Pulsed muon facility of J-PARC MUSE

Shimomura, Koichiro*; Koda, Akihiro*; Pant, A. D.*; Sunagawa, Hikaru*; Fujimori, Hiroshi*; Umegaki, Izumi*; Nakamura, Jumpei*; Fujihara, Masayoshi; Tampo, Motonobu*; Kawamura, Naritoshi*; et al.

Interactions (Internet), 245(1), p.31_1 - 31_6, 2024/12

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10751-024-01863-8

Case study activities for nuclear security culture development in JAEA

Amano, Tsukasa; Shibata, Ryodai; Sato, Yoshiharu; Yamazaki, Katsuyuki; Shiromo, Hideo; Nakamura, Hironobu

Proceedings of INMM & ESARDA Joint Annual Meeting 2023 (Internet), 6 Pages, 2023/05

In Japan, about 10 years have passed since the law obligated nuclear operators to develop and maintain a nuclear security culture. During this period, the global nuclear situation has changed significantly, and it is becoming important to maintain a stance that emphasizes compliance with regulations and nuclear security culture. In JAEA, the policy of legal compliance and developing nuclear security culture is determined by the president of JAEA. For legal compliance and developing nuclear security culture, many activities are carried out based on that policy. Finally, these activities are evaluated and improved it every year. Case study is the one of activities that can obtain skills for legal compliance and developing nuclear security culture, such as sensitivity of nuclear security risks, correct understanding of the laws. The procedure for the case study was created with reference to a method called KY-Training which is often applied to safety training program in Japan. KY-Training is a training that participants (groups) can reach the conclusion how to respond to cases through four questions. Firstly, participants are given illustrations and descriptions which has potential of nuclear security risks. Then, participants make discussion according to four questions. Consequently, participants can effectively become aware of nuclear security risks. In the 2022 case study, we prepared 23 cases so that they can select choose freely according to role of participants such as in charge of nuclear security, guards, general employees. Finally, participants are asked to fill a questionnaire to evaluate effectiveness of case study. The result of questionnaires indicated that the case study was able to lead to improvement sensitivity of nuclear security risks and correct understanding of the laws. Overall, case study results suggested that JAEA's efforts were implying sufficiently to develop and maintain a nuclear security culture.

Direct energy conversion using Ni/SiC Schottky junction in Np and Am gamma ray regions

Fukuda, Tatsuo; Kobata, Masaaki; Shobu, Takahisa; Yoshii, Kenji; Kamiya, Junichiro; Iwamoto, Yosuke; Makino, Takahiro*; Yamazaki, Yuichi*; Oshima, Takeshi*; Shirai, Yasuhiro*; et al.

Journal of Applied Physics, 132(24), p.245102_1 - 245102_8, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0099136

Direct energy conversion has been investigated using Ni/SiC Schottky junctions with the irradiation of monochromatized synchrotron X-rays simulating the gamma rays of Np (30 keV) and Am (60 keV). From current-voltage measurements, electrical energies were obtained for both kinds of gamma rays. The energy conversion efficiencies were found to reach up to 1.6%, which is comparable to those of a few other semiconducting systems reported thus far. This result shows a possibility of energy recovery from nuclear wastes using the present system, judging from the radiation tolerant nature of SiC. Also, we found different conversion efficiencies between the two samples. This could be understandable from hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy measurements, suggesting the formation of Ni-Si compounds at the interface in the sample with a poor performance. Hence, such combined measurements are useful to provide information that cannot be obtained by electrical measurements alone.

Design and actual performance of J-PARC 3 GeV rapid cycling synchrotron for high-intensity operation

Yamamoto, Kazami; Kinsho, Michikazu; Hayashi, Naoki; Saha, P. K.; Tamura, Fumihiko; Yamamoto, Masanobu; Tani, Norio; Takayanagi, Tomohiro; Kamiya, Junichiro; Shobuda, Yoshihiro; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(9), p.1174 - 1205, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2038301

In the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex, the purpose of the 3 GeV rapid cycling synchrotron (RCS) is to accelerate a 1 MW, high-intensity proton beam. To achieve beam operation at a repetition rate of 25 Hz at high intensities, the RCS was elaborately designed. After starting the RCS operation, we carefully verified the validity of its design and made certain improvements to establish a reliable operation at higher power as possible. Consequently, we demonstrated beam operation at a high power, namely, 1 MW. We then summarized the design, actual performance, and improvements of the RCS to achieve a 1 MW beam.

Efforts of procurement and quality managements for physical protection system in JAEA

Shibata, Ryodai; Yamazaki, Katsuyuki; Yamada, Hiroyuki; Miyaji, Noriko; Nakamura, Hironobu

Dai-42-Kai Nihon Kaku Busshitsu Kanri Gakkai Nenji Taikai Kaigi Rombunshu (Internet), 4 Pages, 2021/11

Physical protection systems (PPS) operated for security in nuclear facilities uses computer-controlled systems. If malicious peoples change program or install computer virus to PPS, they are invalidated. Due to insufficient surveillance etc., and then unauthorized removal and sabotage may be caused. This paper introduces efforts of necessary procurement and quality managements etc., for decreasing there affect, and their details.

