Utilization of gamma ray irradiation at the WASTEF Facility

Sano, Naruto; Yamashita, Naoki; Watanabe, Masaya; Tsukada, Manabu*; Hoshino, Kazutoyo*; Hirai, Koki; Ikegami, Yuta*; Tashiro, Shinsuke; Yoshida, Ryoichiro; Hatakeyama, Yuichi; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2023-029, 36 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Technology-2023-029.pdf:2.47MB

At the Waste Safety Testing Facility (WASTEF), the gamma ray irradiation device "Gamma Cell 220" was relocated from the 4th research building of the Nuclear Science Research Institute in FY2019, and the use of gamma ray irradiation has begun. Initially, Fuel Cycle Safety Research Group, Fuel Cycle Safety Research Division, Nuclear Safety Research Center, Sector of Nuclear Safety Research and Emergency Preparedness, the owner of this device, conducted the tests as the main user, but since 2022, other users, including those outside the organization, have started using it. The gamma ray irradiation device "Gamma Cell 220" is manufactured by Nordion International Inc. in Canada. Since it was purchased in 1989, the built-in 60Co radiation source has been updated once, and safety research related to nuclear fuel cycles, etc. It is still used for this purpose to this day. This report summarizes the equipment overview of the gamma ray irradiation device "Gamma Cell 220", its permits and licenses at WASTEF, usage status, maintenance and inspection, and future prospects.

Development status of pulse duty management system for injector commissioning of IFMIF/EVEDA accelerator

Takahashi, Hiroki; Narita, Takahiro; Usami, Hiroki; Sakaki, Hironao; Kojima, Toshiyuki*

Proceedings of 12th Annual Meeting of Particle Accelerator Society of Japan (Internet), p.756 - 759, 2015/09

http://www.pasj.jp/web_publish/pasj2015/proceedings/PDF/WEP1/WEP100.pdf

no abstracts in English

Improvement of fission gas analyzer

Uehara, Hiroyuki; Komuro, Kazuma; Usami, Koji; Nihei, Yasuo; Nakata, Masahito

Proceedings of 52nd Annual Meeting of Hot Laboratories and Remote Handling Working Group (HOTLAB 2015) (Internet), 5 Pages, 2015/09

For the accurate measurement of the released FP gas during RIA, Gas Chromatograph was improved with the hardware approach and the software one. As the hardware approach, PDD was added to the gas detector of GC and it can detect 50 times higher sensitivity compared with the TCD. As the software approach, ETG function was adopted to deconvolute the overlapped Kr peak from N one. With ETG estimation, Kr volume can be evaluated with the deconvolution from N peak in neither the long measurement time nor the changing measurement condition.

Tensile mechanical properties of a stainless steel irradiated up to 19 dpa in the Swiss spallation neutron source

Saito, Shigeru; Kikuchi, Kenji*; Hamaguchi, Dai; Usami, Koji; Endo, Shinya; Ono, Katsuto; Matsui, Hiroki; Kawai, Masayoshi*; Dai, Y.*

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 431(1-3), p.44 - 51, 2012/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2011.11.028

To evaluate the lifetime of the beam window of an accelerator-driven transmutation system (ADS), post irradiation examination (PIE) of the STIP (SINQ target irradiation program, SINQ; Swiss spallation neutron source) specimens was carried out. The specimens tested in this study were made from the austenitic steel JPCA (Japan primary candidate alloy). The specimens were irradiated at SINQ Target 4 (STIP-II) with high-energy protons and spallation neutrons. The irradiation conditions were as follows: the proton energy was 580 MeV, irradiation temperatures ranged from 100 to 430C, and displacement damage levels ranged from 7.1 to 19.5 dpa. Tensile tests were performed in air at room temperature (R.T.), 250C and 350C. Fracture surface observation after the tests was done by SEM (Scanning electron microscope). Results of the tensile tests performed at R.T. showed the extra hardening of JPCA at higher dose compared to the fission neutron irradiated data. At the higher temperatures, 250C and 350C, the extra hardening was not observed. Degradation of ductility bottomed around 10 dpa, and specimens kept their ductility until 19.5 dpa. All specimens fractured in ductile manner. The result from a microstructure observation on a specimen irradiated to 19.3 dpa at 420C indicates that some agglomeration of bubbles on grain boundaries was observed in the specimen irradiated to 19.3 dpa at 420C. However the tensile specimen irradiated up to 18.4 dpa at 425C still exhibited little loss of ductility. Since He/dpa was very high on SINQ target irradiations, the formation of highly dense small bubbles in the matrix consequently avoided the accumulation of He on grain boundaries, which might have resulted in avoiding grain boundary embrittlement.

Radiation hardening and IASCC susceptibility of extra high purity austenitic stainless steel

Ioka, Ikuo; Ishijima, Yasuhiro; Usami, Koji; Sakuraba, Naotoshi; Kato, Yoshiaki; Kiuchi, Kiyoshi

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 417(1-3), p.887 - 891, 2011/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2010.12.154

Fe-25Cr-35Ni EHP alloy was developed with conducting the countermeasure for IASCC. It is composed to adjust major elements, to remove harmful impurities and so on. The specimens were irradiated at 553 K for 25000h using JRR-3. The fluence was estimated to be 1.510n/m. Type 304SS was also irradiated as a comparison material. SSRT test was conducted in oxygenated water at 561 K in 7.7 MPa. The fracture mode of EHP alloy was ductile. IGSCC was not observed in the fracture surface. On the other hand, the fraction of IGSCC on the fracture surface of type 304 was about 70%. Microstructural evolution of EHP and type 304 after irradiation was examined by TEM. The defects induced by irradiation mostly consisted of black dots and frank loops in both specimens. No void was also observed in grain and grain boundary of both specimens. There was a little difference in microstructure after irradiation. It is believed that EHP alloy is superior to type 304 in irradiation.

