Nuclear data as foundation of nuclear research and development

Fukahori, Tokio; Nakayama, Shinsuke; Katabuchi, Tatsuya*; Shigyo, Nobuhiro*

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 65(12), p.726 - 727, 2023/12

https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesjb.65.12_726

The Investigative Committee on Nuclear Data investigates and observes global trends in nuclear research and development and conducts comprehensive examinations of Japanese nuclear data activities from a broader perspective, as well as cooperation with domestic and foreign academic institutions in a wide range of fields other than the Atomic Energy Society. We aim to establish a system for communication, information exchange, and interdisciplinary cooperation. In this report, we will report on three of the main activities for the 2021-2022 term: a request list site for nuclear data, human resource development, and roadmap production.

Establishing an evaluation method for the aging phenomenon by physical force in fuel debris

Suzuki, Seiya; Arai, Yoichi; Okamura, Nobuo; Watanabe, Masayuki

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(7), p.839 - 848, 2023/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2159559

The fuel debris, consisting of nuclear fuel materials and reactor structural materials, generated in the accident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant can become deteriorated like rocks under the changes of environmental temperature. Although the fuel debris have been cooled by water for 10 years, they are affected by seasonal and/or day-and-night temperature changes. Therefore, in evaluating the aging behavior of the fuel debris, it is essential to consider the changes in environmental temperature. Assuming that the fuel debris are deteriorated, radioactive substances that have recently undergone micronization could be eluted into the cooling water, and such condition may affect defueling methods. We focused on the effect of repeated changes in environmental temperature on the occurrence of cracks, and an accelerated test using simulated fuel debris was carried out. The length of the crack increases with increasing number of heat cycle; therefore, the fuel debris become brittle by stress caused by thermal expansion and contraction. In conclusion, it was confirmed that the mechanical deterioration of the fuel debris is similar to that of rocks or minerals, and it became possible to predict changes in the length of the crack in the simulated fuel debris and environmental model.

Nuclear data as foundation of nuclear research and development

Fukahori, Tokio; Nakayama, Shinsuke; Katabuchi, Tatsuya*; Shigyo, Nobuhiro*

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 64(7), p.413 - 414, 2022/07

https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesjb.64.7_413

The Investigation Advisory Committee on Nuclear Data monitors global nuclear research and development trends, and conducts collaborative nuclear data activities with domestic and foreign academic institutions in a wide range of fields. The aims are to contact, to exchange information, and to build an interdisciplinary cooperation system. Reported are the activities on the request list site, human resources development, and roadmap creation regarding nuclear data directly related to future nuclear data research activities, among the main activities in the 2019-2020 period.

Thermophysical properties of austenitic stainless steel containing boron carbide in a solid state

Takai, Toshihide; Furukawa, Tomohiro; Yamano, Hidemasa

Mechanical Engineering Journal (Internet), 8(4), p.20-00540_1 - 20-00540_11, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1299/mej.20-00540

In a core disruptive accident scenario, boron carbide, which is used as a control rod material, may melt below the melting temperature of stainless steel owing to the eutectic reaction with them. The eutectic mixture produced is assumed to extensively relocate in the degraded core, and this behavior plays an important role in significantly reducing the neutronic reactivity. However, these behaviors have never been simulated in previous severe accident analysis. To contribute to the improvement of the core disruptive accident analysis code, the thermophysical properties of the eutectic mixture in the solid state were measured, and regression equations that show the temperature (and boron carbide concentration) dependence are created.

Estimation of the in-depth debris status of Fukushima Unit-2 and Unit-3 with Multi-physics modeling (Contract research); FY2019 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; Waseda University*

JAEA-Review 2020-035, 102 Pages, 2021/01

JAEA-Review-2020-035.pdf:6.82MB

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2019. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO). For this purpose, intelligence was collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development were promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. The sponsor of the Project was moved from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to JAEA since the newly adopted proposals in FY2018. On this occasion, JAEA constructed a new research system where JAEA-academia collaboration is reinforced and medium-to-long term research/development and human resource development contributing to the decommissioning are stably and consecutively implemented. Among the adopted proposals in FY2019, this report summarizes the research results of the "Estimation of the In-Depth Debris Status of Fukushima Unit-2 and Unit-3 with Multi-Physics Modeling". Continuous update on understanding of the damaged Fukushima reactors is important for safe and efficient decommissioning of the reactors. This study aims to estimate the in-depth debris status of the damaged Fukushima Unit-2 and Unit-3 through multi-physics modeling, which comprises of MPS method, simulated molten debris relocation experiment and high-temperature melt property data acquision in the three-year project from FY2019.

