Development of local exhaust device for vinyl-bag work

Local Exhaust Device Development Team in Analysis Section

JAEA-Technology 2023-015, 19 Pages, 2023/08

JAEA-Technology-2023-015.pdf:1.45MB

In the analytical laboratory of Tokai Reprocessing Plant, samples for operation and facility maintenance are analyzed in glove-box. Analytical reagents and equipment are carried inside the glove-box, and radioactive wastes generated through the analytical work are carried out using plastic bag (vinyl-bag) attached to the glove-box. The work carrying in and out from the glove-box is called as bag-in and bag-out. During these works, if the vinyl-bag is damaged, radioactive materials inside the glove-box may be leaked out and radioactive materials contaminate the vinyl-bag surface and the work area. In addition to that, if the radioactive contamination floats into the air, air in the work area may be contaminated. In this study, actual situation of the vinyl-bag work, specifications, and features of a local exhaust device for glove exchange work, which is an existing local exhaust device for gloves with a similar installation structure to vinyl-bags, have been investigated. Then, local exhaust device for vinyl-bag work have been developed. The developed local exhaust device has the same dimensions and shape as worktable that are conventionally used for vinyl-bag work. Also, a hood, HEPA filter, and exhaust blower, which are main components of the exhaust device for glove exchange work, are installed inside of this worktable. As a result, it has been confirmed that the developed local exhaust device is effective to prevent air contamination in vinyl-bag work without increasing the work procedures, manpower, and work time.

Improve long periodic ground motion evaluation with the epicenter on the border between Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures in seismic design of nuclear facilities

Kirita, Fumio; Tominaga, Masahiro; Yamazaki, Toshihiko; Seshimo, Kazuyoshi; Uryu, Mitsuru

JAEA-Research 2022-006, 61 Pages, 2023/02

JAEA-Research-2022-006.pdf:6.24MB

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories (NCL) has been observing ground motion for a long time. On the border from northern Ibaraki prefecture to Fukushima prefecture, inland crustal earthquakes occur less frequently until the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake (hereinafter referred to as Tohoku Earthquake). After Tohoku Earthquake, aftershocks have become more frequent in this area, and in the Hamadori region of Fukushima earthquake that a remarkable long periodic component was observed in the NCL seismic observation record. Until now there were no such things that long periodic components were observed at the observation points near the epicenter of April 2011 Fukushima earthquake, but it was thought basin structure in deep basement around the NCL affected the propagation process to NCL by reflection survey result. As basement structure of NCL affected the seismic wave propagation process, the seismic wave repeatedly reflects and refracts. For that reason, long periodic components of seismic waves may be possibly amplified. In this study, in order to refine the long periodic ground motion evaluation, using a three dimensional ground structure model (3D model) that can reflect the shape of the deep basement structure around the NCL. When modeling 3D ground structure which has a width of about 80km and a length of about 110km and ranges from the epicenter area of April 2011 Fukushima earthquake to the northern coastal area of Ibaraki prefecture modeled, improved the optimum ground structure model using multiple observation records and performed simulation analysis.

Completion of waste removal work from the hot cell of Operation Testing Laboratory in Tokai Reprocessing Plant

Goto, Yuichi; Suzuki, Yoshimasa; Horigome, Kazushi; Miyamoto, Toshihiko*; Usui, Masato*; Mori, Eito*; Kuno, Takehiko

JAEA-Technology 2022-005, 42 Pages, 2022/07

JAEA-Technology-2022-005.pdf:4.48MB

Radioactive wastes were generated and stored in the hot cell of Operation Testing Laboratory of Tokai Reprocessing Plant due to the experiments related to the reprocessing technology development from 1974 to 2014. Waste removal work was strengthened by the shift work in the past, however another wastes were generated by the equipment dismantling. From 2006, an improved waste removal method was established by using bag-out technique and wastes were taken from the glove-box connected to the hot cell. The removal period, estimated from the conventional method using Cask No. 10, was reduced from 14 to 5 years. From 2016, upgrade of worker's awareness including related departments was performed by various software and hardware improvements. Also, the worker's skills were improved and equipment in Cask No.10 was checked for preventive maintenance. The prevention measures for past troubles were discussed with Radiation Control Department. In addition, transportation schedule including safety operation with Transportation Department and Waste Receiving Department was optimized to maintain the waste removal cycle. The removal period was reduced from 5 to 3 years by the above efforts. Finally, the work was completed in March 2020.

Improvement construction for ground around High Active liquid Waste facility in Tokai Reprocessing Plant

Omori, Kazuki; Yamauchi, Sho; Yanagibashi, Futoshi; Sasaki, Shunichi; Wada, Takuya; Suzuki, Hisanori; Domura, Kazuyuki; Takeuchi, Kenji

Nihon Hozen Gakkai Dai-18-Kai Gakujutsu Koenkai Yoshishu, p.245 - 248, 2022/07

Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP), which is shifted to decommissioning stage, stores large amount of high-level radioactive liquid waste (HLLW). Although TRP is implementing vitrification of HLLW to reduce the risks related to HLLW storage, additional 20 years are required to complete vitrification of HLLW. Therefore, TRP is implementing safety countermeasure related to seismic resistance of HLLW storage facility as one of the top priorities. The results of the seismic evaluation indicate that although the facility itself is seismically resistant, there is a risk of insufficient binding force acting between the facility and the surrounding ground. Thus, replacement of the surrounding ground with concrete is performed. Since the countermeasures, to protect existing buries structure and coordinate with the other construction projects around the site, are required, the dedicated team was setup to handle the process and safety management of the concrete replacement construction.

