Training using JMTR and related facilities in FY2021 and FY2022

Nakano, Hiroko; Fujinami, Kyoko; Yamaura, Takayuki; Kawakami, Jun; Hanakawa, Hiroki

JAEA-Review 2023-036, 33 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Review-2023-036.pdf:2.47MB

A practical training course using the JMTR (Japan Materials Testing Reactor) and other research infrastructures was held from November 29 to December 2 in 2021 for Asian young researchers and engineers. This course was adopted as International Youth Exchange Program in Science (SAKURA SCIENCE Exchange Program) which is the project of the Japan Science and Technology Agency, and this course aims to enlarge the number of high-level nuclear researchers/engineers in Asian countries which are planning to introduce a nuclear power plant, and to promote the use of facilities in future. In this year, from the viewpoint of preventing the spread of COVID-19 infection, it was decided to hold the event online. 53 young researchers and engineers joined the course from 6 countries. In FY2022, training programs with invitations were held due to the easing of restrictions on entry into Japan from overseas. 7 young researchers and engineers from4 Asian countries participated in the training from February 1 to 10, 2023.The common curriculum in the training course of FY2021 and FY2022 included lectures on nuclear energy, irradiation testing, safety management, JMTR decommissioning plan, etc. In the online session, conducted in FY2021, information exchange on the energy situation in each country was conducted. On-site training conducted in FY2022, included practical training on operation using simulations, environmental monitoring, etc. and facility tours of the JMTR, etc. Many participants could join the online training course, they created a diversity of expertise and made lively discussions during the information exchange. On-site training, while limited in number of participants, provided a good opportunity for personnel exchange through practical training and face-face communication. It is desirable to hold on-site training as long as circumstances permit. This report summarizes the training conducted in FY2021 and FY2022.

Development of irradiation capsules with adjusting neutron spectrum

Fuyushima, Takumi; Takabe, Yugo; Sayato, Natsuki; Kimura, Akihiro; Takemoto, Noriyuki

The IV International Scientific Forum "Nuclear Science and Technologies"; AIP Conference Proceedings 3020, p.040007_1 - 040007_6, 2024/01

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0192860

We studied irradiation tests of structural materials simulating fast reactor conditions in JMTR. We fabricated capsules that can simulate fast reactor irradiation in JMTR by using He/dpa ratio as index. To simulate fast reactor, cadmium, which shield thermal neutrons, was placed inside the capsule to adjust the neutron spectrum. According to the result of irradiation tests by neutron spectrum adjusting capsule, we confirmed that it can simulate the He/dpa ratio of fast reactor. Currently, since it is impossible to conduct irradiation tests in Japan, a plan is underway to partly replace the irradiation function of JMTR with overseas reactors. The alternative irradiation will be carried out by succeeding and developing the irradiation technology accumulated in the JMTR, and as a part of this, a trial of such irradiation in which the neutron spectrum is adjusted is under consideration.

Irradiation and post-irradiation examination technology for development of nuclear fuels and materials

Tsuchiya, Kunihiko

Nihon Genshiryoku Gakkai-Shi ATOMO, 65(6), p.393 - 397, 2023/06

https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesjb.65.6_393

no abstracts in English

LASSO reconstruction scheme to predict radioactive source distributions inside reactor building rooms; Practical applications

Machida, Masahiko; Shi, W.*; Yamada, Susumu; Miyamura, Hiroko; Yoshida, Toru*; Hasegawa, Yukihiro*; Okamoto, Koji; Aoki, Yuto; Ito, Rintaro; Yamaguchi, Takashi; et al.

