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Kawaguchi, Koichi; Segawa, Tomoomi; Ishii, Katsunori
Funtai Kogakkai-Shi, 59(6), p.283 - 290, 2022/06
In the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, in order to effectively use the out-of-standard pellets in the fuel manufacturing process for high-speed furnaces, we are developing techniques for crushing and reusing them with raw material powder. By analyzing in detail the particle size distribution before and after grinding, it was shown that the grinding powder is composed of three different component particles having different characteristics of the particle size distribution. In addition, we examined the method of predicting pulverized powder particle size distribution from the supply powder particle size distribution.
Segawa, Tomoomi; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Ishii, Katsunori; Suzuki, Masahiro; Tachihara, Joji; Takato, Kiyoto; Okita, Takatoshi; Satone, Hiroshi*; Suzuki, Michitaka*
Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 8(3), p.21-00022_1 - 21-00022_9, 2021/06
To reduce the hold-up of the nuclear fuel materials in the glove box and the external exposure dose, the technology of the MOX powder adhesion prevention by the nanoparticle coating to the acrylic panels of the glove box has been developed. The surface analysis by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that the acrylic test piece surface coated with nanoparticles had a higher root mean square roughness value than that non-coated with nanoparticles. Due to the formation of nano-sized tiny rugged surface, the nanoparticle coating reduced the minimum adhesion force between the UO
particles and the acrylic test piece surface with the smallest particle size of about 5 
m where desorption was observed, by about one-tenth. Moreover, the nanoparticle coating reduced the amount of the MOX powder adhering to the acrylic test piece to about one-tenth. In this study, it was found that applying the nanoparticle coating to the acrylic panels of glove box can prevent the adhesion of nuclear fuel materials. This method is effective for reducing the hold-up of the nuclear fuel materials in the glove box, the external exposure dose and improving the visibility of the acrylic panels.
Yamamoto, Kazuya; Makino, Takayoshi; Iso, Hidetoshi; Segawa, Tomoomi; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Ishii, Katsunori
JAEA-Technology 2021-002, 31 Pages, 2021/05
JAEA-Technology-2021-002.pdf:4.37MB
In the MOX fuel fabrication process, a dry recycle technology has been developed to effectively utilize dry recovered powder obtained by crushing out of specification MOX pellets. The particle size of the dry recovery powder is divided into three classes; coarse size (about 250 m or less), medium size (about 100 m or less), and fine size (about 10 m or less) by the current crushers, and the effect of controlling the density of sintered pellets is obtained to a certain extent by adding the dry recovered powder to the raw powder. In this report, with the aim of more finely adjusting the particle size of the dry recovery powder, a buhrstone mill and a collision plate-type jet mill were selected as grinders that can adjust the dry recovered powder within a particle size range of 250 m or less, and the particle size adjustment test was conducted to pulverize the tungsten-carbide-cobalt (WC-Co) pellets as a simulated material for the MOX pellets. The buhrstone mill can control the particle size within a certain range by adjusting the grindstone clearance, but particles with a particle size of 250 m or more may be discharged. On the contrary, it is expected that the particle size of the collision plate-type jet mill can be controlled in the range of 250 m or less by adjusting the classification zone clearance. Therefore, the collision plate-type jet mill is more suitable for adjusting the particle size of the dry recovered powder than the buhrstone mill.
Segawa, Tomoomi; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Ishii, Katsunori; Suzuki, Masahiro; Fukasawa, Tomonori*; Fukui, Kunihiro*
Funtai Kogakkai-Shi, 57(9), p.485 - 494, 2020/09
In the spent fuel reprocessing process, a mixed solution of uranyl nitrate and plutonium nitrate is converted into mixed oxide powder by the microwave heating. To evaluate the applicability to the industrial-scale and acquire the characteristics data of the microwave heating denitration of various metal nitrate aqueous solutions based on the knowledge studied in the development of laboratory-scale basic experiments, the microwave heating characteristics and metal oxide powder properties were investigated using cerium nitrate, cobalt nitrate and copper nitrate aqueous solutions. The progress rate of the denitration reaction was depended on the position, and the denitration reaction proceeded faster at the periphery than at the center. The morphologies of the synthesized products were porous and hard dry solid with cerium nitrate aqueous solution, foamed dry solid with cobalt nitrate aqueous solution, and powdery particles with copper nitrate aqueous solution. The denitration ratio and average particle size of the synthesized products increased in the order of the cerium nitrate aqueous solution, the cobalt nitrate aqueous solution, and the copper nitrate aqueous solution. The numerical simulations revealed that the periphery of the bottom surface of the metal nitrate aqueous solution was heated by microwaves. This results consistent with the experimental results in which the denitration reaction started from the periphery of the metal nitrate aqueous solution.
