The Behavior of a jet passing through a grid-type obstacle; An Experimental investigation

Abe, Satoshi; Shibamoto, Yasuteru

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 202, p.110461_1 - 110461_16, 2024/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2024.110461

Experimental and analytical investigations on aerosol washout in a large vessel with high spray coverage ratio simulating PWR containment spray

Sun, Haomin; Leblois, Y.*; Gelain, T.*; Porcheron, E.*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 59(11), p.1356 - 1369, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2055673

In severe accident scenarios of PWR, containment spray can be employed to washout the aerosol of radioactive materials, retaining them in the containment. Therefore, it is crucial to correctly predict the washout efficiency for safety assessment. For a PWR, a high spray coverage ratio ( 84%-95%) is required. However, experimental studies on the washout with such a high coverage ratio in a large vessel are quite limited. To understand such a washout phenomenon for model development, aerosol washout experiments are performed in a large vessel with not only aerosol measurements but also spray droplet characterizations. The spray coverage ratios are experimentally confirmed to be compatible with a real PWR. The washout features are investigated in detail. The model in MELCOR is examined using the measured aerosol removal rate, showing the removal rate tendency against particle diameters being reproduced. Although a significant underestimation occurs for large particles, a satisfactory agreement is obtained for smaller ones (0.52 m in diameter) corresponding to the minimum removal rate and around.

Differential pressure changes of a high airflow-type HEPA filter during solvent fire in reprocessing facilities

Tashiro, Shinsuke; Uchiyama, Gunzo; Ono, Takuya; Amano, Yuki; Yoshida, Ryoichiro; Abe, Hitoshi

Nuclear Technology, 208(7), p.1205 - 1213, 2022/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2021.2018272

A clogging behavior of a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter at solvent fire accidents for reprocessing facilities has been studied. In this study, the burning rates of 30% tri-butyl phosphate (TBP)/dodecane (DD) mixed solvent and DD solvent and the differential pressure (P) of a high airflow typed HEPA filter applied in the actual facilities in Japan were measured. It was confirmed that the mainly burned was DD at the early stage of the mixed solvent burning and the TBP at the late stage. Furthermore, it was found that the P rapidly rose at the late stage of the mixed solvent burning. The increase of the release ratio of the unburned particulate composition (TBP, its degraded solvent and inorganic phosphorus (PO)) was considered to contribute to the rapid rise. The correlating formulas with the P and the mass of the loading particulates, except for the region of the rapid rise of P, could be induced.

Effect of nitrous acid on migration behavior of gaseous ruthenium tetroxide into liquid phase

Yoshida, Naoki; Ono, Takuya; Yoshida, Ryoichiro; Amano, Yuki; Abe, Hitoshi

JAEA-Research 2021-011, 12 Pages, 2022/01

JAEA-Research-2021-011.pdf:1.49MB

In boiling and drying accidents involving high-level liquid waste in fuel reprocessing plants, emphasis is placed on the behavior of ruthenium (Ru). Ru would form volatile species, such as ruthenium tetroxide (RuO), and could be released to the environment with coexisting gases, including nitric acid, water, or nitrogen oxides. In this study, to contribute toward safety evaluations of these types of accidents, the migration behavior of gaseous Ru into the liquid phase has been experimentally measured by simulating the condensate during an accident. The gas absorption of RuO was enhanced by increasing the nitrous acid (HNO) concentration in the liquid phase, indicating the occurrence of chemical absorption. In control experiments without HNO, the lower the temperature, the greater was the Ru recovery ratio in the liquid phase. Conversely, in experiments with HNO, the higher the temperature, the higher the recovery ratio, suggesting that the reaction involved in chemical absorption was activated at higher temperatures.

Effect of nitrogen oxides on decomposition behavior of gaseous ruthenium tetroxide

Yoshida, Naoki; Amano, Yuki; Ono, Takuya; Yoshida, Ryoichiro; Abe, Hitoshi

JAEA-Research 2020-014, 33 Pages, 2020/12

JAEA-Research-2020-014.pdf:3.66MB

Considering the boiling and drying accident of high-level liquid waste in fuel reprocessing plant, Ruthenium (Ru) is an important element. It is because Ru would form volatile compounds such as ruthenium tetroxide (RuO) and could be released into the environment with other coexisting gasses such as nitric oxides (NOx) such as nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO). To contribute to the safety evaluation of this accident, we experimentally evaluated the effect of NOx on the decomposition and chemical change behavior of the gaseous RuO (RuO(g)). As a result, the RuO(g) decomposed over time under the atmospheric gasses with NO or NO, however, the decomposition rate was slower than the results of experiments without NOx. These results showed that the NOx stabilized RuO(g).

