Annual report on the environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant FY2022

Kokubun, Yuji; Nakada, Akira; Seya, Natsumi; Koike, Yuko; Nemoto, Masashi; Tobita, Keiji; Yamada, Ryohei*; Uchiyama, Rei; Yamashita, Daichi; Nagai, Shinji; et al.

JAEA-Review 2023-046, 164 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Review-2023-046.pdf:4.2MB

The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories conducts environmental radiation monitoring around the reprocessing plant in accordance with the "Safety Regulations for Reprocessing Plant of JAEA, Part IV: Environmental Monitoring". This report summarizes the results of environmental radiation monitoring conducted during the period from April 2022 to March 2023 and the results of dose calculations for the surrounding public due to the release of radioactive materials into the atmosphere and ocean. In the results of the above environmental radiation monitoring, many items were affected by radioactive materials emitted from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated (changed to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. on April 1, 2016), which occurred in March 2011. Also included as appendices are an overview of the environmental monitoring plan, an overview of measurement methods, measurement results and their changes over time, meteorological statistics results, radioactive waste release status, and an evaluation of the data which deviated of the normal range.

Annual report on the environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant FY2021

Nakada, Akira; Kanai, Katsuta; Seya, Natsumi; Nishimura, Shusaku; Futagawa, Kazuo; Nemoto, Masashi; Tobita, Keiji; Yamada, Ryohei*; Uchiyama, Rei; Yamashita, Daichi; et al.

JAEA-Review 2022-078, 164 Pages, 2023/03

JAEA-Review-2022-078.pdf:2.64MB

Environmental radiation monitoring around the Tokai Reprocessing Plant has been performed by the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, based on "Safety Regulations for the Reprocessing Plant of Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Chapter IV - Environmental Monitoring". This annual report presents the results of the environmental monitoring and the dose estimation to the hypothetical inhabitant due to the radioactivity discharged from the plant to the atmosphere and the sea during April 2021 to March 2022. In this report, some data include the influence of the accidental release from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (the trade name was changed to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. on April 1, 2016) in March 2011. Appendices present comprehensive information, such as monitoring programs, monitoring methods, monitoring results and their trends, meteorological data and discharged radioactive wastes. In addition, the data which were influenced by the accidental release and exceeded the normal range of fluctuation in the monitoring, were evaluated.

Internal strain distribution of laser lap joints in steel under loading studied by high-energy synchrotron radiation X-rays

Shobu, Takahisa; Shiro, Ayumi*; Kono, Fumiaki*; Muramatsu, Toshiharu; Yamada, Tomonori; Naganuma, Masayuki; Ozawa, Takayuki

Quantum Beam Science (Internet), 5(2), p.17_1 - 17_9, 2021/06

https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs5020017

The automotive industries employ laser beam welding because it realizes a high energy density without generating irradiation marks on the opposite side of the irradiated surface. Typical measurement techniques such as strain gauges and tube X-rays cannot assess the localized strain at a joint weld. Herein high-energy synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction was used to study the internal strain distribution of laser lap joint PNC-FMS steels (2- and 5-mm thick) under loading at a high temperature. As the tensile load increased, the local tensile and compressive strains increased near the interface. These changes agreed well with the finite element analysis results. However, it is essential to complementarily utilize internal defect observations by X-ray transmission imaging because the results depend on the defects generated by laser processing.

Detection of fatigue damage in stainless steel by EBSD analysis; Applicability of EBSD pattern quality

Kuroda, Masatoshi*; Kamaya, Masayuki*; Yamada, Teruaki*; Akita, Koichi

Nihon Kikai Gakkai Rombunshu (Internet), 83(852), p.17-00072_1 - 17-00072_7, 2017/07

https://doi.org/10.1299/transjsme.17-00072

In order to assess the fatigue damage of austenitic stainless steels by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) method more simply and easily, it should be more preferable to use a commercially available general-purpose EBSD analysis software rather than to employ an in-house developed EBSD analysis programme. In the present study, EBSD measurement was performed for Type 316 austenitic stainless steels subjected to cyclic loading, and the applicability of the EBSD parameter relevant to the pattern quality, which could be obtained by the commercial software, to the fatigue damage assessment was discussed by comparing the other EBSD parameter of the averaged local misorientation (Mave), which could be calculated by the in-house developed programme. As a result, the EBSD parameter relevant to the pattern quality, which signified the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the histogram distribution of the image quality (IQ), was saturated at the beginning stage of the fatigue cycles, while Mave was increased monotonically with the cycles. This suggested that the FWHM of IQ could be useful to detect the initial stage of the fatigue damage, while Mave was suitable for the quantitative evaluation of the fatigue damage. XRD measurement was also carried out for the same samples employed in the EBSD measurement, and the XRD data was compared with the EBSD data to discuss the crystallographic mechanism of the change in the FWHM of IQ. As a result, it was found that the FWHM of the (111) XRD peak correlated well with the FWHM of IQ. Because the (111) plane in fcc metal such as austenitic stainless steel was most preferable for slip system, this implied that the change in the distribution of the pattern quality generated by the fatigue loading could be due to the slip deformation.

Radiation monitoring using manned helicopter around the Nuclear Power Station in the fiscal year 2015 (Contract research)

Sanada, Yukihisa; Munakata, Masahiro; Mori, Airi; Ishizaki, Azusa; Shimada, Kazumasa; Hirouchi, Jun; Nishizawa, Yukiyasu; Urabe, Yoshimi; Nakanishi, Chika*; Yamada, Tsutomu*; et al.