Kawaguchi, Koichi; Segawa, Tomoomi; Yamamoto, Kazuya; Makino, Takayoshi; Iso, Hidetoshi; Ishii, Katsunori
Funtai Kogakkai-Shi, 57(9), p.478 - 484, 2020/09
A collision plate type jet mill is assumed to be a pulverizer that can control the particle size for nuclear fuel fabrication. The collision plate type jet mill consists of two modules, a classifier and a mill chamber. Coarse component of powder is cycled in the equipment and finally pulverized into objective particle size. In this report, simulated crushed powders were classified and pulverized step by step, and particle size distribution were compared. The collision plate type jet mil can produce objective size particles with low overgrinding.
Segawa, Tomoomi; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Ishii, Katsunori; Suzuki, Masahiro; Tachihara, Joji; Takato, Kiyoto; Okita, Takatoshi; Satone, Hiroshi*; Suzuki, Michitaka*
Proceedings of 2020 International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE 2020) (Internet), 6 Pages, 2020/08
To reduce the hold-up of the nuclear fuel materials in the glove box and the external exposure dose, the technology of the MOX powder adhesion prevention by the nanoparticle coating to the acrylic panels of the glove box has been developed. Due to the formation of nano-sized tiny rugged surface, the nanoparticle coating reduced the minimum adhesion force between the UO particles and the acrylic test piece surface with the smallest particle size of about 5 m where desorption was observed, by about one-tenth. Moreover, the nanoparticle coating reduced the amount of the MOX powder adhering to the acrylic test piece to about one-tenth. In this study, it was found that applying the nanoparticle coating to the acrylic panels of glove box can prevent the adhesion of nuclear fuel materials. This method is effective for reducing the hold-up of the nuclear fuel materials in the glove box, the external exposure dose and improving the visibility of the acrylic panels.
Segawa, Tomoomi; Yamamoto, Kazuya; Makino, Takayoshi; Iso, Hidetoshi; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Ishii, Katsunori; Sato, Hisato; Fukasawa, Tomonori*; Fukui, Kunihiro*
Proceedings of International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference / Light Water Reactor Fuel Performance Conference (Global/Top Fuel 2019) (USB Flash Drive), p.738 - 745, 2019/09
In the MOX fuel fabrication process, the dry grinding technology of mixed oxide pellets have been developed for the effective use of nuclear fuel materials. To develop a technology to control the particle size of dry recovered powder, the performance of the buhrstone mill and the collision plate type jet mill were studied using a simulated powder of particle size distribution about 500 m. We found that the particle size can be controlled at the range of about 250 m or less by both by adjusting the clearance between the grinding wheels of the buhrstone mill, and the clearance and elevation angle of the clarification zone of the collision plate type jet mill. And furthermore, the collision plate type jet mill is considered to be suitable for particle size control because the operating parameters of the classifier can be finely adjusted.
Segawa, Tomoomi; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Kato, Yoshiyuki; Ishii, Katsunori; Suzuki, Masahiro; Fujita, Shunya*; Kobayashi, Shohei*; Abe, Yutaka*; Kaneko, Akiko*; Yuasa, Tomohisa*
Proceedings of 2019 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2019) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2019/05
A solution of plutonium nitrate and uranyl nitrate is converted into a mixed oxide by microwave heating denitration method. In the present study, for improving the efficiency of microwave heating and achieving high-temperature uniformity to produce homogeneous UO
powder, the microwave heating test of potassium chloride and uranyl nitrate solution, and numerical simulation analysis were conducted. The potassium chloride agar was adjusted to the dielectric loss, which is close to that of the uranyl nitrate solution and the optimum support table height was estimated to be 50 mm for denitration of the uranyl nitrate solution by microwave heating. The adiabator improved the efficiency of microwave heating denitration. Moreover, the powder yield was improved by using the adiabator owing to ease of scraping of the denitration product from the bottom of the denitration vessel.
