Evaluation of tensile and creep properties on 9Cr-ODS steel claddings

Yano, Yasuhide; Hashidate, Ryuta; Tanno, Takashi; Imagawa, Yuya; Kato, Shoichi; Onizawa, Takashi; Ito, Chikara; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Otsuka, Satoshi; Kaito, Takeji

JAEA-Data/Code 2021-015, 64 Pages, 2022/01

JAEA-Data-Code-2021-015.pdf:2.6MB

From a view point of practical application of fast breeder reactor cycles, which takes advantage of safety and economic efficiency and makes a contribution of volume reduction and mitigation of degree of harmfulness of high-level radioactive waste, it is necessary to develop fuel cladding materials for fast reactors (FRs) in order to achieve high-burnup. Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel have been studied for use as potential fuel cladding materials in FRs owing to their excellent resistance to swelling and their high-temperature strength in Japan Atomic Energy Agency. It is very important to establish the materials strength standard in order to apply ODS steels as a fuel cladding. Therefore, it is necessary to acquire the mechanical properties such as tensile, creep rupture strength tests and so on. In this study, tensile and creep rupture strengths of 9Cr-ODS steel claddings were evaluated using by acquired these data. Because of the phase transformation temperature of 9Cr-ODS steel, temperature range for the evaluation was divided into two ones at AC1 transformation temperature of 850C.

Measurement of niobium reaction rate for material surveillance tests in fast reactors

Ito, Chikara; Maeda, Shigetaka; Inoue, Toshihiko; Tomita, Hideki*; Iguchi, Tetsuo*

Radiation Protection, 40(6), p.491 - 495, 2020/11

A highly accurate and precise technique for measurement of the Nb(n,n')Nb reaction rate was established for the material surveillance tests, etc. in fast reactors. The self-absorption effect on the measurement of the characteristic X-rays emitted by Nb was decreased by the solution and evaporation to dryness of niobium dosimeter. A highly precise count of the number of Nb atoms was obtained by measuring the niobium solution concentration using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. X-rays of Nb were measured accurately by means of comparing the X-ray intensity of irradiated niobium solution with that of the solution in which stable Nb was added. The difference between both intensities indicates the effect of Ta, which is generated from an impurity tantalum, and the intensity of X-rays from Nb was evaluated. Measurement error of the Nb(n,n')Nb reaction rate was reduced to be less than 4%, which was equivalent to the other reaction rate errors of dosimeters used for Joyo dosimetry. In addition, an advanced technique using Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry was proposed for the precise measurement of Nb yield, and Nb will be resonance-ionized selectively by discriminating the hyperfine splitting of the atomic energy levels between Nb and Nb at high resolution.

Development of remote sensing technique using radiation resistant optical fibers under high-radiation environment

Ito, Chikara; Naito, Hiroyuki; Ishikawa, Takashi; Ito, Keisuke; Wakaida, Ikuo

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 24, p.011038_1 - 011038_6, 2019/01

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.24.011038

A high-radiation resistant optical fiber has been developed in order to investigate the interiors of the reactor pressure vessels and the primary containment vessels at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The tentative dose rate in the reactor pressure vessels is assumed to be up to 1 kGy/h. We developed a radiation resistant optical fiber consisting of a 1000 ppm hydroxyl doped pure silica core and 4 % fluorine doped pure silica cladding. We attempted to apply the optical fiber to remote imaging technique by means of fiberscope. The number of core image fibers was increased from 2000 to 22000 for practical use. The transmissive rate of infrared images was not affected after irradiation of 1 MGy. No change in the spatial resolution of the view scope by means of image fiber was noted between pre- and post-irradiation. We confirmed the applicability of the probing system, which consists of a view scope using radiation-resistant optical fibers.

Ultrasensitive resonance ionization mass spectrometer for evaluating krypton contamination in xenon dark matter detectors

Iwata, Yoshihiro; Sekiya, Hiroyuki*; Ito, Chikara

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 797, p.64 - 69, 2015/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2015.06.037

An ultrasensitive resonance ionization mass spectrometer that can be applied to evaluate krypton (Kr) contamination in xenon (Xe) dark matter detectors has been developed for measuring Kr at the parts-per-trillion (ppt) or sub-ppt level in Xe. The gas sample is introduced without any condensation into a time-of-flight mass spectrometer through a pulsed supersonic valve. Using a nanosecond pulsed laser at 212.6 nm, Kr atoms in the sample are resonantly ionized along with other Kr isotopes. Kr ions are then mass separated and detected by the mass spectrometer in order to measure the Kr impurity concentration. With our current setup, approximately 0.4 ppt of Kr impurities contained in pure argon (Ar) gas are detectable with a measurement time of 1,000 s. Although Kr detection sensitivity in Xe is expected to be approximately half of that in Ar, our spectrometer can evaluate Kr contamination in Xe to the sub-ppt level.

Reactor antineutrino monitoring with a plastic scintillator array as a new safeguards method

Oguri, Shugo*; Kuroda, Yasuhiro*; Kato, Yo*; Nakata, Ryoko*; Inoue, Yoshizumi*; Ito, Chikara; Minowa, Makoto*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 757, p.33 - 39, 2014/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2014.04.065

We developed a segmented reactor antineutrino detector made of plastic scintillators for the nuclear safeguard application and demonstrate almost unmanned field operation at a commercial power plant reactor. We observed the difference of the reactor antineutrino flux with the reactor ON and OFF above the ground outside the reactor building.