JAEA-Research 2016-016, 131 Pages, 2016/10

JAEA-Research-2016-016.pdf:20.59MB

By the nuclear disaster of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), caused by the East Japan earthquake and the following tsunami occurred on March 11, 2011, a large amount of radioactive materials was released from the NPS. After the nuclear disaster, airborne radiation monitoring using manned helicopter was conducted around FDNPS. In addition, background dose rate monitoring was conducted around Sendai Nuclear Power Station. These results of the aerial radiation monitoring using the manned helicopter in the fiscal 2015 were summarized in the report.

R&D activities of tritium technologies on Broader Approach in Phase 2-2

Isobe, Kanetsugu; Kawamura, Yoshinori; Iwai, Yasunori; Oyaizu, Makoto; Nakamura, Hirofumi; Suzuki, Takumi; Yamada, Masayuki; Edao, Yuki; Kurata, Rie; Hayashi, Takumi; et al.

Fusion Engineering and Design, 98-99, p.1792 - 1795, 2015/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2015.06.075

Activities on Broader Approach (BA) were started in 2007 on the basis of the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the EURATOM. The period of BA activities consist of Phase1 and Phase2 dividing into Phase 2-1 (2010-2011), Phase 2-2 (2012-2013) and Phase 2-3 (2014-2016). Tritium technology was chosen as one of important R&D issues to develop DEMO plant. R&D activities of tritium technology on BA consist of four tasks. Task-1 is to prepare and maintain the tritium handling facility in Rokkasho BA site in Japan. Task 2, 3 and 4 are main R&D activities for tritium and these are focused on: Task-2) Development of tritium accountancy technology, Task-3) Development of basic tritium safety research, Task-4) Tritium durability test. R&D activities of tritium technology in Phase 2-2 were underway successfully and closed in 2013.

Recent progress on tritium technology research and development for a fusion reactor in Japan Atomic Energy Agency

Hayashi, Takumi; Nakamura, Hirofumi; Kawamura, Yoshinori; Iwai, Yasunori; Isobe, Kanetsugu; Yamada, Masayuki; Suzuki, Takumi; Kurata, Rie; Oyaizu, Makoto; Edao, Yuki; et al.

Fusion Science and Technology, 67(2), p.365 - 370, 2015/03

https://doi.org/10.13182/FST14-T31

Elucidations of the catalytic cycle of NADH-cytochrome reductase by X-ray crystallography; New insights into regulation of efficient electron transfer

Yamada, Mitsugu*; Tamada, Taro; Takeda, Kazuki*; Matsumoto, Fumiko*; Ono, Hiraku*; Kosugi, Masayuki*; Takaba, Kiyofumi*; Shoyama, Yoshinari*; Kimura, Shigenobu*; Kuroki, Ryota; et al.

Journal of Molecular Biology, 425(22), p.4295 - 4306, 2013/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmb.2013.06.010

NADH-Cytochrome reductase (b5R), a flavoprotein consisting of NADH and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) binding domains, catalyzes electron transfer from the two-electron carrier NADH to the one-electron carrier cytochrome (Cb5). The crystal structures of both the fully reduced form and the oxidized form of porcine liver b5R were determined. In the reduced b5R structure determined at 1.68 resolution, the relative configuration of the two domains was slightly shifted in comparison with that of the oxidized form. This shift resulted in an increase in the solvent-accessible surface area of FAD and created a new hydrogen-bonding interaction between the N5 atom of the isoalloxazine ring of FAD and the hydroxyl oxygen atom of Thr66, which is considered to be a key residue in the release of a proton from the N5 atom. The isoalloxazine ring of FAD in the reduced form is flat as in the oxidized form and stacked together with the nicotinamide ring of NAD. Determination of the oxidized b5R structure, including the hydrogen atoms, determined at 0.78 resolution revealed the details of a hydrogen-bonding network from the N5 atom of FAD to His49 via Thr66. Both of the reduced and oxidized b5R structures explain how backflow in this catalytic cycle is prevented and the transfer of electrons to one-electron acceptors such as Cb5 is accelerated. Furthermore, crystallographic analysis by the cryo-trapping method suggests that re-oxidation follows a two-step mechanism. These results provide structural insights into the catalytic cycle of b5R.

Overview of R&D activities on tritium processing and handling technology in JAEA

Yamanishi, Toshihiko; Nakamura, Hirofumi; Kawamura, Yoshinori; Iwai, Yasunori; Isobe, Kanetsugu; Oyaizu, Makoto; Yamada, Masayuki; Suzuki, Takumi; Hayashi, Takumi

Fusion Engineering and Design, 87(5-6), p.890 - 895, 2012/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2012.02.043

In JAEA, the tritium processing and handling technologies have been studied at TPL. The main basic R&D activities in this field are: the tritium processing technology for the blanket recovery system; the tritium behavior in a confinement; and detritiation and decontamination. The R&D for tritium processing and handling technologies to a demonstration reactor (DEMO) are also planned to be carried out in the Broader Approach (BA) program in Japan by JAEA with Japanese universities. The ceramic electrolysis cell has been studied as a tritium processing method for the blanket system. The permeation behavior of tritium through pure iron into the gas containing water vapor has been studied. As for the behavior of high concentration tritium water, it was observed that the formation of the oxidized layer was prevented by the presence of tritium in water. Tritium durability tests were also carried out for the electrolysis cell of the chemical exchange column.

Improvement of ultimate pressure of oil-free reciprocating pump for tritium service

Hayashi, Takumi; Yamada, Masayuki; Suzuki, Takumi; Yamanishi, Toshihiko

Fusion Science and Technology, 60(3), p.1101 - 1104, 2011/10

https://doi.org/10.13182/FST11-A12607