Replacement technology for front acrylic panels of a large-sized glove box using bag-in / bag-out method

Sakuraba, Naotoshi; Numata, Masami; Komiya, Tomokazu; Ichise, Kenichi; Nishi, Masahiro; Tomita, Takeshi; Usami, Koji; Endo, Shinya; Miyata, Seiichi; Kurosawa, Tatsuya; et al.

JAEA-Technology 2009-071, 34 Pages, 2010/03

JAEA-Technology-2009-071.pdf:21.07MB

As a part of maintenance technology of a large-sized glove box for handling of TRU nuclides, we developed replacement technology for front acrylic panels using the bag-in/bag-out method and applied this technology to replace the deteriorated front acrylic panels at Waste Safety Testing Facility (WASTEF) in Nuclear Science Research Institute of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). As a consequence, we could safely replace the front acrylic panels under the condition of continuous negative pressure only with partial decontamination of the glove box. We also demonstrated that the present technology is highly effective in points of safety, workability and cost as compared to the usual replacement technology for front acrylic panels of a glove box, where workers in an air-line suit replace directly the front acrylic panels in a green house.

Mechanical properties of austenitic stainless steels irradiated at SINQ target 4

Saito, Shigeru; Hamaguchi, Dai; Usami, Koji; Endo, Shinya; Ono, Katsuto; Matsui, Hiroki; Kikuchi, Kenji*; Kawai, Masayoshi*; Yong, D.*

Proceedings of 1st International Workshop on Technology and Components of Accelerator-driven Systems (TCADS-1) (Internet), 9 Pages, 2010/03

The research and development for an accelerator-driven system (ADS) to transmute minor actinide (MA) have been progressed. The target beam window of ADS submerged in the reactor will be subjected to high-energy proton and spallation neutron irradiation. To evaluate mechanical properties of irradiated materials, post irradiation examination (PIE) of the STIP (SINQ target irradiation program) specimens was carried out at JAEA. In the present study, PIE on austenitic steels JPCA and Alloy800H irradiated at SINQ target 4 (STIP-II) was conducted. Austenitic steels are preferable as the material for the target beam window of ADS from the view point of DBTT shift, which should be taken into consideration for ferritic / martensitic steels. The irradiation conditions were as follows: proton energy was 580 MeV, irradiation temperatures were ranged from 100 to 450C, and displacement damage levels were ranged from 6.5 to 19.5 dpa. Tensile tests were performed in air at R.T. to 350C. Results of the tensile tests performed at R.T. indicate that irradiation hardening occurred with increasing displacement damage level up to 10 dpa. At higher doses, irradiation hardening seemed to tend to saturate. Degradation of ductility was bottomed around 10 dpa and specimens kept its ductility until 19.5 dpa. All the specimens fractured in ductile manner.

In-situ SCC observation of thermally-sensitized and cold-worked type 304 stainless steel irradiated to a neutron fluence of 110n/m

Nakano, Junichi; Nemoto, Yoshiyuki; Miwa, Yukio; Usami, Koji; Tsukada, Takashi; Hide, Koichiro*

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 386-388, p.281 - 285, 2009/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2008.12.114

Crack initiation and crack growth processes of irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking on stainless steels were studied by slow strain rate testing in oxygenated high temperature water at 561 K. In-situ observation was carried out during SSRT. Specimens of type 304 stainless steel were subjected to a solution annealing (SA), a thermally sensitization (TS), or a cold working (CW) and irradiated to 1.010 n/m (E 1 MeV) at 323 K in the Japan Material Testing Reactor (JMTR). Crack initiations were observed before the maximum stress would be reached for the CW material in in-situ observation. In fracture surface examination, the TS material exhibited almost intergranular stress corrosion cracking while mixtures of transgranular stress corrosion cracking and ductile dimple fracture were observed for the SA and the CW materials.

PIE technique of LWR fuel cladding fracture toughness test

Endo, Shinya; Usami, Koji; Nakata, Masahito; Fukuda, Takuji*; Numata, Masami; Kizaki, Minoru; Nishino, Yasuharu

Proceedings of 2005 JAEA-KAERI Joint Seminar on Advanced Irradiation and PIE Technologies, p.S2_7_1 - S2_7_11, 2005/11

no abstracts in English

Bend-fatigue properties of 590 MeV proton irradiated JPCA and 316F SS

Saito, Shigeru; Kikuchi, Kenji; Usami, Koji; Ishikawa, Akiyoshi; Nishino, Yasuharu; Kawai, Masayoshi*; Dai, Y.*

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 329-333(Part1), p.1093 - 1097, 2004/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2004.04.152

In several institutes, research and development for an accelerator-driven spallation neutron source have been progressed. A beam window of a target will be subjected to proton/neutron irradiation, pressure wave and thermal stresses accompanied by high-energy proton beam injection. To obtain the irradiation data, the SINQ target irradiation program (STIP) at Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) has been progressing. JAERI takes part in STIP and shares the PIE work. The STIP specimens are very small so that we developed a new fatigue-testing machine with ceramic piezoelectric actuator. The results showed that the numbers of cycles to failure (Nf) on the irradiated specimens were less than that of unirradiated specimens. Dpa dependence of Nf was not clearly seen in the irradiation conditions. On the other hand, fracture surface varied with irradiation conditions. Specimens irradiated at low temperature fractured in ductile manner. However, interglanular fractured surface was observed for 316F SS irradiated up to 12.5 dpa at 360C.