Thermodynamic and thermophysical properties of the actinide nitrides

Uno, Masayoshi*; Nishi, Tsuyoshi*; Takano, Masahide

Comprehensive Nuclear Materials, 2nd Edition, Vol.7, p.202 - 231, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-803581-8.11749-7

On the thermodynamic and thermophysical properties of the actinide nitrides in Comprehensive Nuclear Materials published by Elsevier as the first edition in 2012, we have revised them by adding some brand-new data. The main topics added are the solid solubility of the actinide nitrides into the zirconium nitride matrix for transmutation fuel, the lattice expansion of actinide nitrides induced by self-irradiation damage, the influence of defects accumulation on thermal conductivity, and the thermal expansion in curium nitride lattice.

Recent activities in the field of reactor physics

Fukushima, Masahiro; Tojo, Masayuki*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 56(12), p.1061 - 1062, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2019.1667925

Reactor Physics that treat the essentials of how fission nuclear reactors work fundamentally has important roles on safe operations and design studies of various types of nuclear reactors. From the latest activities in the field of reactor physics, this report summarizes some outstanding researches and developments published in scientific journals including the Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology.

Introduction and implementation of physical protection measures including trustworthiness program at Tokai Reprocessing Facilities

Nakamura, Hironobu; Kimura, Takashi; Yamazaki, Katsuyuki; Kitao, Takahiko; Tasaki, Takashi; Iida, Toru

Proceedings of International Conference on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities (Internet), 9 Pages, 2018/09

After the accident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, to develop effective security measures based on the lesson learned from such crisis and to meet the IAEA Nuclear Security Recommendations (INFCIRC/225/Rev.5), NRA in Japan made a partial amendment of the regulations concerning the reprocessing activity in 2012. The Tokai reprocessing facility implemented all of those security measures by the end of March 2014. Those new measures help us to keep high degree of security level and contributed to our planned operations to reduce the potential risk of the plant. On the other hand, the trustworthiness program was newly introduced in 2016, based on the trustworthiness policy determined by NRA. The implementing entity of the program is JAEA for the Tokai Reprocessing Facility and is required for both the persons afford unescorted access to Category I and II, CAS/SAS, and the persons afford access to the sensitive information. Those who are involved this program will be judged before engaging the work whether they might act as insider to cause or assist radiological sabotage or unauthorized removal of nuclear material, or leak sensitive information. The program is expected as a measure against insider at reprocessing facilities, and is expected to be enforced around the autumn of 2017. As well as the establishment of security measures, the promoting nuclear security culture for all employees was a big challenge. The Tokai reprocessing facility have introduced several security culture activities, such as case study education of security events done by a small group and putting up the security culture poster and so on. This paper presents introduction and implementation with effectiveness of security measures in the Tokai reprocessing facilities and the future security measures applied to the reprocessing facilities are discussed.

J-PARC Transmutation Experimental Facility Program

Maekawa, Fujio; Transmutation Expeimental Facility Design Team

Plasma and Fusion Research (Internet), 13(Sp.1), p.2505045_1 - 2505045_4, 2018/05

http://www.jspf.or.jp/PFR/PDF2018/pfr2018_13-2505045

The partitioning and transmutation (P-T) technology has promising potential for volume reduction and mitigation of degree of harmfulness of high-level radioactive waste. JAEA is promoting development of the P-T technology by using an accelerator driven system (ADS). To facilitate the development, we have a plan to construct the Transmutation Experimental Facility (TEF) as one of experimental facilities of J-PARC (Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex). TEF consists of two facilities: the ADS Target Test Facility (TEF-T) and the Transmutation Physics Experimental Facility (TEF-P). Recent progress in design and R&D efforts toward construction of J-PARC TEF will be presented.

Development of unstructured mesh-based numerical method for sodium-water reaction phenomenon in steam generators of sodium-cooled fast reactors

Uchibori, Akihiro; Watanabe, Akira*; Takata, Takashi; Ohshima, Hiroyuki

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 54(10), p.1036 - 1045, 2017/10

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2017.1344155

To evaluate a sodium-water reaction phenomenon in a steam generator of sodium-cooled fast reactors, a computational fluid dynamics code SERAPHIM, in which a compressible multicomponent multiphase flow with sodium-water chemical reaction is computed, has been developed. The original SERAPHIM code is based on the difference method. In this study, unstructured mesh-based numerical method was developed to advance a numerical accuracy for the complex-shaped domain including multiple heat transfer tubes. Numerical analysis of an underexpanded jet experiment was performed as part of validation of the unstructured mesh-based numerical method. The calculated pressure profile showed good agreement with the experimental data. Applicability of the numerical method for the actual situation was confirmed through the analysis of water vapor discharging into liquid sodium. The effect of use of the unstructured mesh was also investigated by the two analyses using structured and unstructured mesh.