Segregation of components of molten core oxidic materials using cold crucible induction heating technique (Joint research)

Sudo, Ayako; Mszros, B.*; Sato, Takumi; Nagae, Yuji

JAEA-Research 2023-007, 31 Pages, 2023/11

JAEA-Research-2023-007.pdf:3.61MB

For the criticality assessment of fuel debris generated by the accident in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, understanding of the elemental localization in fuel debris is important. Especially, the distribution of Fe and Gd, which may behave as potential neutron absorber materials in the fuel debris, is of particular important from the viewpoint of nuclear criticality safety. To investigate the localization tendency of Gd and Fe in molten core materials during solidification progress, liquefaction/solidification tests on core materials containing UO, ZrO, FeO, GdO, and simulated fission products (MoO, NdO, SrO, and RuO) and concrete (SiO, AlO, and CaO) were performed using cold crucible induction heating technique. During the test, the molten core materials gradually subsided and solidified from the bottom to the top of the melt. Elemental analysis showed that Fe content in the inner region increased approximately up to 3.4 times that in the bottom region. The concentration of Fe into the inner region was observed in all the samples regardless of the initial FeO composition, cooling rates, and phase separation. This suggests that FeO may be concentrated into the low temperature region, where the melt solidified later. In contrast, Gd content in the bottom region increased approximately up to 2.6 times that in the inner region. The concentration of Gd into the bottom region was observed when the initial GdO content was higher than 1 at.%. This suggests that GdO may be concentrated into the earlier solidified region. On the other hand, no significant localization was observed on the simulated fission products.

Stabilization of post-experiment nuclear materials in Plutonium Fuel Research Facility

Sato, Takumi; Otobe, Haruyoshi; Morishita, Kazuki; Marufuji, Takato; Ishikawa, Takashi; Fujishima, Tadatsune; Nakano, Tomoyuki

JAEA-Technology 2023-016, 41 Pages, 2023/09

JAEA-Technology-2023-016.pdf:2.74MB

This report summarizes the results of the stabilization treatments of post-experiment nuclear materials in Plutonium Fuel Research Facility (PFRF) from August 2018 to March 2021. Based on the management standards for nuclear materials enacted after the contamination accident that occurred at PFRF on June 6, 2017, the post-experiment nuclear materials containing plutonium (Pu): samples mixed with organic substances that cause an increase in internal pressure due to radiolysis (including X-ray diffraction samples mixed with epoxy resin and plutonium powder which caused contamination accidents), carbides and nitrides samples which is reactive in air, and chloride samples which may cause corrosion of storage containers, were selected as targets of the stabilization. The samples containing organic materials, carbides and nitrides were heated in an air flow at 650 C and 950 C for 2 hours respectively to remove organic materials and convert uranium (U) and Pu into oxides. U and Pu chlorides in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt were reduced and extracted into liquid Cd metal by a reaction with lithium (Li) -cadmium (Cd) alloy and converted to U-Pu-Cd alloy at 500 C or higher. All of the samples were stabilized and stored at PFRF. We hope that the contents of this report will be utilized to consider methods for stabilizing post experiment nuclear materials at other nuclear fuel material usage facilities.

Document collection of the 39th Technical Special Committee on Fugen Decommissioning

Sato, Yuji; Miyamoto, Yuta; Awatani, Yuto; Yamamoto, Kosuke; Hatakeyama, Takumi

JAEA-Review 2023-002, 59 Pages, 2023/08

JAEA-Review-2023-002.pdf:8.75MB

"Fugen Decommissioning Engineering Center", in planning and carrying out our decommissioning technical development, organizes "Technical special committee on Fugen decommissioning" which consists of the members well-informed, aiming to make good use of Fugen as a place for technological development which is opened domestic and international, as the central place in research and development base of Fukui prefecture, and to utilize the outcome in our decommissioning to the technical development effectively. This report consists of presentation paper are "Achievements and Considerations for Sampling and Analysis of Reactor Core Components", "Treatment of liquid scintillator waste liquid" and "Results and issues of rationalization of decontamination related to the clearance and considerations related to surface contamination monitoring" which is presented in the 39th Technical Special Committee on Fugen Decommissioning.

