addition, a subcriticality evaluation method will be developed. This development will lead to the completion of system development, development of the actual system in collaboration with the manufacturer, and introduction of the system into 1F decommissioning project.

Improvement of the RuO vapor-liquid transfer model in the chemical behavior analysis code SCHERN for accident of evaporation to dryness by boiling of reprocessed high level liquid waste

Yoshida, Kazuo; Hiyama, Mina*; Tamaki, Hitoshi

JAEA-Research 2025-011, 25 Pages, 2025/11

JAEA-Research-2025-011.pdf:2.15MB

An accident of evaporation to dryness by boiling of high-level radioactive liquid waste (HLLW) is postulated as one of the severe accidents caused by the loss of cooling function at a fuel reprocessing plant. In this case, volatile radioactive materials, such as ruthenium (RuO) are released from the tanks with water and nitric-acid mixed vapor into the atmosphere. Accurate quantitative estimation of released Ru is one of the important issues for risk assessment of those facilities. RuO is expected to be absorbed chemically into water dissolving nitrous acid (HNO). This behavior has been experimentally confirmed and plays an important role in the migration of Ru in the facility. A new model has been proposed as a chemical and physical absorption model based on the experimental results of the migration of RuO into nitric acid-water mixtures. In this study, to improve the analytical performance of SCHERN, these new analytical models have been incorporated and attempted to analyze the behavior of RuO in each phase. As a result, it has been observed a tendency that HNO in the liquid phase increases rapidly during the late boiling phase, when RuO release increases rapidly, and confirmed that this HNO concentration change significantly affects the subsequent migration behavior of RuO. These results indicate that it is essential to improve the analytical accuracy of the chemical behavior of HNO in each phase.