Probing deformation behavior of a refractory high-entropy alloy using in situ neutron diffraction

Zhou, Y.*; Song, W.*; Zhang, F.*; Wu, Y.*; Lei, Z.*; Jiao, M.*; Zhang, X.*; Dong, J.*; Zhang, Y.*; Yang, M.*; et al.

Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 971, p.172635_1 - 172635_7, 2024/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2023.172635

The grain orientation-dependent lattice strain evolution of a (TiZrHfNb) refractory high-entropy alloy (HEA) during tensile loading has been investigated using in situ neutron diffraction. The equivalent strain-hardening rate of each of the primary -oriented grain families was found to be relatively low, manifesting the macroscopically weak work-hardening ability of such a body-centered cubic (BCC)-structured HEA. This finding is indicative of a dislocation planar slip mode that is confined in a few single-slip planes and leads to in-plane softening by high pile-up stresses.

Oxidation and embrittlement behavior of FeCrAl-ODS cladding tube under loss-of-coolant accident conditions

成川 隆文; 近藤 啓悦; 藤村 由希; 垣内 一雄; 宇田川 豊; 根本 義之

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 587, p.154736_1 - 154736_8, 2023/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2023.154736

To evaluate the oxidation and embrittlement behavior of an oxide-dispersion-strengthened FeCrAl (FeCrAl-ODS) cladding tube under loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) conditions, we conducted isothermal oxidation and ring-compression tests on unirradiated, stress-relieved FeCrAl-ODS cladding tube specimens. Further, we discussed the loss of coolable geometry of the reactor core loaded with the FeCrAl-ODS cladding tubes under LOCA conditions, using data from the ring-compression tests in this study and the integral thermal shock tests from our previous study. The results reveal that oxidation kinetics of the FeCrAl-ODS cladding tube at 1523 K is four orders of magnitude lower than that of a conventional Zircaloy cladding tube, which highlights the exceptional oxidation resistance of the FeCrAl-ODS cladding tube. The breakaway oxidation of the FeCrAl-ODS cladding tube was observed at 1623 K for durations equal to or exceeding 6 h, and melting was observed at 1723 K. The ring-compression and the integral thermal shock tests indicate that, depending on the oxidation time, the ductile to brittle transition threshold - as determined by the ring-compression test - exists between 1623 K and 1723 K. Meanwhile, the fracture threshold - established through the integral thermal shock test - falls between 1573 K and 1673 K. Therefore, taking a conservative approach based on available data, the fracture and non-fracture results from the integral thermal shock tests can define the lower and upper boundaries of the threshold for the loss of coolable geometry of the reactor core during a LOCA.

MAAP code analysis focusing on the fuel debris conditions in the lower head of the pressure vessel in Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 3

佐藤 一憲; 吉川 信治; 山下 拓哉; 下村 健太; Cibula, M.*; 溝上 伸也*

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 414, p.112574_1 - 112574_20, 2023/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2023.112574

Based on the updated knowledge from plant-internal investigations, experiments and computer-model simulations until now, the in-vessel phase of Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 3 was analyzed using the MAAP code. In Unit 3, it is considered that ca. 40 percent of UO fuel was molten when core materials relocated to the lower plenum of the reactor pressure vessel. Initially relocated molten materials would have been fragmented by mixing with liquid water, while solid materials would have relocated later on. With this two-step relocation, debris in the lower plenum seems to have been permeable for coolant, thus debris seems to have been once cooled down effectively. Although the present MAAP analysis seems to slightly underestimate core-material oxidation during the relocation period, this probable underestimation was compensated for by an existing study that was considered more reliable, so that more realistic debris conditions in the lower plenum could be obtained. Probable debris reheat-up behavior was evaluated based on interpretation of the pressure data. This evaluation predicted that the fuel debris in the lower plenum was basically in solid-phase at the time when it relocated to the pedestal. With this study, basic validity of the former prediction of the Unit 3 accident progression behavior was confirmed, and detailed boundary conditions for future studies addressing the later phases were provided.

