Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors

Ohshima, Hiroyuki; Morishita, Masaki*; Aizawa, Kosuke; Ando, Masanori; Ashida, Takashi; Chikazawa, Yoshitaka; Doda, Norihiro; Enuma, Yasuhiro; Ezure, Toshiki; Fukano, Yoshitaka; et al.

Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors; JSME Series in Thermal and Nuclear Power Generation, Vol.3, 631 Pages, 2022/07

https://shop.elsevier.com/books/sodium-cooled-fast-reactors/morishita/978-0-12-824076-2

This book is a collection of the past experience of design, construction, and operation of two reactors, the latest knowledge and technology for SFR designs, and the future prospects of SFR development in Japan. It is intended to provide the perspective and the relevant knowledge to enable readers to become more familiar with SFR technology.

Release behavior of radionuclides from MOX fuels irradiated in a fast reactor during heating tests

Tanaka, Kosuke; Sato, Isamu*; Onishi, Takashi; Ishikawa, Takashi; Hirosawa, Takashi; Katsuyama, Kozo; Seino, Hiroshi; Ohno, Shuji; Hamada, Hirotsugu; Tokoro, Daishiro*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 536, p.152119_1 - 152119_8, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152199

In order to obtain the release rate coefficients from fuels for fast reactors (FRs), heating tests and the subsequent analyses of the fission products (FPs) and actinides that are released were carried out using samples of uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel pellets irradiated at the experimental fast reactor Joyo. Three heating tests targeting temperatures of 2773, 2973 and 3173 K were conducted using an FP release behavior test apparatus equipped with a high-frequency induction furnace and solid FP sampling systems consisting of a thermal gradient tube (TGT) and filters. Irradiated fuel pellets were placed into a tungsten crucible, then loaded into the induction furnace. The temperature was raised continuously at a heating rate of 10 K/s to the targeted temperature and maintained for 500 s in a flowing argon gas atmosphere. The FPs and actinides released from the MOX fuels and deposited in the TGT and filters were quantified by gamma-ray spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. Based on the analysis, the release rates of radionuclides from MOX fuels for FR were obtained and compared with literature data for light water reactor (LWR) fuels. The release rate coefficients of FPs obtained in this study were found to be similar to or lower than the literature values for LWR fuels. It was also found that the release rate coefficient data for actinides were within the range of variation of literature values for LWR fuels.

Numerical study of sediment and Cs discharge out of reservoirs during various scale rainfall events

Kurikami, Hiroshi; Funaki, Hironori; Malins, A.; Kitamura, Akihiro; Onishi, Yasuo*

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 164, p.73 - 83, 2016/11

AA2015-0827.pdf:2.61MB

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2016.07.004

We performed simulations using the three-dimensional finite volume code FLESCOT to understand sediment and radiocesium transport in generic models of reservoirs with parameters similar to those in Fukushima Prefecture. The simulations model turbulent water flows, transport of sediments with different grain sizes, and radiocesium migration both in dissolved and particulate forms. To demonstrate the validity of the modeling approach for the Fukushima environment, we performed a test simulation of the Ogaki Dam reservoir over a typhoon. We simulated a set of generic model reservoirs systematically varying features such as flood intensity, reservoir volume and the radiocesium distribution coefficient. The results ascertain how these features affect the amount of sediment or Cs discharge downstream from the reservoirs, and the forms in which Cs is discharged. Silt carries the majority of the radiocesium in the larger flood events, while the clay-sorbed followed by dissolved forms are dominant in smaller events. The results can be used to derive indicative values of discharges from Fukushima reservoirs under arbitrary flood events.

Mathematical Modeling of Radioactive Contaminants in the Fukushima Environment

Kitamura, Akihiro; Kurikami, Hiroshi; Yamaguchi, Masaaki; Oda, Yoshihiro; Saito, Tatsuo; Kato, Tomoko; Niizato, Tadafumi; Iijima, Kazuki; Sato, Haruo; Yui, Mikazu; et al.

Nuclear Science and Engineering, 179(1), p.104 - 118, 2015/01

https://doi.org/10.13182/NSE13-89

The prediction of the distribution and fate of radioactive materials eventually deposited at surface in the Fukushima area is one of the main objectives and expected to be achieved in an efficient manner. In order to make such prediction, a number of mathematical models of radioactive contaminants, with particular attention on cesium, on the land and in rivers, lakes, and estuaries in the Fukushima area are developed. Simulation results are examined with the field investigations simultaneously implemented. The basic studies of the adsorption/absorption mechanism of cesium and soils have been performed to shed light on estimating distribution coefficient between dissolved contaminant and particulate contaminant.

Predicting sediment and cesium-137 discharge from catchments in eastern Fukushima

Kitamura, Akihiro; Yamaguchi, Masaaki; Kurikami, Hiroshi; Yui, Mikazu; Onishi, Yasuo*

Anthropocene, 5, p.22 - 31, 2014/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ancene.2014.07.001

Amount of soil and cesium losses in Eastern Fukushima Prefecture is evaluated by a simple and fast simulation model which we developed utilizing the universal soil loss equation and the geographical information system. We focused on the land use factor of the universal soil loss equation in this study. It was estimated that the forest occupies 64% of the total land surface of the study area, but only accounts for 24% of total soil runoff and 33% of total cesium dispersion. The most contributing component comes from the crop field, while the forest becomes the second. Also, calculation was performed for each river basins and results were compared with field monitoring data.

