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Iwasawa, Yuzuru; Shibamoto, Yasuteru; Maruyama, Yu
Nuclear Engineering and Design, 446(Part B), p.114599_1 - 114599_16, 2026/01
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Nuclear Science & Technology)Yanagisawa, Hiroshi; Motome, Yuiko
JAEA-Research 2025-010, 197 Pages, 2025/11
JAEA-Research-2025-010.pdf:3.5MB
For understandings of nuclear criticality risks of TRIGA fuel rods and review of safety measures for handling them, nuclear criticality characteristics for infinite and finite heterogeneous lattice systems composed of the NSRR fuel rods were re-evaluated with the use of a detailed computational model for the fuel rod. The MVP version 3 code was used with the JENDL libraries including the latest version, JENDL-5, for the re-evaluation. As the criticality characteristics, variations of neutron multiplication factors of the infinite and water-reflected finite systems were examined in detail with parameters of the lattice pitch and density of moderator water. From the results of the re-evaluated criticality characteristics, the minimum critical number of fuel rods for the water-reflected hexagonal shaped lattice system was obtained to be 46.8 
0.2 using the JENDL-5 library. Moreover, the attainability of criticality without the water as moderator and reflector was examined because the zirconium hydride moderator and graphite reflector are equipped with the TRIGA fuel rod. It was found that the criticality is possible to be attained by 115.7 0.6 of the number of fuel rods, which is the smaller number of fuel rods than loaded in the NSRR standard core, even though no water exists.
Zhang, H.*; Umehara, Yutaro*; Horiguchi, Naoki; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Eto, Atsuro*; Mori, Shoji*
Energy, 335, p.138090_1 - 138090_18, 2025/10
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Thermodynamics)Nuclear power is a key low-carbon energy source for a carbon-neutral future. In boiling water reactors (BWRs), steam-water annular flow near fuel rods is crucial for reactor safety, but its high-temperature, high-pressure conditions (285
C, 7 MPa) make direct measurement challenges. To address this, we used an HFC134a-ethanol system at lower conditions (40C, 0.7 MPa) to simulate BWR annular flow. Using a high-speed camera and the constant electric current method, we analyzed liquid-film characteristics, wave velocity and frequency. We also examined surface tension and interfacial shear stress effects. Furthermore, we proposed a new correlation for base film thickness.
Engineering Services Department, Nuclear Science Research Institute
JAEA-Review 2025-018, 83 Pages, 2025/09
JAEA-Review-2025-018.pdf:4.99MB
The Engineering Services Department is in charge of operation and maintenance of utility facilities (water distribution systems, electricity supply systems, steam generation systems and drain water systems etc.) in whole of the institute. And also is in charge of operation and maintenance of specific systems (power receiving and transforming facilities, an emergency electric power supply system, an air/liquid waste treatment system, a compressed air supply system) in nuclear reactor facilities, nuclear fuel material usage facilities and usual facilities or buildings. In addition, the department is in charge of maintenance of buildings, design and repair of electrical/mechanical equipment. This annual report describes summary of activities, operation and maintenance data and technical developments of the department carried out in JFY 2023. We hope that this report may help to future work.
Iwasawa, Yuzuru; Matsumoto, Toshinori; Moriyama, Kiyofumi*
JAEA-Data/Code 2025-001, 199 Pages, 2025/06
JAEA-Data-Code-2025-001.pdf:9.71MB
A steam explosion is defined as a phenomenon that occurs when a hot liquid comes into contact with a low-temperature cold liquid with volatile properties. The rapid transfer of heat from the hot liquid to the cold liquid results in a chain reaction of the explosive vaporization of the cold liquid and fine fragmentation of the hot liquid. The explosive vaporization of the cold liquid initiates the propagation of shock waves in the cold liquid. The expansion of the hot and cold liquid mixture exerts mechanical forces on the surrounding structures. In severe accidents of light water reactors, the molten core (melt) is displaced into the coolant water, resulting in fuel-coolant interactions (FCIs). The explosive FCI, referred to as a steam explosion, has been identified as a significant safety assessment issue as it can compromise the integrity of the primary containment vessel. The JASMINE code is an analytical tool developed to evaluate the mechanical forces imposed by steam explosions in nuclear reactors. It performs numerical simulations of steam explosions in a mechanistic manner. The present report describes modeling concepts, basic equations, numerical solutions, and example simulations, as well as instructions for input preparation, code execution, and the use of supporting tools for practical purpose. The present report is the updated version of the "Steam Explosion Simulation Code JASMINE v.3 User's Guide, JAEA-Data/ Code 2008-014". The present report was compiled and updated based on the latest version of the code, JASMINE 3.3c, with corrections for minor errors of the distributed code JASMINE 3.3b, and conformance to recently widely used compilers on UNIX-like environments such as the GNU compiler. The numerical simulations described in the present report were obtained using the latest version JASMINE 3.3c. The latest parameter adjustment method for a model parameter proposed by the previous study is employed to conduct the numerical simulations.