Ishii, Katsunori; Segawa, Tomoomi; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Suzuki, Masahiro
Proceedings of 2019 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2019) (Internet), 5 Pages, 2019/05
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) is developing a simplified pelletizing process for MOX fuel fabrication. In this process, the flowability of MOX powder produced by de-nitration conversion based on microwave heating, calcination, and reduction is improved using the wet granulation method. In a previous paper, to produce MOX granules of appropriate sizes for pelletizing them effectively, we proposed a granulation system composed of a wet granulator and a sizing machine. In the present work, we modernized the wet granulator, completed the granulation system by adding auxiliary equipment, and conducted performance tests of the granulation system with WO powder. The results of a performance test indicated that it is possible to convert raw powder into granules characterized by appropriate size and excellent flowability. The time required to process 5 kg of WO powder was about 70 min, which almost satisfies the target time.
Fujita, Shunya*; Abe, Yutaka*; Kaneko, Akiko*; Yuasa, Tomohisa*; Segawa, Tomoomi; Kato, Yoshiyuki; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Ishii, Katsunori
Proceedings of 11th Korea-Japan Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS-11) (Internet), 7 Pages, 2018/11
Mixed uranium oxide and plutonium oxide powder is produced from uranyl nitrate and plutonium nitrate mixed solution by the microwave heating denitration method in the spent fuel reprocessing process. Since the microwave heating method is accompanied by a boiling phenomenon, it is necessary to fully grasp the operating conditions in order to avoid flashing and spilling in the mass production of denitrification technology for the future. In this research, it was clarified that the heat transfer coefficient became lower as the dielectric constant increased. The dominant factor of the blowing up phenomena is supposed to be generation of the innumerable bubble rather than bubble's growth.
Segawa, Tomoomi; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Ishii, Katsunori; Suzuki, Masahiro; Arimitsu, Naoki*; Yoshida, Hideto*; Fukui, Kunihiro*
Advanced Powder Technology, 26(3), p.983 - 990, 2015/05
Times Cited Count：8 Percentile：27.86(Engineering, Chemical)Denitration of the aqueous solution of nickel nitrate hexahydrate (Ni(NO)
6HO) by a microwave heating method was investigated. Since Ni(NO)6HO aqueous solution cannot be heated to over 300 
C by microwave irradiation owing to the low microwave absorptivity of its intermediate, NiO could not previously be obtained by microwave heating. We propose a novel NiO synthesis method that uses microwave heating without the risk of chemical contamination. A NiO powder reagent was added to the solution as a microwave acceptor. The denitration efficiency to NiO could be improved by an adiabator around the reactor to increase the temperature homogeneity in the reactor. Numerical simulations also reveal that the use of the adiabator results in remarkable changes in the electromagnetic field distribution in the reactor, temperature inhomogeneity decreases.
Yamaki, Tatsunori*; Abe, Yutaka*; Kaneko, Akiko*; Segawa, Tomoomi; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Yamada, Yoshikazu; Fujii, Kanichi*
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 52(2), p.241 - 250, 2015/02
Times Cited Count：3 Percentile：25.85(Nuclear Science & Technology)In the Microwave Heating de-nitration method developed in Japan, a mixed solution of uranyl nitrate and plutonium nitrate recovered from the spent fuel in the reprocessing plant is converted directly to mixed oxide (MH-MOX) powder. This MH-MOX powder is utilized to fabricate MOX fuel with UO powder for FBR. The MH method is accompanied with transient boiling phenomena such as overflow and flushing. Toward high-speed and high-capacity conversion by MH-method in the future, it is required to avoid overflow and flushing and to understand optimal design conditions for design and operation. At the first step for these objectives, basic knowledge of transient boiling phenomena by the MH-method has been acquired with using distilled water. It was observed that generation of singular bubble triggered flushing and distilled water just before flushing was superheated by a temperature 10 degrees centigrade higher than boiling temperature. Based on these results, it is clarified that the occurrence criteria of flushing correlate with absorbed power in the water and released power from the water surface.