Improved performance of wide bandwidth neutron-spin polarizer due to ferromagnetic interlayer exchange coupling

Maruyama, Ryuji; Yamazaki, Dai; Aoki, Hiroyuki; Akutsu, Kazuhiro*; Hanashima, Takayasu*; Miyata, Noboru*; Soyama, Kazuhiko; Bigault, T.*; Saerbeck, T.*; Courtois, P.*

Journal of Applied Physics, 130(8), p.083904_1 - 083904_10, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0062072

Dependence of charge-exchange efficiency on cooling water temperature of a beam transport line

Yamamoto, Kazami; Hatakeyama, Shuichiro; Saha, P. K.; Moriya, Katsuhiro; Okabe, Kota; Yoshimoto, Masahiro; Nakanoya, Takamitsu; Fujirai, Kosuke; Yamazaki, Yoshio; Suganuma, Kazuaki

EPJ Techniques and Instrumentation (Internet), 8(1), p.9_1 - 9_9, 2021/07

https://doi.org/10.1140/epjti/s40485-021-00067-6

The 3 GeV Rapid Cycling Synchrotron at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex supplies a high-intensity proton beam for neutron experiments. Various parameters are monitored to achieve a stable operation, and it was found that the oscillations of the charge-exchange efficiency and cooling water temperature were synchronized. We evaluated the orbit fluctuations at the injection point using a beam current of the injection dump, which is proportional to the number of particles that miss the foil and fail in the charge exchange, and profile of the injection beam. The total width of the fluctuations was approximately 0.072 mm. This value is negligible from the user operation viewpoint as our existing beam position monitors cannot detect such a small signal deviation. This displacement corresponds to a 1.6310 variation in the dipole magnetic field. Conversely, the magnetic field variation in the L3BT dipole magnet, which was estimated by the temperature change directly, is 4.0810. This result suggested that the change in the cooling water temperature is one of the major causes of the efficiency fluctuation.

Pore distribution of compacted Ca-montmorillonite using NMR relaxometry and cryoporometry; Comparison with Na-montmorillonite

Okubo, Takahiro*; Yamazaki, Akio*; Fukatsu, Yuta; Tachi, Yukio

Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 313, p.110841_1 - 110841_11, 2021/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micromeso.2020.110841

Pore distributions in water-saturated Ca-montmorillonite were investigated using H NMR measurements under various dry densities (0.8 - 1.6 g/cm) and porewater salinity conditions (deionized water, 0.1 and 1 M CaCl), at the temperature range of 233 - 303 K. The volume fractions of the interlayer pore including two and three hydrated layers and the non-interlayer pore in compacted Ca-montmorillonite were quantified by NMR relaxometry including and distribution analysis, and were compared with NMR cryoporometry and X-ray diffractometry. These analysis provided consistent pictures on the pore distributions in compacted Ca-montmorillonite, in contrast to Na-montmorillonite. The main factor affecting the pore distribution in compacted Ca- and Na-montmorillonite is the density, whereas the effect of porewater salinity is relatively smaller. The effect of interlayer cations is also relatively smaller at higher density, although the differences in the pore structures are significant at low density.

Fine-structure analysis of perhydropolysilazane-derived nano layers in deep-buried condition using polarized neutron reflectometry

Akutsu, Kazuhiro*; Kira, Hiroshi*; Miyata, Noboru*; Hanashima, Takayasu*; Miyazaki, Tsukasa*; Kasai, Satoshi*; Yamazaki, Dai; Soyama, Kazuhiko; Aoki, Hiroyuki

Polymers (Internet), 12(10), p.2180_1 - 2180_10, 2020/10

https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12102180

Spallation and fragmentation cross sections for 168 MeV/nucleon Xe ions on proton, deuteron, and carbon targets

Sun, X. H.*; Wang, H.*; Otsu, Hideaki*; Sakurai, Hiroyoshi*; Ahn, D. S.*; Aikawa, Masayuki*; Fukuda, Naoki*; Isobe, Tadaaki*; Kawakami, Shunsuke*; Koyama, Shumpei*; et al.

Physical Review C, 101(6), p.064623_1 - 064623_12, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.101.064623

The spallation and fragmentation reactions of Xe induced by proton, deuteron and carbon at 168 MeV/nucleon were studied at RIKEN Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory via the inverse kinematics technique. The cross sections of the lighter products are larger in the carbon-induced reactions due to the higher total kinetic energy of carbon. The energy dependence was investigated by comparing the newly obtained data with previous results obtained at higher reaction energies. The experimental data were compared with the results of SPACS, EPAX, PHITS and DEURACS calculations. These data serve as benchmarks for the model calculations.