Study on the evaluation method to determine the radioactivity concentration in radioactive waste on Oarai Research and Development Institute (FY2020)

Asakura, Kazuki; Shimomura, Yusuke; Donomae, Yasushi; Abe, Kazuyuki; Kitamura, Ryoichi; Miyakoshi, Hiroyuki; Takamatsu, Misao; Sakamoto, Naoki; Isozaki, Ryosuke; Onishi, Takashi; et al.

JAEA-Review 2021-020, 42 Pages, 2021/10

The disposal of radioactive waste from the research facility need to calculate from the radioactivity concentration that based on variously nuclear fuels and materials. In Japan Atomic Energy Agency Oarai Research and Development Institute, the study on considering disposal is being advanced among the facilities which generate radioactive waste as well as the facilities which process radioactive waste. This report summarizes a study result in FY2020 about the evaluation method to determine the radioactivity concentration in radioactive waste on Oarai Research and Development Institute.

Integration of the geological survey data obtained for shaft and gallery walls from the surface to a depth of 380m in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory Project

Sakai, Toshihiro; Hayano, Akira

JAEA-Data/Code 2021-010, 243 Pages, 2021/10

JAEA-Data-Code-2021-010.pdf:62.15MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2021-010-appendix1(CD-ROM).zip:95.55MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2021-010-appendix2(CD-ROM).zip:152.69MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2021-010-appendix3(CD-ROM).zip:25.48MB

The Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Project is being pursued by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to enhance the reliability of relevant disposal technologies through investigations of the deep geological environment within the host sedimentary formations at Horonobe, northern Hokkaido. The project consists of two major research areas, "Geoscientific Research" and "R&D on Geological Disposal", and proceeds in three overlapping phases, "Phase I: Surface-based investigation", "Phase II: Construction" and "Phase III: Operation". The geological survey has been carried out at the shafts and the galleries in the Phase II. The geological survey was carried out during the excavation cycle, and the data were obtained for each an excavation cross section. This report shows the data which the individual geological data were integrated for the geological survey at the shafts and the galleries from the surface to a depth of 380m.

Development of MA separation process with TEHDGA/SiO-P for an advanced reprocessing

Horiuchi, Yusuke; Watanabe, So; Sano, Yuichi; Takeuchi, Masayuki; Kida, Fukuka*; Arai, Tsuyoshi*

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 330(1), p.237 - 244, 2021/10

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07940-4

Applicability of tetra2-ehylhexyl diglycolamide (TEHDGA) impregnated adsorbent for minor actinide (MA) recovery from high level liquid waste (HLLW) in extraction chromatography technology was investigated through batch-wise adsorption and column separation experiments. Distribution ratio of representative fission product elements were obtained by the batch-wise experiments, and TEHDGA adsorbent was shown to be preferable to TODGA adsorbent for decontamination of several species. All Ln(III) supplied into the TEHDGA adsorbent packed column was properly eluted from the column, and the applicability of the adsorbent was successfully showed by this study.

Observation of collapse behavior of bentonite during swelling pressure test using X-ray CT measurement

Takayama, Yusuke; Kikuchi, Hirohito*

Doboku Gakkai Rombunshu, C (Chiken Kogaku) (Internet), 77(3), p.302 - 313, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.2208/jscejge.77.3_302

Numerous swelling pressure tests have been conducted to understand the swelling properties of benton-ite which is planned to be used as a buffer material in repositories for the geological disposal of radioac-tive waste. In this study, in order to clarify the cause of the decrease in swelling pressure during the swell-ing pressure test period, the change in wet density distribution inside the specimen during the swelling pressure test was observed by X-ray CT measurement. It was supposed that this phenomenon was caused by the collapse inside the specimen. Furthermore, in order to confirm that collapse is generated by water absorption, the swelling deformation test was carried out under various load conditions. As a result, it was confirmed that collapse occurs even under the load conditions that are equal to or slightly smaller than the swelling pressure. These test data are expected to be used for validation of coupled analysis codes for evaluating the mechanical behavior of disposal facilities during re-saturation period.

Estimation of contaminated materials concentration by a geostatistical method with groundwater flow

Takai, Shizuka; Shimada, Taro; Takeda, Seiji; Koike, Katsuaki*

Joho Chishitsu, 32(3), P. 95, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.6010/geoinformatics.32.3_89

We received best presentation award GEOINROUM-2021 for the presentation on "Estimation of contaminated materials concentration by a geostatistical method with groundwater flow". We submit the comments of impression for getting the Award to Geoinformatics.

Analytical method for chemical compositions of volcanic glasses in Tono Geoscience Center; Quantitative measurements of Major Elements by using EPMA and Minor Elements by LA-ICP-MS

Kagami, Saya; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Umeda, Koji*

JAEA-Testing 2021-001, 49 Pages, 2021/08

JAEA-Testing-2021-001.pdf:3.86MB

To make a contribution to safety assessment for geological disposal of high level radioactive and/or TRU waste, we need to assess long-term stability of geological environment and predict long-term changes of geotectonic events that will occur in the future, especially for Quaternary period ( 2.6 million years ago-present). In the most case, we investigate chronological data of geological events by radiometric dating. When some geological samples have no objects to which radiometric dating method can be applied (e.g., zircon, biotite, wood fragments and plant residues), we can use tephrochronology, which is geological dating method using each layer of tephra (erupted volcanic ash), for dating of geological layers. This chronological method is essential in Japan, where volcanism is very active. Tephra is usually characterized by petrographic characteristics and/or chemical composition (mainly major elements) of volcanic glasses and/or minerals in tephra. In Tono Geoscience Center (Japan Atomic Energy Agency), we develop an analytical technique of chemical composition including trace elements of volcanic glasses for detailed tephra identification. In this paper, we report a sample preparation procedure and analytical methods of chemical compositions of individual volcanic glass shards by using an electron probe microanalyzer and a laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer.