Yamaki, Tatsunori*; Abe, Yutaka*; Kaneko, Akiko*; Segawa, Tomoomi; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Yamada, Yoshikazu
Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Nuclear Engineering 2014 (ICONE-22), Vol.2A, p.V02AT09A011_1 - V02AT09A011_10, 2014/07
Uranium and plutonium mixed nitrate solution of the spent nuclear fuel is converted to uranium and plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) powder by the microwave heating direct denitration method in co-conversion process of the nuclear fuel cycle. The cylindrical denitration vessel can be expected to realize high-speed and high-capacity processing against traditional shallow vessel. However, flushing and overflow phenomena of solution have been confirmed in cylindrical vessel. Thus, It is required to be clarified that the generation condition and generation mechanism of flushing phenomena during microwave heating for the safety of the operating condition and the optimum design of the equipment. The craiteria of flushing phenomena and the relationship between the released power by evaporation and the absorbed power in water is confirmed by the experimental results from the microwave heating. It is found that the flow structure is changed and the outer surface is heated according to the increase of the concentration of KCl by the microwave heating experiment with using the KCl solution and KCl jelly as a simulated solution of the uranium and plutonium mixed nitrate solution.
Nakayama, Shigeru*; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Segawa, Tomoomi; Yamada, Yoshikazu
Proceedings of 19th International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics (AROB 2014) (CD-ROM), p.246 - 249, 2014/01
In the nuclear fuel fabrication process, moisture content is very important parameter because of criticality safety control. Considering future commercial nuclear fuel fabrication plant, rapid and durable moisture sensor is required. We have developed an open-ended semi-coaxial microwave sensor to measure moisture involved in a substance. This sensor has no semiconductor tips, so it can be used in strong radiation field. In this paper, we carry out a preliminary experiment for measuring moisture of MOX(UO+PuO) in granulation process, in which water is added as a binder. In our preliminary experiment, to simulate granulated MOX powder, granulated tungsten trioxide powder, which has similar dielectric constant to MOX and has voids to hold water inside, was used. The principle of microwave measurement of moisture is as follows. When the tungsten trioxide contained in a pyrex beaker is placed at the open end of the cavity, the resonant frequency is shifted by a variation in the end of capacitance which results from the difference in the dielectric constant of tungsten trioxide from that of air. Furthermore, the peak value of the resonance curve is attenuated by the absorption of microwave in the tungsten trioxide. Therefore, the moisture content of tungsten trioxide can be estimated by measuring either the frequency shift or attenuation. They are measured using a tracking generator and a spectrum analyzer. In our presentation, we will show the experimental results in detail.
Shiotani, Hiroki; Uto, Nariaki; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Shinoda, Yoshihiko*; Ono, Kiyoshi; Namba, Takashi
Proceedings of 20th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering and the ASME 2012 Power Conference (ICONE-20 & POWER 2012) (DVD-ROM), 10 Pages, 2012/07
This paper argues the characteristics evaluation of Fast Reactor and fuel cycle concepts in the FS "Feasibility Study on commercialized fast reactor cycle systems" and the achievement of the performance evaluation conducted in FaCT (Fast Reactor Cycle System Technology Development) project in Japan. The methodologies and way of achievement evaluation has been changed according to the evaluation needs and objectives, etc. Some decision-making methodologies are tried to be applied in the FS, FaCT phase I evaluation put emphasis on the confirmation of the direction of FR cycle development. Although some items of respective facilities showed insufficient achievements because of the challenging design requirements to achieve higher performance, a comprehensive evaluation determined that the performance criteria set by the Japan Atomic Energy Commission were achieved in FaCT phase I evaluation in general.