Density stratification breakup by a vertical jet; Experimental and numerical investigation on the effect of dynamic change of turbulent Schmidt number

Abe, Satoshi; Studer, E.*; Ishigaki, Masahiro; Shibamoto, Yasuteru; Yonomoto, Taisuke

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 368, p.110785_1 - 110785_14, 2020/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2020.110785

Ultrasound measurement of upward liquid film flow in vertical pipe

Wada, Yuki; Satou, Akira; Shibamoto, Yasuteru; Yonomoto, Taisuke; Sagawa, Jun*

Proceedings of 18th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal Hydraulics (NURETH-18) (USB Flash Drive), p.4518 - 4531, 2019/08

Liquid film detection under boiling transition (BT) condition is one of the important issues to develop models on dry out and rewet including physical characteristics of liquid film behavior. Although a heater surface temperature has been often used in previous studies to detect the position of liquid film front, it is difficult to accurately identify the position from the temperature measurement. Therefore, we are developing a nonintrusive measurement technique for detecting thin liquid film thickness under BT and rewet condition using ultrasound. In this study, we focus on high accuracy measurement for liquid film thinner than 0.1 mm by using high frequency ultrasound of 15 MHz and developing a signal processing method. Liquid film measurement results were found to agree with liquid film thickness correlations. Based on a comparison with constant current method, it is concluded that the present technique gives more reasonable liquid film thickness than constant current method.

Influence of grating type obstacle on stratification breakup by a vertical jet

Abe, Satoshi; Ishigaki, Masahiro; Shibamoto, Yasuteru; Yonomoto, Taisuke

Proceedings of 12th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-Hydraulics, Operation and Safety (NUTHOS-12) (USB Flash Drive), 9 Pages, 2018/10

Safety design report on J-PARC Transmutation Physics Experimental Facility (TEF-P)

Partitioning and Transmutation Technology Division, Nuclear Science and Engineering Center

JAEA-Technology 2017-033, 383 Pages, 2018/02

JAEA-Technology-2017-033.pdf:28.16MB

JAEA is pursuing research and development (R&D) on volume reduction and mitigation of degree of harmfulness of high-level radioactive waste. Construction of Transmutation Experimental Facility (TEF) is under planning as one of the second phase facilities in the Japan Proton Accelerator Complex (J-PARC) program to promote R&D on the transmutation technology with using accelerator driven systems (ADS). The TEF consists of two facilities: ADS Target Test Facility (TEF-T) and Transmutation Physics Experimental Facility (TEF-P). Development of spallation target technology and study on target materials are to be conducted in TEF-T with impinging a high intensity proton beam on a liquid lead-bismuth eutectic target. Whereas in TEF-P, by introducing a proton beam to minor actinide loaded cores, reactor physical properties of the cores are to be studied, and operation experiences of ADS are to be acquired. This report summarizes results of safety design for establishment permit of one of two TEF facilities, TEF-P.

Fabrication and test results of testing equipment for remote-handling of MA fuel, 3; Testing equipment for fuel loading

Tazawa, Yujiro; Nishihara, Kenji; Sugawara, Takanori; Tsujimoto, Kazufumi; Sasa, Toshinobu; Eguchi, Yuta; Kikuchi, Masashi*; Inoue, Akira*

JAEA-Technology 2016-029, 52 Pages, 2016/12

JAEA-Technology-2016-029.pdf:5.34MB

Transmutation Physics Experimental Facility (TEF-P) planned in the J-PARC project uses minor actinide (MA) fuels in the experiments. These MA fuels are highly-radioactive, so the fuel handling equipment in TEF-P is necessary to be designed as remote-handling system. This report summarizes fabrication and test results of the testing equipment for fuel loading that is one of components of the testing equipment for remote-handling of MA fuels. The testing equipment which had a remote-handling system for fuel loading was fabricated. And the test in combination with the mock-up core was performed. Through the test, it was confirmed to load/take the dummy fuel pin to/from the mock-up core without failure. It was shown that the concept design of the fuel loading equipment of TEF-P was reasonable.