Update on the regional-scale 3D geological model in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory Project

Sakai, Toshihiro; Ishii, Eiichi

JAEA-Data/Code 2021-009, 13 Pages, 2021/08

JAEA-Data-Code-2021-009.pdf:1.9MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2021-009-appendix(CD-ROM).zip:42.79MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency is performing the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory Project, which includes a scientific study of the deep geological environment as a basis of research and development for the geological disposal of high level radioactive wastes, in order to establish comprehensive techniques for the investigation, analysis and assessment of the deep geological environment in the sedimentary rock. The numerical data of 3D geological model in regional-scale was compiled in 2019 as JAEA-Data/Code 2019-007, and then this report updates a part of the numerical data of 3D geological model around the underground facilities.

Petrology and mineralogy of an igneous clast in the Northwest Africa 1685 (LL4) chondrite; Comparison with alkali-rich igneous clasts in LL-chondritic breccias

Niihara, Takafumi*; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Arai, Tomoko*; Misawa, Keiji*

Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 56(8), p.1619 - 1625, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.13719

We have conducted petrological and mineralogical studies on an igneous clast in the Northwest Africa (NWA) 1685 (LL4) chondrite. In an earlier description, the meteorite contained similar clasts in the LL chondritic breccias Yamato (Y)-74442 (LL4), Bhola (LL3-6), and Kraehenberg (LL5). We carefully compared their textures as well as mineral and matrix compositions with those of alkali-rich clasts in the LL chondritic breccias. Olivine grains are embedded in glassy matrix and have no chemical. Shock melt veins and fractures were observed only in olivine grains and did not continue to matrix. Major and minor element compositions of olivine grains in the clast are homogeneous. Potassium abundance of matrix glasses of the NWA 1685 clast is lower than those of alkali-rich igneous clasts in Y-74442, Bhola, and Kraehenberg, indicating that the igneous clasts in NWA 1685 are different from the alkali-rich clasts previously reported in the LL chondritic breccias and that they could have formed during an impact melting event, quenched on the LL-chondrite parent body, and finally incorporated into breccia.

Study on the radioactivity evaluation method of biological shielding concrete of JPDR for near surface disposal

Kochiyama, Mami; Okada, Shota; Sakai, Akihiro

JAEA-Technology 2021-010, 61 Pages, 2021/07

JAEA-Technology-2021-010.pdf:3.56MB
JAEA-Technology-2021-010(errata).pdf:0.75MB

It is necessary to evaluate the radioactivity inventory in wastes in order to dispose of radioactive wastes generated from dismantling nuclear reactor in the shallow ground. In this report, we examined radioactivity evaluation method for near surface disposal about biological shield concrete near the core generated from the dismantling of JPDR. We calculated radioactive concentration of the target biological concrete using the DORT code and the ORIGEN-S code, and we estimated radioactivity concentration Di (Bq/t). For DORT calculation, the cross-section library created from the MATXSLIB-J40 file from JENDL-4.0 was used, and for ORIGEN-S, the attached library of SCALE6.0 was used. As a result of comparing the calculation results of the radioactivity concentration with the past measured values in the radial direction and the vertical direction, we found that the trends were generally the same. We calculated radioactive concentration of the target biological concrete Di (Bq/t), and we compared with the estimated Ci (Bq/t) equivalent to the dose criteria of trench disposal calculated for 140 nuclides. As a result we inferred that the except for about 2% of target waste could be disposed of in the trench disposal facility. We also preselected important nuclides for trench disposal based on the ratios (Di/Ci) for each nuclide, H-3, C-14, Cl-36, Ca-41, Co-60, Sr-90, Eu-152 and Cs-137 were selected as important nuclides.

Activity for improvement of reprocessing plant quality assurance system; Transition to decommissioning stage, complying with new regulatory requirements for new inspection program, giving up ISO 9001 certification; Operations report FY 2012-2019

Yoshinaka, Kazuyuki; Shimizu, Kazuyuki; Sugiyama, Takayuki

JAEA-Review 2021-008, 112 Pages, 2021/07

JAEA-Review-2021-008.pdf:5.99MB

We had drastically been improving quality assurance system for Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP), through applying new regulatory requirements, giving up ISO certification from FY2012 to 2019. In revising QA system, it is obviously necessary to satisfy the regulatory requirements, but it is important to continuously improve the QA system considering effectiveness to safety performance based on earlier experiences. In this report, the background of QA system revision, interpretation and thinking way of conformation and application to new regulation and "Application Guide to Quality Assurance Code for Safety in Nuclear Power Plants (JEAC 4111)" to TRP, issues considered. And matters that require attention for future QA activities are described. Key points are "in work processes planning, relationship with other sections and responsibility boundaries should be clearly defined with such as flow chart", "to manage decision-making processes is important, including input information, judgment criteria and so on", "concerning process monitoring and measurement, not only focusing on scheduling but also viewpoints toward conditions of facilities/systems, conformance to regulatory requirements and process improvement are necessary", and "in documentation, matching for existing system, clear relation to other fundamental documents are necessary".