Shiotani, Hiroki; Ono, Kiyoshi; Ogawa, Takashi; Koma, Yoshikazu; Kawaguchi, Koichi
Proceedings of 2009 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP '09) (CD-ROM), p.9419_1 - 9419_10, 2009/05
Dynamic analyses of the typical FR deployment scenarios with JSFR and related fuel cycle facilities developed in FaCT project was conducted. The total cash out-flows and the average electricity generation costs to 22nd century were calculated to seize the long-term economics as well as the material compositions in the nuclear facilities, the quantities of radioactive wastes generations. Several cash out-flow peaks and radioactive waste generation peaks were found because of the decommissioning and construction of the nuclear power plants and reprocessing plants for LWR spent fuel. Then, different breeding ratio, single/dual-purpose reprocessing plant, and with/without Am-Cm recycling were compared. For example, the exploration of the optimal breeding ratio between B.R. =1.1 and 1.2 for the start up stage FR was considered to be reasonable from the analysis.
Kawaguchi, Koichi; Namekawa, Takashi
Proceedings of International Conference on Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles and Systems (Global 2007) (CD-ROM), p.290 - 295, 2007/09
The JAEA has developed advanced FBR cycle system since 1999 as the Feasibility Study (FS). Several combination of fuel and reactor type, reprocessing method and fuel fabrication method were studied. As the result of FS, the combination of oxide fuel, sodium cooling reactor, advanced aqueous reprocessing system and simplified pelletizing fuel fabrication system is chosen as the most promissing fuel cycle system. In the Fast Reactor Cycle technology (FaCT), six development issues for simplified pelletising technology were selected. TRU fuel handling technology, which is heat removal from nuclear fuel material, is one of these issues. Accumulation of decay heat of MA which is contained in TRU fuel cause oxidation of fuel powder, fuel pellet and cladding tube. Authors designed concept of powder hoppper, O/M adjusting furnace and fuel assembling equipment with heat removal function, and evaluated temperature distribution using thermal hydraulics analysis technique. As a result, it is shown that it is possible to cool fuel materials with specific heat generation up to 20 W/kgHM enough, though more detailed study is required for comprehensive equipments.
Kawaguchi, Koichi
Dai-4-Kai Saishori Risaikuru Semina Tekisuto, P. 147, 2006/05
no abstracts in English
Namekawa, Takashi; Kawaguchi, Koichi; Koike, Kazuhiro; Haraguchi, Shingo; Ishii, Satoru
Proceedings of International Conference on Nuclear Energy System for Future Generation and Global Sustainability (GLOBAL 2005) (CD-ROM), 6 Pages, 2005/10
New concepts of future fabrication system for low decontaminated transuranium (TRU) fuel was designed. It is essential to establish a remote fabrication system in the hot cell, because materials with high levels of radiation and high generation of heat are handled in the system. The configuration of the present systems including aspects related to economy was clarified through the conceptual design study. Technical feasibility of each concepts is follwiong. For oxide fuels, the simplified pelletizing method has a high technical feasibility for the process, and its expected practical use is possible at early stage, because this method is based on wealth results of a conventional method. The sphere-pack method has the advantage of lesser dispersion of the fine powder due to the use of solution and granule in the process. However this system will shoulder additional cost for the liquid waste treatment process due to need dispose of a large bulk of process liquid waste. The vipack method has the possibility of economical improvement if simplification of the process can be achieved. However this system has some problems for quality assurance etc. For the casting method of metal fuel, high economical efficiency is generally expected of small-scale facilities, although verification of fabrication of the TRU alloy slug is required. For nitride fuel, technology developments for N-15 enrichment and recycling, and nitride conversion process etc. In particular, for coated particle fuel fabrication, crucial technology developments are required on coating and assembly process.
Kawaguchi, Koichi; Namekawa, Takashi; Suzuki, Yoshihiro; Haraguchi, Shingo*
Proceedings of 13th International Conference on Nuclear Engineering (ICONE-13) (CD-ROM), 7 Pages, 2005/05
The conceptual design study for advanced FBR fuel fabrication system has been performed for the purpose that the feature of small-scale fabrication system in the transition stage from LWR to FBR fuel cycle. On the small-scale of 50 ton heavy metal per year fabrication system, dry type fabrication systems have superior cost performance than the wet type, although waste amount is larger.