Proceedings of Waste Management Symposia 2023 (WM2023) (Internet), 11 Pages, 2023/02

Improvement of load control unit in material irradiation test system (Contract research)

Okada, Yuji; Magome, Hirokatsu; Matsui, Yoshinori

JAEA-Technology 2022-014, 113 Pages, 2022/09

JAEA-Technology-2022-014.pdf:15.79MB

Material irradiation test system had been newly installed in JMTR (Japan Materials Testing Reactor) with taking 5 years which was from 2008 through 2013. The aim of material irradiation test system is to conduct IASCC (Irradiation Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking) evaluation study. This system is mainly consist of water control unit, which can simulate elevated temperature and pressure of the light water reactor environment in the reactor, and load control unit, which can perform the crack propagation examination under irradiation. This load control unit gives a load to CT (Compact Tension) specimen, and perform the crack propagation examination. The principle of loading to CT specimen is using pressure difference between pressure generated by high temperature and high pressure water by water control unit in capsule and pressure generated by load gas pressure supplied by helium gas cylinder in bellows installed in load control unit. In 2013, the commissioning of material irradiation test system was carried out for adjustment. During this commissioning, the correlation between the differential pressure in load control unit and the load was confirmed by using the test container connected to load control unit with load cell. From the results of commissioning, the problem, which the load change speeds at loading and unloading were different due to different pressure change speeds by the piping resistance performance in the periodic loading test in which load from minimum to maximum repeatedly applied, was confirmed. This report summarizes the problem of load change speed due to the piping resistance performance, which was confirmed in 2013, the improvement and performance test of load control unit for solving the problem described above, which were carried out from 2014 to 2015, and operating procedure.

Proceedings of the Workshop for Constructing New Materials Testing Reactor; December 22-23, 2020, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Department of JMTR

JAEA-Review 2021-064, 201 Pages, 2022/03

JAEA-Review-2021-064.pdf:22.0MB

In the "The study committee on Post-JMTR" which aims at discussing for the construction of a new materials testing reactor as Post JMTR, it was proposed to hold a workshop to promote the public understanding and to hear the opinions of utilization needs. In addition, it was proposed that the workshop be held regularly as a place for exchanging opinions about ideal way of the new materials testing reactor, and that discussing be held with no limit to Japan. In response to these proposals, the workshop was held to discuss the construction of the new materials testing reactor. This workshop was held with the aim of clarifying the utilization needs of the new materials testing reactor. In the workshop, it was given lecture on safety improvement of light-water reactors, nuclear research and development of new and next-generation reactors, scientific and academic research of basic research on materials, and industrial applications for RI production by stakeholders in industry and academia. In addition, panel discussions were held to freely discuss the utilization needs required for the new materials testing reactor, the ideal situation of irradiation functions in Japan, and the operation and use of facilities. This proceeding is a compilation of these presentations and others.

Investigation on soundness of JMTR Facility piping by ultrasonic thickness measurement

Omori, Takazumi; Otsuka, Kaoru; Endo, Yasuichi; Takeuchi, Tomoaki; Ide, Hiroshi

JAEA-Review 2021-015, 57 Pages, 2021/11

JAEA-Review-2021-015.pdf:6.3MB

The JMTR reactor facility was selected as a decommissioning one in the Medium/Long-Term Management Plan of JAEA Facilities formulated on April 1, 2017. Therefore, the decommissioning plan was submitted to Nuclear Regulation Authority on September 18, 2019, and the approval was obtained on March 17, 2021 after two amendments. Currently, preparations for decommissioning are underway. The JMTR reactor facility has been aged for more than 50 years since the first criticality in March 1968. However, some of the water piping systems has not been updated since its construction, and there is a possibility of pipe wall thinning due to corrosion, etc. Therefore, the integrity of the water piping was investigated for the facilities that circulate cooling water and pump radioactive liquid waste. In this investigation, the main circulation system of the reactor primary cooling system, the pool canal circulation system, the CF pool circulation system, the drainage system of the liquid waste disposal system, and the hydraulic rabbit irradiation system of the main experimental facility were measured for the pipe wall thickness using the Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement (UTM) method. These values satisfied the technical standards for research and test reactor facilities. No loss of integrity is expected to occur during the upcoming decommissioning period. In the future, we will periodically confirm that there is no wall thinning in the piping of the cooling water circulation and the water transmission system during the decommissioning period by using this result as basic data.

