Quasi-Monte Carlo sampling method for simulation-based dynamic probabilistic risk assessment of nuclear power plants

Kubo, Kotaro; Jang, S.*; Takata, Takashi*; Yamaguchi, Akira*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(3), p.357 - 367, 2022/03

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2021.1971119

Dynamic probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), which handles epistemic and aleatory uncertainties by coupling the thermal-hydraulics simulation and probabilistic sampling, enables a more realistic and detailed analysis than conventional PRA. However, enormous calculation costs are incurred by these improvements. One solution is to select an appropriate sampling method. In this paper, we applied the Monte Carlo, Latin hypercube, grid-point, and quasi-Monte Carlo sampling methods to the dynamic PRA of a station blackout sequence in a boiling water reactor and compared each method. The result indicated that quasi-Monte Carlo sampling method handles the uncertainties most effectively in the assumed scenario.

Research and development of the sample-return technique for fuel debris using the unmanned underwater vehicle (Contract research); FY2020 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology*

JAEA-Review 2021-049, 67 Pages, 2022/01

JAEA-Review-2021-049.pdf:7.54MB

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 FY2020, this report summarizes the research results of the "Research and development of the sample-return technique for fuel debris using the unmanned underwater vehicle" conducted in FY2020. The present study aims to develop a fuel debris sampling device that comprises a neutron detector with radiation resistance and enhanced neutron detection efficiency, an end-effector with powerful cutting and collection capabilities, and a manipulator under the Japan-UK joint research team. We will also develop a fuel debris sampling system that can be mounted on an unmanned vehicle. In addition, we will develop a positioning system to identify the system position, and a technique to project the counting information of optical cameras, sonar, and neutron detectors to be developed in this

Development of tailor-made adsorbents for uranium recovery from seawater on the basis of uranyl coordination chemistry (Contract research); FY2020 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Tokyo Institute of Technology*

JAEA-Review 2021-041, 42 Pages, 2022/01

JAEA-Review-2021-041.pdf:2.03MB

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 FY2019, this report summarizes the research results of the "Development of tailor-made adsorbents for uranium recovery from seawater on the basis of uranyl coordination chemistry" conducted in FY2020. On the basis of deep understanding on uranyl coordination chemistry, we design molecular structures of pentadentate ligands as functional moieties for uranium adsorption from seawater and study coordination chemistry of uranyl ion with those ligands in order to resolve current problems in uranium recovery technology from seawater and to develop novel selective and efficient adsorbents for this purpose.

Study on sodium-water reaction jet evaluation model based on engineering approaches with particle method

Kosaka, Wataru; Uchibori, Akihiro; Yanagisawa, Hideki*; Takata, Takashi; Jang, S.*

Nihon Kikai Gakkai Rombunshu (Internet), 88(905), p.21-00310_1 - 21-00310_9, 2022/01

https://doi.org/10.1299/transjsme.21-00310

If a pressurized water/water-vapor leaks from a heat transfer tube in a steam generator (SG) in a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), sodium-water reaction forms high-velocity, high-temperature, and corrosive jet. It would damage the other tubes and might propagate the tube failure in the SG. Thus, it is important to evaluate the effect of the tube failure propagation for safety assessment of SFR. The computational code LEAP-III can evaluate water leak rate during the tube failure propagation with short calculation time, since it consists of empirical formulae and one-dimensional equations of conservation. One of the empirical models, temperature distribution evaluation model, evaluates the temperature distribution in SG as circular arc isolines determined by experiments and preliminary analyses instead of complicated real distribution. In order to improve this model to get more realistic temperature distribution, we have developed the Lagrangian particle method based on engineering approaches. In this study, we have focused on evaluating gas flow in a tube bundle system, and constructed new models for the gas-particles behavior around a tube to evaluate void fraction distribution near the tube. Through the test analysis simulating one target tube system, we confirmed the capability of the models and next topic to improve the models.

Toward mechanistic evaluation of critical heat flux in nuclear reactors, 2; Recent studies and future challenges toward mechanistic and reliable CHF evaluation

Okawa, Tomio*; Mori, Shoji*; Liu, W.*; Ose, Yasuo*; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Ono, Ayako

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 63(12), p.820 - 824, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesjb.63.12_820

The evaluation method of the critical heat flux based on the mechanism is needed for the efficient design and development of fuel in reactors and the appropriate safety evaluation. In this paper, the current researches relating to the mechanism of the critical heat flux are reviewed, and the issue to be considered in the future are discussed.

Analysis of Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 pressure data and obtained insights on accident progression behavior

Sato, Ikken

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 383, p.111426_1 - 111426_19, 2021/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2021.111426

Annual report of Engineering Services Department on JFY2019

Engineering Services Department

JAEA-Review 2021-011, 86 Pages, 2021/08

JAEA-Review-2021-011.pdf:5.35MB

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 treatment facilities and usual facilities or buildings. In addition, the department is in charge of maintenance of buildings, design and repair of electrical/mechanical equipments. This annual report describes summary of activities, operation and maintenance data and technical developments of the department carried out in JFY 2019. We hope that this report may help to future work.

Calculation of the amount of leaching water from concrete-pit facilities under various facility design conditions

Nagao, Rina; Namekawa, Maki*; Totsuka, Masayoshi*; Nakata, Hisakazu; Sakai, Akihiro

JAEA-Technology 2021-009, 139 Pages, 2021/06

JAEA-Technology-2021-009.pdf:13.96MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency is the implementing body of the near surface disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) generated from research facilities and other facilities. Concrete-pit disposal are considered as a method of disposing of the LLW. Since the concrete-pits are placed at deeper position than the groundwater level, we need to consider that radionuclides might migrate with the flow of groundwater. Accordingly, in order to explain the safety of the concrete-pit disposal facility, it is necessary to investigate the flow of groundwater and the volumetric flow rate of leaching water from the facility. Therefore, in this report, sensitivity analysis of the volumetric flow rate of leaching water from concrete-pit was carried out by varying the permeability of cover-soil filled with in outside of the lateral sides of the bentonite mixed soil (BMS) and the conditions of the BMS on the upper part of the concrete-pits. As a result of the analysis, when the BMS is normal condition, the volumetric flow rate of leaching water from the concrete-pits is reduced by lowering permeability of the lateral cover-soil. However, in the case of occurring the deterioration of the function of BMS on the upper part of the concrete-pit, significant reduction of the volumetric flow rate of leaching water is not seen even if the permeability of the lateral cover-soil is lowered. Therefore, taking into consideration the possibility of the deterioration of the function of BMS on the upper part of the concrete-pit, it is necessary to consider that cover-soil with low permeability is equipped on the upper part of the BMS.

Leaching behavior of radionuclides from samples prepared from spent fuel rod comparable to core debris in the 1F NPS

Onishi, Takashi; Maeda, Koji; Katsuyama, Kozo

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 58(4), p.383 - 398, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2020.1822943

A Project focusing on the contamination mechanism of concrete after the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Yamada, Kazuo*; Maruyama, Ippei*; Haga, Kazuko*; Igarashi, Go*; Aihara, Haruka; Tomita, Sayuri*; Kiran, R.*; Osawa, Norihisa*; Shibata, Atsuhiro; Shibuya, Kazutoshi*; et al.

Proceedings of International Waste Management Symposia 2021 (WM 2021) (CD-ROM), 10 Pages, 2021/03