Simulating long-term Cs distribution on territory of Fukushima

Kitamura, Akihiro; Yamaguchi, Masaaki; Oda, Yoshihiro; Kurikami, Hiroshi; Onishi, Yasuo*

Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, 109(1), p.153 - 155, 2013/11

Long term Cs transport and its future distribution on the territory of Fukushima were predicted based on the USLE and the GIS. By modeling the soil erosion, transport, and deposition, we simulated the future distributions of air dose rates of Cs in mSv/h for 2, 6 and 21 years after the accident. The predictions made by METI were compared with the present results. The predictions of relatively high air dose rate areas were consistently matched between the two models over time. However, our model seemed to predict the decreasing rate of the Cs concentration with time to be slightly less than that of METI prediction. Some portions of the results obtained in the present study were used to provide influxes of sediments and Cs as boundary conditions and lateral inflows for the hydraulic river model.

Effect of radial zoning of Am content on homogenization of denatured Pu with broad range of neutron energy based on U irradiation test in the experimental fast reactor Joyo

Shiba, Tomooki*; Sagara, Hiroshi*; Onishi, Takashi; Koyama, Shinichi; Maeda, Shigetaka; Han, C. Y.*; Saito, Masaki*

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 51, p.74 - 80, 2013/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2012.08.017

The design consideration of DU-Am oxide fuel pin was performed for Pu denaturing in the framework of the protected plutonium production based on the irradiation analyses of the depleted U (DU) samples irradiated in the environment of broad range of neutron energy in the experimental fast reactor Joyo. From the results of irradiation analyses of DU, it was confirmed that there is a strong dependence of transmutation behavior of DU on the resonance neutron ratio even in a fast reactor. Also, it was confirmed that there is a strong effect of sample material form and shape on generated Pu nuclide inventory especially near the reflector area (20% resonance neutron ratio), because of the intensive self-shielding of U, though less is expected for Am. Sensitivity study of hypothetical DU-Am oxide fuel pellet irradiation on neutron energy and burn-up was performed to evaluate significant gradient of radial Pu isotopic composition profile (e.g., from 12 to 18% distribution in 3% Am doping, in 30% resonance neutron ratio and in 4.010 [n/cm] of neutron fluence inside a large pellet with softened neutron spectrum), and vulnerability of the fuel pellet surface in terms of Pu denaturing was revealed. Design consideration of radial zoning of Am content was introduced to flatten the radial distribution of isotopic composition of Pu. The results of radial zoning of Am (4% and 3% of Am in the outer and inner zone of DU-Am oxide fuel pellet) in hypothetical irradiation neutronics analysis showed the radial profile of produced Pu is over 15 at.% of Pu isotopic composition in any zone and meets the criteria of Kimura et al. based on decay heat of Pu to impede utilization to fission explosive devices.

Development of grouting technologies for HLW disposal in Japan, 1; Overall program and key engineering technologies

Fujita, Tomoo; Kawaguchi, Masanao; Walker, C.; Sasamoto, Hiroshi; Yui, Mikazu; Onishi, Yuzo*

Proceedings of 7th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium (ARMS-7) (USB Flash Drive), p.675 - 681, 2012/10

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency started new grout project for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste in 2007. This study presented the overall JAEA grout project program and an example of how to apply key engineering technologies to the construction and operation of an underground facility for the geological disposal of HLW.

Identified charged hadron production in collisions at = 200 and 62.4 GeV

Adare, A.*; Afanasiev, S.*; Aidala, C.*; Ajitanand, N. N.*; Akiba, Yasuyuki*; Al-Bataineh, H.*; Alexander, J.*; Aoki, Kazuya*; Aphecetche, L.*; Armendariz, R.*; et al.

Physical Review C, 83(6), p.064903_1 - 064903_29, 2011/06

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.83.064903

Transverse momentum distributions and yields for , and in collisions at = 200 and 62.4 GeV at midrapidity are measured by the PHENIX experiment at the RHIC. We present the inverse slope parameter, mean transverse momentum, and yield per unit rapidity at each energy, and compare them to other measurements at different collisions. We also present the scaling properties such as and scaling and discuss the mechanism of the particle production in collisions. The measured spectra are compared to next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations.

Introduction to plasma fusion energy

Takamura, Shuichi*; Kado, Shinichiro*; Fujii, Takashi*; Fujiyama, Hiroshi*; Takabe, Hideaki*; Adachi, Kazuo*; Morimiya, Osamu*; Fujimori, Naoji*; Watanabe, Takayuki*; Hayashi, Yasuaki*; et al.

Kara Zukai, Purazuma Enerugi No Subete, P. 164, 2007/03

no abstracts in English