Project management efforts in the decommissioning project of Tokai Reprocessing Plant

Taguchi, Shigeo; Taguchi, Katsuya; Makino, Risa; Yamanaka, Atsushi; Suzuki, Kazuyuki; Takano, Masato; Koshino, Katsuhiko; Ishida, Michihiko; Nakano, Takafumi; Yamaguchi, Toshiya

Nihon Hozen Gakkai Dai-17-Kai Gakujutsu Koenkai Yoshishu, p.499 - 502, 2021/07

In 2018, Tokai Reprocessing Plan (TRP) shifted to the decommissioning stage. In order to proceed with steady decommissioning work, TRP effort to enhance project management function. This paper describes the establishment and role of the Decommissioning Project Management Office, effectiveness of applying the project management tool and its utilization concept, and the method of materialize the equipment dismantling plan.

Iodine-129 in the Tokai Reprocessing Plant and the environment

Nakano, Masanao

Hoken Butsuri (Internet), 56(1), p.17 - 25, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.5453/jhps.56.17

The Tokai Reprocessing Plant is the first reprocessing plant in Japan which started hot test in 1977, and had reprocessed 1140 tons of spent nuclear fuel by May 2007. The gaseous and liquid radioactive wastes has been discharged to the environment. Since iodine-129 (I) is one of the most important nuclides for environmental impact assessment. Therefore, I in the exhaust and effluent has been controlled, and a precise analysis method of I in the environmental samples was developed, and the concentration of 129I in the environment was investigated. This report presents an overview of these activities. Not limited to I on reprocessing facilities, it is essential for nuclear operators to reduce the amount released to the environment in the spirit of ALARA, and to continuously develop the further upgrading environmental monitoring methods and evaluation methods in order to foster a sense of safety and security among residents living in the vicinity of the facilities.

Automation technique of analytical pre-treatment for radioactive sample measurement using the program written by visual basic for applications

Yamamoto, Masahiko; Karo, Yoshinori*; Kodaka, Noriyasu; Kuno, Takehiko

JAEA-Technology 2019-014, 68 Pages, 2019/10

JAEA-Technology-2019-014.pdf:2.93MB

Analytical devices like syringe pump, electric burette, fraction collector, and electric valve have been controlled by the program written with Visual Basic for Applications (VBA Macro) to automate the column separation of radioactive sample measurement. It is found that VBA Macro can control each device. Therefore, automatic conditioning and separation equipment were made by combining each device and sequentially controlling with the program. The automation conditioning equipment can repeatedly perform conditioning operation with maximum of 8 columns. The automation separation equipment can separate and recover Sr in simulated highly active liquid waste by using Eichrom Technologies Sr resin. It is found that the developed automation method, using commercially available VBA Macro, is effective to reduce labor work, operator's radiation exposure, and to prevent operational error of analysis, together with reducing the cost of automation.

Treatment technology of highly radioactive solid waste generated by experimental tests and sample analysis in reprocessing facilities

Goto, Yuichi; Inada, Satoshi; Kuno, Takehiko; Mori, Eito*

Nihon Hozen Gakkai Dai-16-Kai Gakujutsu Koenkai Yoshishu, p.221 - 224, 2019/07

Test equipment, containers, and analytical wastes, generated by experiments using spent fuel pieces in hot cell of Operation Testing Laboratory and by analysis of highly active liquid wastes in hot analytical cell line of Tokai Reprocessing Plant, are treated as highly radioactive solid wastes. These wastes are stored in specific shielded containers called waste cask and then transport to the storage facility. The treatment of these highly radioactive solid wastes have been carried out for 40 years with upgrading waste taking out system and transportation device. As a results, automation of several procedures have been achieved utilizing conventional equipment, and work efficiency and safety have been improved.

Spectrochemistry of technetium by liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry and its applicability of quantification for highly active liquid waste

Yamamoto, Masahiko; Do, V. K.; Taguchi, Shigeo; Kuno, Takehiko; Takamura, Yuzuru*

Spectrochimica Acta, Part B, 155, p.134 - 140, 2019/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sab.2019.03.014

The emission spectra of technetium (Tc) by liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry have been investigated in this study. From the spectra, 52 emission peaks of Tc were observed in the 250-500 nm wavelength range. All peaks were assigned to the neutral state or singly ionized state. The relative intensities of these peaks were similar to those excited by an electric spark. The strongest intensity peaks were found at 254.3 nm, 261.0 nm, and 264.7 nm. Spectral interferences of coexisting elements in highly active liquid waste of reprocessing stream on those three strongest peaks were investigated using simulated sample. No spectral interferences were observed around the 264.7 nm Tc peak. Therefore, analytical performance using 264.7 nm peak was evaluated. The detection limit, estimated on standard and blank samples in 0.4 M nitric acid, was 1.9 mg/L. The relative standard deviation of Tc standard sample (12.0 mg/L) was 3.8% (N = 5, 1).

Effect of surface conditions of the filament used in thermal ionization mass spectrometry on an uranium isotopic measurement

Taguchi, Shigeo; Miyauchi, Hironari*; Horigome, Kazushi; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Kuno, Takehiko

Bunseki Kagaku, 67(11), p.681 - 686, 2018/11

https://doi.org/10.2116/bunsekikagaku.67.681

In thermal ionization mass spectrometry, de-gassing is one of the important treatments to release impurities of filaments and to minimize the influence of background. In this work, the effect of the surface change in the tungsten filament induced by the conductively heating treatment on uranium isotopic (U/U) measurement has been investigated. It was found that the conductively heating treatment of the filament has the effect of smoothing the surface of the filament and also has the effect of improving the deposition of the sample on the filament surface. As a result of either these effects, the precision of uranium isotopic (U/U) measurement was improved.