Katsumura, Kosuke*; Takagi, Junichi*; Miyahara, Naoya*; Uchida, Shunsuke*; Koma, Yoshikazu; Karasawa, Hidetoshi; Miwa, Shuhei; Satou, Yukihiko; Nagai, Haruyasu; Kurata, Masaki; et al.
Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO
, 67(2), p.128 - 132, 2025/02
no abstracts in English
Kosaka, Wataru; Uchibori, Akihiro; Watanabe, Akira*; Shiina, Yoshimi*
Proceedings of 10th Workshop on Computational Fluid Dynamics for Nuclear Reactor Safety (CFD4NRS-10) (Internet), 12 Pages, 2025/00
Togasaki, Shun*; Jang, S.*; Kosaka, Wataru; Uchibori, Akihiro; Okano, Yasushi
Proceedings of 13th Korea-Japan Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS13) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2024/11
Ono, Ayako; Sakashita, Hiroto*; Yamashita, Susumu; Suzuki, Takayuki*; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 11(4), p.24-00188_1 - 24-00188_12, 2024/07
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) is developing the evaluation method for a two-phase flow in the reactor core using simulation codes based on the Volume Of Fluid (VOF) method. JAEA started developing a Simplified Boiling Model (SBM) for the large-scale two-phase flow in the fuel assemblies. In the SBM, the motion and growth equations of the bubble are solved to obtain their diameter and time length at the detachment, of which size scale is within/around the calculation grid size of the numerical simulation. JUPITER calculates the bubble behavior with a scale of more than several 
m. In this study, the convection boiling on a vertical heating surface is simulated using the developed SBM. The comparison between the simulation and experimental results showed good reproducibility of the heat flux and velocity dependency on the passage period of the bubble.
4 simulated fuel bundle for validation of thermal-hydraulics simulation codesOno, Ayako; Nagatake, Taku; Uesawa, Shinichiro; Shibata, Mitsuhiko; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Proceedings of Specialist Workshop on Advanced Instrumentation and Measurement Techniques for Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics and Severe Accidents (SWINTH-2024) (USB Flash Drive), 7 Pages, 2024/06
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) is developing a neutronics/thermal-hydraulics coupling simulation code for light-water reactors. Thermal-hydraulic simulation codes applied to the coupling code are expected to calculate the void fraction distribution in a rod bundle under operational conditions, which are necessary for neutron transport simulation, and need to be validated using void fraction distribution data in a rod bundle under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. Therefore, we have conducted the measurement of the instantaneous void distribution in the 4 4 simulated fuel bundle using a developed wire mesh sensor, which is installed in the pressurized two-phase flow experimental loop of JAEA to obtain the data for code validation.
Zablackaite, G.; Shiotsu, Hiroyuki; Kido, Kentaro; Sugiyama, Tomoyuki
Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 56(2), p.536 - 545, 2024/02
Times Cited Count：2 Percentile：47.49(Nuclear Science & Technology)Katsumura, Kosuke*; Takagi, Junichi*; Hosomi, Kenji*; Miyahara, Naoya*; Koma, Yoshikazu; Imoto, Jumpei; Karasawa, Hidetoshi; Miwa, Shuhei; Shiotsu, Hiroyuki; Hidaka, Akihide*; et al.
Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 65(11), p.674 - 679, 2023/11
no abstracts in English
Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Horiguchi, Naoki; Furuichi, Hajime*; Katono, Kenichi*
Proceedings of 30th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE30) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2023/05
Kubo, Kotaro; Jang, S.*; Takata, Takashi*; Yamaguchi, Akira*
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(4), p.359 - 373, 2023/04
Times Cited Count：11 Percentile：79.80(Nuclear Science & Technology)Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) is an essential approach to improving the safety of nuclear power plants. However, this method includes certain difficulties, such as modeling of combinations of multiple hazards. Seismic-induced flooding scenario includes several core damage sequences, i.e., core damage caused by earthquake, flooding, and combination of earthquake and flooding. The flooding fragility is time-dependent as the flooding water propagates from the water source such as a tank to compartments. Therefore, dynamic PRA should be used to perform a realistic risk analysis and quantification. This study analyzed the risk of seismic-induced flooding events by coupling seismic, flooding, and thermal-hydraulics simulations, considering the dependency between multiple hazards explicitly. For requirements of safety improvement, especially in light of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, sensitivity analysis was performed on the seismic capacity of systems, and the effectiveness of alternative steam generator injection by a portable pump was estimated. We demonstrate the use of this simulation-based dynamic PRA methodology to evaluate the risk induced by a combination of hazards.
pellet in molten Zr claddingIto, Ayumi*; Yamashita, Susumu; Tasaki, Yudai; Kakiuchi, Kazuo; Kobayashi, Yoshinao*
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(4), p.450 - 459, 2023/04
Times Cited Count：0 Percentile：0.00(Nuclear Science & Technology)Yamamoto, Tomohiko; Kato, Atsushi; Hayakawa, Masato; Shimoyama, Kazuhito; Ara, Kuniaki; Hatakeyama, Nozomu*; Yamauchi, Kanau*; Eda, Yuhei*; Yui, Masahiro*
Proceedings of 2023 International Congress on Advanced in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2023) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2023/04
Ono, Ayako; Sakashita, Hiroto*; Yamashita, Susumu; Suzuki, Takayuki*; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Proceedings of 12th Japan-Korea Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS12) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2022/10
The new prediction method of critical heat flux (CHF) of the fuel assemblies based on the mechanism is proposed in this study. The prediction method of CHF based on the mechanism has been needed for a long time to enhance the safety analysis and reduce the design cost. From several experimental findings of the liquid-vapor behavior near the heating surface from the nucleate boiling to the CHF, the authors consider that the macrolayer dryout model will be appropriate to predict the CHF under the reactor condition. The prediction method of the macrolayer thickness and the passage period of vapor mass in the fuel assemblies are needed to predict CHF from the macrolayer dryout model. In this study, the CHF under the forced convection is evaluated by combining the prediction methods for the macrolayer thickness and passage period of vapor mass, which are proposed by authors. The prediction of the CHF under the forced convection is examined and compared with the experimental data.
Ono, Ayako; Yamashita, Susumu; Sakashita, Hiroto*; Suzuki, Takayuki*; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Proceedings of 13th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics, Operation and Safety (NUTHOS-13) (Internet), 12 Pages, 2022/09
Japan Atomic Energy Agency is developing the computational fluid dynamics code, JUPITER, based on the volume of fluid (VOF) method to analyze detailed thermal-hydraulics in a reactor. The detailed numerical simulation of boiling from a heating surface needs a substantial computational cost to resolve the microscale thermal-hydraulic phenomena such as the bubble generation from a cavity and evaporation of a micro-layer. This study developed the simplified boiling model from the heating surface to reduce the computational cost, which will apply to the detailed simulation code based on the surface tracking method such as JUPITER. We applied the simplified boiling model to JUPITER, and compared the simulation results with the experimental data of the vertical heating surface in the forced convection. We confirmed the degree of their reproducibility, and the issues to be modified were extracted.
Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Horiguchi, Naoki; Ono, Ayako; Furuichi, Hajime*; Katono, Kenichi*
Proceedings of 29th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 29) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2022/08
Ono, Ayako; Yamashita, Susumu; Sakashita, Hiroto*; Suzuki, Takayuki*; Yoshida, Hiroyuki
Dai-26-Kai Doryoku, Enerugi Gijutsu Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (Internet), 4 Pages, 2022/07
JAEA is implementing a simulation of a two-phase flow in the reactor core by TPFIT and JUPITER which are developed by JAEA based on the surface tracking method. However, it is impossible to simulate a boiling on the heating surface in the large-scale domain by this type of simulation method since the simulation of boiling based on the surface tracking method needs the fine mesh which sufficiently resolves the initiation of boiling. Therefore, JAEA started to develop the simplified boiling model applied for the two-phase flow in the fuel assemblies. In this study, the simulation results of the convection boiling on a vertical heating surface and the comparison between the simulation results and experimental results are shown.
