Hot cell equipment improvement effortsat Analytical Laboratory in Tokai Reprocessing Plant

Ishibashi, Atsushi; Masui, Kenji; Goto, Yuichi; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Taguchi, Shigeo; Ishikawa, Satoshi*; Ishikawa, Tomoya*

Nihon Hozen Gakkai Dai-19-Kai Gakujutsu Koenkai Yoshishu, p.18 - 21, 2023/08

An inner-box typed hot cell for analysis of highly radioactive samples has been operated for about 40 years in Tokai Reprocessing Plant since its installation in 1980. During the operation of analytical hot cell, improvement and upgrades including auxiliary equipment have been performed, in addition to keep the equipment in proper condition through periodic inspections and maintenance. This paper describes about these efforts for analytical hot cell and its results.

Simultaneous determination of zircon crystallisation age and temperature; Common thermal evolution of mafic magmatic enclaves and host granites in the Kurobegawa granite, central Japan

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Yamazaki, Hayato*; Ishibashi, Kozue*; Sakata, Shuhei*; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Suzuki, Satoshi*; Ogita, Yasuhiro; Sando, Kazusa*; Imura, Takumi*; Ono, Takeshi*

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 226, p.105075_1 - 105075_9, 2022/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2021.105075

Simultaneous determination of the U-Pb age of zircon and concentration of titanium in a single analysis spot, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with laser ablation sample introduction, produces paired age and temperature data of zircon crystallisation, potentially revealing time-temperature () histories for evolved magma. The Kurobegawa granite, central Japan, contains abundant mafic magmatic enclaves (MMEs). We applied this method to evaluate MMEs and their host (enclosing) granites. Cooling behaviour common to both MMEs and host rocks was found between 1.5 and 0.5 Ma. Rapid cooling from the zircon crystallisation temperature to the closure temperature of biotite K-Ar system was within 1 million year. Combining the obtained paths of MMEs and host rocks with petrological information can provide insights into magma chamber processes. This suggests that MME flotation, migration, and spread through the magma chamber ceased at 1.5-0.5 Ma, indicating the emplacement age of the Kurobegawa granitic pluton, as no large-scale reheating episodes have occurred since then.

Development of modeling methodology for hydrogeological heterogeneity of the deep fractured granite in Japan

Onoe, Hironori; Ishibashi, Masayuki*; Ozaki, Yusuke; Iwatsuki, Teruki

International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 144, p.104737_1 - 104737_14, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2021.104737

In this study, we investigated the methodology of modeling for fractured granite around the drift at a depth of 500 m in the Mizunami Underground Laboratory, Japan as a case study. As a result, we developed the fracture modeling method to estimate not only geological parameters of fractures but also hydraulic parameters based on the reproducibility of trace length distribution of fractures. By applying this modeling method, it was possible to construct a Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) model that can accurately reproduce the statistical characteristics of fractures.

Analysis of the distribution of microfractures and micropores within granitic rock using simultaneous polarization-fluorescence microscopy

Yuguchi, Takashi*; Usami, Akane*; Ishibashi, Masayuki

Heliyon (Internet), 6(8), p.e04815_1 - e04815_6, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04815

The analysis of the distribution of microfractures and micropores is important to accurately characterise mass transfer within a rock body. In this paper, a new "simultaneous polarization-fluorescence microscopy" method is presented, which can be used to analyse the distribution of microscopic voids, including microfractures and micropores, in granitic rock. In this method, thin sections prepared with fluorescent dye are analysed under a polarizing microscope equipped with a fluorescent reflected light source. Using both the transmitted and the fluorescent light sources, both the distribution of microfractures and micropores, and petrographic characteristics (mineral occurrences) can be determined efficiently and simultaneously. The distribution of microfractures and micropores observed in images of granites obtained using simultaneous polarization-fluorescence microscopy is consistent with the distribution observed in backscattered electron images.

Characterizing the permeability of drillhole core samples of Toki granite, central Japan to identify factors influencing rock-matrix permeability

Kubo, Taiki*; Matsuda, Norihiro*; Kashiwaya, Koki*; Koike, Katsuaki*; Ishibashi, Masayuki; Tsuruta, Tadahiko; Matsuoka, Toshiyuki; Sasao, Eiji; Lanyon, G. W.*

Engineering Geology, 259, p.105163_1 - 105163_15, 2019/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2019.105163

Rock matrix permeability is mainly controlled by microcracks. This study aims to identify the factors influencing the permeability of the Toki granite, central Japan. Permeability of core samples, measured by a gas permeameter, largely increases in the fault and fracture zones. Although a significant correlation is identified between permeability and P-wave velocity, this correlation is enhanced by classifying the samples into two groups by the Mn/Fe concentration ratio. Thus, lithofacies is another control factor for permeability due to the difference in mineral composition. Moreover, permeability shows significant negative and positive correlations with Si and Ca concentrations, respectively. These concentrations are probably affected by dissolution of silicate minerals and calcite generation in the hydrothermal alteration process. Therefore, a combination of hydrothermal alteration and strong faulting are the predominant processes for controlling permeability.