Feasibility study on tritium recoil barrier for neutron reflectors of research and test reactors

Kenzhina, I.*; Ishitsuka, Etsuo; Ho, H. Q.; Sakamoto, Naoki*; Okumura, Keisuke; Takemoto, Noriyuki; Chikhray, Y.*

Fusion Engineering and Design, 164, p.112181_1 - 112181_5, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2020.112181

Tritium release into the primary coolant during operation of the JMTR (Japan Materials Testing Reactor) and the JRR-3M (Japan Research Reactor-3M) had been studied. It is found that the recoil release by Li(n,)H reaction, which comes from a chain reaction of beryllium neutron reflectors, is dominant. To prevent tritium recoil release, the surface area of beryllium neutron reflectors needs to be minimum in the core design and/or be shielded with other material. In this paper, as the feasibility study of the tritium recoil barrier for the beryllium neutron reflectors, various materials such as Al, Ti, V, Ni, and Zr were evaluated from the viewpoint of the thickness of barriers, activities after long-term operations, and effects on the reactivities. From the results of evaluations, Al would be a suitable candidate as the tritium recoil barrier for the beryllium neutron reflectors.

Decommissioning of JMTR and study for construction of a new material testing reactor

Kaminaga, Masanori; Kusunoki, Tsuyoshi; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko; Hori, Naohiko; Naka, Michihiro

IAEA-TECDOC-1943, p.45 - 56, 2021/02

https://www.iaea.org/publications/14806/sustainability-and-self-reliance-of-national-nuclear-institutions

The JMTR operation was once stopped in order to have a check & review in August 2006, and the refurbishment and restart of JMTR was finally determined by the national discussion. The refurbishment was started from FY2007, and was finished in March 2011. However, at the end of the FY2010, the Great-Eastern-Japan-Earthquake occurred, and functional tests before the JMTR restart were delayed. On the other hand, based on the safety assessments considering the 2011 earthquake new regulatory requirements have established on Decmber18, 2013 by the NRA. The new regulatory requirements include the satisfaction of integrities for the updated earthquake forces, Tsunami, the consideration of natural phenomena, and the management of consideration in the Beyond Design Basis Accidents (BDBA) to protect fuel damage and to mitigate impact of the accidents. Analyses related to the new regulatory requirements have intensively been performed timely, and an application to the NRA had been submitted in March 27, 2015. After submission of application, seismic resistance assessment of JMTR reactor building was carried out by assuming the standard earthquake ground motion of 810 ga. As the results, it was found that seismic reinforcement work for reactor building and reactor pool wall were required. As a result, it became clear that at least 7 years of reinforcement work period and cost of about 40 billion yen are required for seismic reinforcement and to meet new regulatory standards. At the same time, it was made clear that high availability such as 8 operation cycles per year as originally planned cannot be expected due to aiging problem. For this reason, JAEA positioned JMTR as a decommissioning facility in the mid- and long-term plan of JAEA announced in April 2017. On the other hand, JAEA started to study the construction of a new material testing reactor. The examination results will be compiled by the end of FY2019. In this paper, outline of JMTR decommissioning plan is described.

Voltage drop analysis and leakage suppression design for mineral-insulated cables

Hirota, Noriaki; Shibata, Hiroshi; Takeuchi, Tomoaki; Otsuka, Noriaki; Tsuchiya, Kunihiko

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 57(12), p.1276 - 1286, 2020/12

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2020.1782280

The influence of materials of mineral-insulated (MI) cables on their electrical characteristics upon exposure to high-temperature conditions was examined via a transmission test, in the objective of achieving the stability of the potential distribution along the cable length. Occurrence of a voltage drop along the cable was confirmed for aluminum oxide (AlO) and magnesium oxide (MgO), as insulating materials of the MI cable. A finite-element method (FEM)-based analysis was performed to evaluate the leakage in the potentials, which was found at the terminal end. Voltage drop yields by the transmission test and the analysis were in good agreement for the MI cable of AlO and MgO materials, which suggests the reproducibility of the magnitude relationship of the experimental results via the FEM analysis. To suppress the voltage drop, the same FEM analysis was conducted, the diameter of the core wires () and the distance between them () were varied. Considering the variation of , the potential distribution in the MI cable produced a minimum voltage drop corresponding to a ratio of 0.35, obtained by dividing with that of the insulating material (). In case of varying , a minimum voltage drop was l/ of 0.5.