Development of radiation-resistant optical fiber for application to observation and laser spectroscopy under high radiation dose

Ito, Chikara; Naito, Hiroyuki; Nishimura, Akihiko; Oba, Hironori; Wakaida, Ikuo; Sugiyama, Akira; Chiyatani, Keiji

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 51(7-8), p.944 - 950, 2014/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2014.924883

In the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, it is necessary to survey the locations and conditions of fuel debris inside reactor pressure vessels or primary containment vessels under water and radiation environment in preparation for removing fuel debris. An optical fiber is well known for features such as signal transmission, light weight, superior insulation performance, water resistance and electromagnetic noise resistance. These features allow the optical fiber to simplify the instrumentation systems for in-vessel inspection, as long as provide that the optical fiber can be used under high radiation dose environment. The radiation resistance of an optical fiber was improved by increasing the amount of hydroxyl up to 1000 ppm in pure silica fiber. The improved optical fibers were irradiated with -ray up to 1 10 Gy using a Co source. They indicated a large peak around 600 nm and a peak tail from ultraviolet region, but no large absorption in infrared region except a hydroxyl absorption peak of 945 nm. We have confirmed that the optical fiber containing 1000 ppm hydroxyl has enough radiation resistance for radiation induced transmission losses and the infrared imaging is effective for observation under high radiation doses.

Performance evaluation of a resonance ionization mass spectrometer developed for the FFDL system of fast reactors

Iwata, Yoshihiro; Ito, Chikara; Harano, Hideki*; Iguchi, Tetsuo*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 51(4), p.465 - 475, 2014/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2014.874960

To prevent a fuel failure event from becoming a serious radiation accident, sodium-cooled fast reactors are equipped with a system for failed fuel detection and location (FFDL). The FFDL instrument employed in the prototype fast breeder reactor Monju is based on the gas tagging method, in which precise and accurate measurements of krypton and xenon isotope ratios (Kr/Kr, Kr/Kr and Xe/Xe) must be performed in a short time. Burnup measurements also contribute to accurate determination of Kr/Kr. We have developed a highly sensitive resonance ionization mass spectrometer for the isotopic analyses, which uses resonance ionization of Kr and Xe atoms by a pulsed laser at wavelengths of 216.7 nm and 249.6 nm, respectively. In evaluating the performance of our spectrometer, we find that systematic errors caused by isotope shifts can be reduced to negligible levels, and that statistical errors of 3% at a nuclide concentration of 7 ppt can be achieved with a single measurement time of about 40 minutes for each Kr and Xe isotope ratio. This means that, within one hour, about 200 fuel assemblies can be individually identified with a probability of 99%, verifying the applicability of our spectrometer to the FFDL system of fast reactors.

Research for spectroscopy of fuel debris using superconducting phase transition edge sensor microcalorimeter; Measurement experiment and simulated calculation (Joint research)

Takasaki, Koji; Yasumune, Takashi; Onishi, Takashi; Nakamura, Keisuke; Ishimi, Akihiro; Ito, Chikara; Osaka, Masahiko; Ono, Masashi*; Hatakeyama, Shuichi*; Takahashi, Hiroyuki*; et al.

JAEA-Research 2013-043, 33 Pages, 2014/01

JAEA-Research-2013-043.pdf:13.81MB

In the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, it is assumed that the core fuels melted partially or wholly, and the normal technique of accounting for a fuel assembly is not applicable. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the transparent and rational technique of accounting in the process of collection and storage of fuel debris. In this research, an application of the superconducting phase Transition Edge Sensor microcalorimeter (TES microcalorimeter) is studied for the accounting of nuclear materials in the fuel debris. It is expected that the detailed information of nuclear materials and fission products in fuel debris is obtained by using a high-resolution characteristic of TES microcalorimeter. In this report, the principle of TES microcalorimeter, the measurement experiment using TES in JAEA, and the simulated calculation using the EGS5 code system are summarized.

Development of 3D reconstruction technology using captured images; Study of matching method and preliminary examination

Kamiji, Yu; Akai, Naoki*; Ozaki, Koichi*; Ito, Chikara

JAEA-Research 2013-018, 18 Pages, 2013/11

JAEA-Research-2013-018.pdf:2.1MB

Preliminary examination of image processing was conducted using existing reactor inside images through a fiber scope in order to confirm applicability of 3D-mapping in a reactor as a part of development of 3D-measurement technology. The Upright SURF (Speeded Up Robust Features) was used to find corresponding points between two captured images. In case of images showing many similar textures or lack of texture, it was difficult to find corresponding points using SURF only. By coupling with a canny algorithm to detect edges of the inside structure, it was found that 3D-structure could be measured for rectilinear objects. Also, image acquisition model was examined in order to clarify camera specs.

A Mobile antineutrino detector with plastic scintillators

Kuroda, Yasuhiro*; Oguri, Shugo*; Kato, Yo*; Nakata, Ryoko*; Inoue, Yoshizumi*; Ito, Chikara; Minowa, Makoto*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 690, p.41 - 47, 2012/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2012.06.040

We propose a new type segmented antineutrino detector made of plastic scintillators for the nuclear safeguard application. A small prototype was built and tested to measure background events. A satisfactory unmanned field operation of the detector system was demonstrated. Besides, a detailed Monte Carlo simulation code was developed to estimate the antineutrino detection efficiency of the detector.