Effect of decay heat on pyrochemical reprocessing of minor actinide transmutation nitride fuels

Hayashi, Hirokazu; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Sato, Takumi

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai Wabun Rombunshi (Internet), 22(3), p.97 - 107, 2023/08

https://doi.org/10.3327/taesj.J22.009

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has chosen nitride fuel as the first candidate for the transmutation of long-lived minor actinides (MA) using accelerator-driven systems (ADS). The pyrochemical method has been considered for reprocessing spent MA nitride fuels, because their decay heat should be very large for aqueous reprocessing. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of decay heat on the pyrochemical reprocessing of MA nitride fuels. On the basis of the estimated decay heats and the temperature limits of the materials that are to be handled in pyrochemical reprocessing, quantities adequate for handling in argon gas atmosphere were evaluated. From these considerations, we proposed that an electrorefiner with a diameter of 26 cm comprising 12 cadmium (Cd) cathodes with a diameter of 4 cm is suitable. On the basis of the size of the electrorefiner, the number necessary to reprocess spent MA fuels from 1 ADS in 200 days was evaluated to be 25. Furthermore, the amount of Cd-actinides (An) alloy to produce An nitrides by the nitridation-distillation combined reaction process was proposed to be about one-quarter that of Cd-An cathode material. The evaluated sizes and required numbers of equipment support the feasibility of pyrochemical reprocessing for MA nitride fuels.

Observation of proton-transfer-coupled spin transition by single-crystal neutron-diffraction measurement

Nakanishi, Takumi*; Hori, Yuta*; Shigeta, Yasuteru*; Sato, Hiroyasu*; Wu, S.-Q.*; Kiyanagi, Ryoji; Munakata, Koji*; Ohara, Takashi; Sato, Osamu*

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 25(17), p.12394 - 12400, 2023/05

https://doi.org/10.1039/D3CP00527E

Formation of MPd (M = Gd, Np) by the reaction of MN with Pd and chlorination of MPd using cadmium chloride

Hayashi, Hirokazu; Shibata, Hiroki; Sato, Takumi; Otobe, Haruyoshi

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 332(2), p.503 - 510, 2023/02

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-08760-4

The formation of MPd (M = Gd, Np) by the reaction of MN with Pd at 1323 K in Ar gas flow was observed. Cubic AuCu-type GdPd ( = 0.4081 0.0001 nm) and NpPd ( = 0.4081 0.0001 nm) were identified, respectively. The product obtained from the reaction of NpN with Pd contained additional phases including the hexagonal TiNi-type NpPd. Chlorination of the MPd (M = Gd, Np) samples was accomplished by the solid-state reaction using cadmium chloride at 673 K in a dynamic vacuum. Pd-rich solid solution phase saturated with Cd and an intermetallic compound PdCd were obtained as by-products of MCl formation.

Non-Hookean large elastic deformation in bulk crystalline metals

Xu, S.*; Odaira, Takumi*; Sato, Shunsuke*; Xu, X.*; Omori, Toshihiro*; Harjo, S.; Kawasaki, Takuro; Seiner, H.*; Zoubkov, K.*; Murakami, Yasukazu*; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 13, p.5307_1 - 5307_8, 2022/09

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32930-9

Fully chelating NO-pentadentate planar ligands designed for the strongest and selective capture of uranium from seawater

Mizumachi, Takumi*; Sato, Minami*; Kaneko, Masashi; Takeyama, Tomoyuki*; Tsushima, Satoru*; Takao, Koichiro*

Inorganic Chemistry, 61(16), p.6175 - 6181, 2022/04

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c00306

Based on unique 5-fold equatorial coordination of UO, water-compatible pentadentate planar ligands, Hsaldian and its derivatives, were designed as strong and selective capture of UO in seawater. In the simulated seawater condition (0.5 M NaCl + 2.3 mM HCO/CO, pH 8), saldian shows the strongest complexation with UO to form UO(saldian) (log = 28.05 0.07), which is more than 10 order of magnitude greater than amidoxime-based or -inspired ligand systems most commonly employed for U capture from seawater. Good selectivity for UO from other metal ions coexisting in seawater was also demonstrated.

Distribution of studtite and metastudtite generated on the surface of UO; Application of Raman imaging technique to uranium compound

Kusaka, Ryoji; Kumagai, Yuta; Yomogida, Takumi; Takano, Masahide; Watanabe, Masayuki; Sasaki, Takayuki*; Akiyama, Daisuke*; Sato, Nobuaki*; Kirishima, Akira*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 58(6), p.629 - 634, 2021/06

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2020.1854881

Modulation of Dirac electrons in epitaxial BiSe ultrathin films on van der Waals ferromagnet CrSiTe

Kato, Takemi*; Sugawara, Katsuaki*; Ito, Naohiro*; Yamauchi, Kunihiko*; Sato, Takumi*; Oguchi, Tamio*; Takahashi, Takashi*; Shiomi, Yuki*; Saito, Eiji; Sato, Takafumi*

Physical Review Materials (Internet), 4(8), p.084202_1 - 084202_6, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.4.084202