Stress evaluation method by neutron diffraction for HCP-structured magnesium alloy

Harjo, S.; Gong, W.; 川崎 卓郎

Quantum Beam Science (Internet), 7(4), p.32_1 - 32_13, 2023/12

https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs7040032

Tensile deformation in situ neutron diffraction of an extruded AZ31 alloy was performed to validate conventional procedures and to develop new procedures for stress evaluation from lattice strains by diffraction measurements of HCP-structured magnesium alloys. Increases in the lattice strains with respect to the applied true stress after yielding largely vary among [] grains. The newly proposed procedure of stress evaluation from the lattice strains shows very high accuracy and reliability by weighting the volume fraction of [] grains and evaluating them in many [] orientations in addition to multiplication by the diffraction elastic constant. When multiple peaks cannot be obtained simultaneously, we recommend to use the 12.1 peak for stress evaluation.

幌延深地層研究計画; 令和5年度調査研究計画

中山 雅

JAEA-Review 2023-019, 70 Pages, 2023/11

JAEA-Review-2023-019.pdf:6.83MB

幌延深地層研究計画は、日本原子力研究開発機構が堆積岩を対象に北海道幌延町で実施しているプロジェクトである。令和5年度は、「令和2年度以降の幌延深地層研究計画」で示した、「実際の地質環境における人工バリアの適用性確認」、「処分概念オプションの実証」、「地殻変動に対する堆積岩の緩衝能力の検証」について、引き続き調査研究を行う。令和5年度に実施する主な調査研究は以下のとおりである。「実際の地質環境における人工バリアの適用性確認」では、国際共同研究DECOVALEX-2023において人工バリア性能確認試験を対象とした連成解析を行い、その結果について異なる解析コードによる解析結果との比較を通じて適用した解析コードの検証を行う。また、声問層に分布する割れ目を対象とした物質移行特性を評価するためのボーリング調査を継続する。「処分概念オプションの実証」では、搬送定置・回収技術の実証として、地下環境におけるコンクリートの劣化に関する試験および分析を継続する。また、閉鎖技術の実証として、350m調査坑道に新たに掘削する試験坑道の周辺を対象とした物理探査を行い、掘削直後における掘削損傷領域の割れ目の連続性や分布などの初期状態を把握するとともに、これまでに開発した物理探査技術の適用性を確認する。「地殻変動に対する堆積岩の緩衝能力の検証」では、過年度に実施した水圧擾乱試験の結果の解析や、岩石の強度・応力状態と断層/割れ目の水理学的連結性との関係に関する解析を継続する。地下施設の建設・維持管理では、掘削工事を再開し、350m調査坑道の拡張を行うとともに、深度500mに向けた立坑の掘削を開始する。国内外の資金や人材の活用に関する取り組みとして幌延国際共同プロジェクトを本格的に実施する。このプロジェクトでは、令和2年度以降の必須の課題のうち、「実際の地質環境における人工バリアの適用性確認」および「処分概念オプションの実証」に関わる3つのタスク(タスクA:物質移行試験、タスクB:処分技術の実証と体系化、タスクC:実規模の人工バリアシステム解体試験)を設定して調査研究を進める。

JRR-3、JRR-4及び再処理特別研究棟から発生した放射性廃棄物に対する放射化学分析,2

飛田 実*; 後藤 勝則*; 大森 剛*; 大曽根 理*; 原賀 智子; 青野 竜士; 今田 未来; 土田 大貴; 水飼 秋菜; 石森 健一郎

JAEA-Data/Code 2023-011, 32 Pages, 2023/11

JAEA-Data-Code-2023-011.pdf:0.93MB

日本原子力研究開発機構の研究施設等から発生する放射性廃棄物は、放射能レベルに応じて将来的にトレンチとピットに分けて浅地中埋設処分される予定であり、埋設処分を開始するまでに、廃棄体の放射能濃度を評価する方法を構築する必要がある。そこで、原子力科学研究所バックエンド技術部では、研究施設等廃棄物に対する放射能濃度評価方法の検討に資するため、JRR-3、JRR-4及び再処理特別研究棟から発生した放射性廃棄物よりコンクリートを試料として採取し、放射化学分析を実施した。本報告書は、令和3年度から令和4年度に取得した23核種(H、C、Cl、Ca、Co、Ni、Sr、Nb、Ag、Cs、Ba、Eu、Eu、Ho、U、U、U、Pu、Pu、Pu、Am、Am、Cm)の放射能濃度データについて整理し、放射能濃度評価法検討のための基礎資料としてまとめたものである。

Microstructural evolution of intermetallic phase precipitates in Cr-coated zirconium alloy cladding in high-temperature steam oxidation up to 1400C

Mohamad, A. B.; 根本 義之; 古本 健一郎*; 岡田 裕史*; 佐藤 大樹*

Corrosion Science, 224, p.111540_1 - 111540_15, 2023/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2023.111540