Calculation of low-energy electron antineutrino spectra emitted from nuclear reactors with consideration of fuel burn-up

Riyana, E. S.*; Suda, Shoya*; Ishibashi, Kenji*; Matsuura, Hideaki*; Katakura, Junichi*; Sun, G. M.*; Katano, Yoshiaki

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 56(5), p.369 - 375, 2019/05

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2017.1291370

Nuclear reactors produce a great number of electron antineutrinos mainly from beta-decay chains of fission products. Such neutrinos have energies mostly in MeV range. We are interested in neutrinos in a region of keV, since they may have information on fuel burn-up and may be detected in future with advanced measurement technology. We calculate reactor antineutrino spectra especially in the low energy region. In this work we present neutrino spectra from various reactors such as typical PWR reactor and others types of reactors for comparison. Our result shows the electron antineutrino flux in the low energy region increases with burn-up of nuclear fuel by accumulated nuclides with low Q values in beta decay.

DECOVALEX-2019 Task C; GREET Intermediate report

Iwatsuki, Teruki; Onoe, Hironori; Ishibashi, Masayuki; Ozaki, Yusuke; Wang, Y.*; Hadgu, T.*; Jove-Colon, C. F.*; Kalinina, E.*; Hokr, M.*; Balvn, A.*; et al.

JAEA-Research 2018-018, 140 Pages, 2019/03

JAEA-Research-2018-018.pdf:40.68MB

DECOVALEX-2019 Task C aims to develop modelling and prediction methods using numerical simulation based on the water-filling experiment to examine the post drift-closure environment recovery processes. In this intermediate report, the results of Step 1 (Modelling and prediction of environmental disturbance by CTD excavation) are summarized from each of the research teams (JAEA, Sandia National Laboratories, Technical University of Liberec). Groundwater inflow rates to the tunnel during the excavation, hydraulic drawdown, and variation of chlorine concentration at monitoring boreholes in the vicinity of the tunnel were chosen as comparison metrics for Step1 by mutual agreement amongst the research teams. It is likely to be possible to foresee the scales of inflow rate and hydraulic drawdown based on a data from the pilot borehole by current simulation techniques.

Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical (HMC) simulation of Groundwater REcoverry Experiment in Tunnel (GREET)

Ozaki, Yusuke; Ishibashi, Masayuki; Onoe, Hironori; Iwatsuki, Teruki

Proceedings of 10th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium & The ISRM International Symposium for 2018 (ARMS 2018) (USB Flash Drive), 11 Pages, 2018/11

Understanding of a post-closure geological environment around a large underground facility is important for the safety assessment of geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has performed the GREET (Groundwater REcovery Experiment in Tunnel) at the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) to evaluate the environmental recovery process after closure. For understanding of coupled behavior of subsurface environment after closure of drift, we perform a Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical coupled simulation of GREET. This study presents the simulation results of excavation stage of test drift for closure test. Our simulation results show that the inflow rate into test drift after excavation is relatively predictable variavle comparing to the hydraulic pressure or chlorite concentration observed in borehole.

Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory Project, Annual report for fiscal year 2016

Ishibashi, Masayuki; Hama, Katsuhiro; Iwatsuki, Teruki; Matsui, Hiroya; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Nohara, Tsuyoshi; Onoe, Hironori; Ikeda, Koki; Mikake, Shinichiro; Iyatomi, Yosuke; et al.

JAEA-Review 2017-026, 72 Pages, 2018/01

JAEA-Review-2017-026.pdf:18.23MB

The Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to enhance the reliability of geological disposal technologies through investigations of the deep geological environment in the crystalline host rock (granite) at Mizunami, Gifu Prefecture, central Japan. On the occasion of the research program and management system revision of the entire JAEA organization in 2014, JAEA identified three important issues on the geoscientific research program: "Development of countermeasure technologies for reducing groundwater inflow", "Development of modeling technologies for mass transport" and "Development of drift backfilling technologies", based on the latest results of the synthesizing research and development (R&D). The R&D on three important issues have been carrying out on the MIU project. In this report, the current status of R&D activities and construction in 2016 is summarized.

Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory Project, Plan for fiscal year 2017

Ishibashi, Masayuki; Hama, Katsuhiro; Iwatsuki, Teruki; Matsui, Hiroya; Takeuchi, Ryuji; Ikeda, Koki; Mikake, Shinichiro; Iyatomi, Yosuke; Sasao, Eiji; Koide, Kaoru

JAEA-Review 2017-019, 29 Pages, 2017/10

JAEA-Review-2017-019.pdf:3.21MB

The Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to enhance the reliability of geological disposal technologies through investigations of the deep geological environment in the crystalline host rock (granite) at Mizunami City in Gifu Prefecture, central Japan. On the occasion of the reform of the entire JAEA organization in 2014, JAEA identified three important issues on the geoscientific research program: "Development of countermeasure technologies for reducing groundwater inflow", "Development of modelling technologies for mass transport" and "Development of drift backfilling technology", based on the latest results of the synthesizing research and development (R&D). These R&D on three remaining important issues have been carrying out on the MIU project. This report summarizes the R&D activities planned for fiscal year 2017 based on the MIU Master Plan updated in 2015 and so on.