The steam oxidation test on the Cr-coated Zry cladding was studied up to 1400C to understand the oxidation behavior under the accidental conditions. The double-sided oxidation test study showed that Cr coating can protect Zry cladding at 1200C within 5 min. Cr coating has a protective effect on the Zry cladding up to 1200C in a steam environment. However, in the oxidation test up to 1200C/30 min and 1300C/5 min, Cr coating can no longer protect Zry cladding. Furthermore, at 1300C, the intermetallic phase of the Zr(Cr, Fe) phase that precipitated within the Zry substrate formed as globule microstructures with Fe enrichment. In addition, the transition of the intermetallic phase within the Zry substrate from the solid to the pre-liquid and liquid phases was observed, where it was determined at 1350C/60 min and 1400C/30 min within the ZrO phase (outer side region). The oxidation of the Zr(Cr, Fe) interlayer was also determined in this study, where it resulted in the formation of the oxide phase of Cr, Zr, and Fe. It is worth mentioning that further experiments, such as mechanical testing and modeling, should be considered to support the degradation of the Cr-coated Zry cladding mainly when the liquid phase of the intermetallic phase is obtained for beyond design-basis accident environment.

Estimation of continuous distribution of iterated fission probability using an artificial neural network with Monte Carlo-based training data

Tuya, D.; 長家 康展

Journal of Nuclear Engineering (Internet), 4(4), p.691 - 710, 2023/11

https://doi.org/10.3390/jne4040043

モンテカルロ中性子輸送計算手法は、固有値や積分中性子束などの様々な量を正確に評価するために用いられる。しかし、ある分布量を求める場合、モンテカルロ法では連続的な分布が得られないのが一般的である。近年、モンテカルロ法で連続分布を得るために、関数展開法やカーネル密度推定法が開発されている。本論文では、モンテカルロ法によって得られた訓練データと人工ニューラルネットワーク(ANN)モデルを用いたある物理量に対する連続分布の推定手法を提案する。概念実証として、2つの核分裂体系における反復核分裂確率(IFP)の連続分布をANNモデルにより推定した。ANNモデルによるIFP分布を、元のデータセット及びPARTISNコードで得られた随伴角中性子束と比較した。比較の結果、一致や不一致の程度はさまざまであったが、ANNモデルはIFP分布の一般的な傾向を学習することを確認した。

Mutual separation of Am and Cm using ADAAM (alkyl DiAmide AMine) and reduction of volumes for liquid waste generated via batch-wise multistage extractions

佐々木 祐二; 金子 政志; 伴 康俊; 鈴木 英哉*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 11 Pages, 2023/11

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2023.2283214

アルキルジアミドアミン(ADAAM)を使ったAm/Cm相互分離を行った。ADAAMは硝酸-ドデカン系で非常に高いAm/Cm分離比5.9を示した。1.5M硝酸-0.2M ADAAM条件を用いる多段抽出で抽出後の有機相中にAm 96.5%、Cm 1.06%回収できることを確認した。Am/Cm相互分離後に発生した水相、有機相体積削減のための付加的な多段抽出を行い、Am, Cmを2, 3段の水相に濃縮できることを確認した。

Development of a DDA+PGA-combined non-destructive active interrogation system in "Active-N"

古高 和禎; 大図 章; 藤 暢輔

Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 55(11), p.4002 - 4018, 2023/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2023.07.015

An integrated neutron interrogation system has been developed for non-destructive assay of highly radioactive special nuclear materials, to accumulate knowledge of the method through developing and using it. The system combines a differential die-away (DDA) measurement system for the quantification of nuclear materials and a prompt gamma-ray analysis (PGA) system for the detection of neutron poisons which disturb the DDA measurements; a common D-T neutron generator is used. A special care has been taken for the selection of materials to reduce the background gamma rays produced by the interrogation neutrons. A series of measurements were performed to test the basic performance of the system. The results show that the DDA system can quantify plutonium of as small as 20~mg and it is not affected by intense neutron background up to 4.2~TBq and gamma ray of 2.2~TBq. As a result of the designing of the combined system as a whole, the gamma-ray background counting rate at the PGA detector was reduced down to s even with the use of the D-T neutron generator. The test measurements show that the PGA system is capable of detecting less than 1~g of boron compound and about 100~g of gadolinium compound in~30 min. This research was implemented under the subsidy for nuclear security promotion of MEXT.