Hydrogen isotope permeation from cooling water through various metal piping

In order to investigate the behavior of hydrogen isotope on the water–metal boundary, deuterium permeation experiments from heavy water vessel through various metal piping, such as pure iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), stainless steel (SS304), and pure iron with 10 μm gold plating, were performed at 573 K and at 15 MPa. During the experiment, surfaces of metal piping except gold plating one were oxidized at the heavy water boundary and then deuterium would generate by the oxidation reactions. This deuterium could be detected by mass spectrometer, which monitored the inside gases of the piping under continuous evacuation. The result showed clearly that the deuterium permeated through Fe, Ni, and SS304 piping was detected as mainly deuterium gas (D₂) under continuous evacuation, though that through gold plating one could not be detected effectively. The D₂ permeation rate through Fe, Ni, and SS304 piping reached equilibrium conditions with oxide generation at D₂O–metal boundary, although concluding the transfer mechanism will require further testing and modeling activities.     

Thermal Diffusion of Si Atoms at the Interface of Mo／Si Bilayers Studied with a Soft X-ray Emission Microscope

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Reconstruction of the thermal environment evolution in urban areas from underground temperature distribution

It is possible to estimate the ground surface temperature (GST) history of the past several hundred years from temperature profiles measured in boreholes because the temporal variation in GST propagates into the subsurface by thermal diffusion. This “geothermal method” of reconstructing GST histories can be applied to studies of thermal environment evolution in urban areas, including the development of “heat islands.” Temperatures in boreholes were logged at 102 sites in Bangkok, Jakarta, Taipei, Seoul and their surrounding areas in 2004 to 2007. The effects of recent surface warming can be recognized in the shapes of most of the obtained temperature profiles. The preliminary results of reconstruction of GST histories through inversion analysis show that GST increased significantly in the last century. Existing temperature profile data for the areas in and around Tokyo and Osaka can also be used to reconstruct GST histories. Because most of these cities are located on alluvial plains in relatively humid areas, it is necessary to use a model with groundwater flow and a layered subsurface structure for reconstruction analysis. Long-term records of subsurface temperatures at multiple depths may demonstrate how the GST variation propagates downward through formations. Time series data provide information on the mechanism of heat transfer (conduction or advection) and the thermal diffusivity. Long-term temperature monitoring has been carried out in a borehole located on the coast of Lake Biwa, Japan. Temperatures at 30 and 40 m below the ground surface were measured for 4 years and 2 years, respectively, with a resolution of 1 mK. The obtained records indicate steady increases at both depths with different rates, which is probably the result of some recent thermal event(s) near the surface. Borehole temperatures have also been monitored at selected sites in Bangkok, Jakarta, and Taiwan.     

A Microcomputer System for Spatiotemporal Visual Receptive Field Analysis

A microcomputer system was developed to measure visual spatiotemporal receptive fields. The system performs three functions: 1) generation of a binary spatiotemporal white-noise stimulus, 2) acquisition of spike discharges from retinal ganglion cells, and 3) extraction of the linear part of the spatiotemporal receptive flelds by cross correlating the input against the output. We have applied this system to the measurement of the spatiotemporal receptive fields of cat and catfish retinal ganglion cells.     

Design of the shield tunnel for the trans-Tokyo bay highway

The Trans-Tokyo Bay Highway project is the first phase of an ambitious plan to connect Kawasaki and Chiba by a 15-km crossing of Tokyo Bay. The crossing involves a 5-km bridge, a 10-km undersea tunnel, and a manmade island in the middle of the bay. The construction method for the undersea tunnel must take into account the large external diameter of the primary lining (approx. 14 m); the extremely soft ground under the sea; the extremely high water pressure to which the tunnel will be subjected; and active seismic conditions in the Tokyo Bay area. This paper discusses the slurry shield tunnelling method adopted for the undersea tunnel portion of the project.     

Remote field eddy current testing for steam generator inspection of fast reactor

We confirmed the defect detection performances of the remote field eddy current testing (RFECT) in order to inspect the helical-coil-type double wall tube steam generator (DWTSG) with the wire mesh layer for the new small fast reactor 4S (Super-Safe, Small and Simple). As the high sensitivity techniques, we tried to increase the direct magnetic field intensity in the vicinity of the inner wall of the tube and decrease the direct magnetic field around the central axis of the tube using the exciter coil with the flux guide made of the iron–nickel alloy. We adopted the horizontal type multiple detector coils with the flux guides arrayed circumferentially to enhance the sensitivity of the radial component. According to the experimental results, the output voltage of the detector coil in the region of indirect magnetic field increased more than 100 times by the application of the exciter and detector coils with the flux guides. Finally, we were able to detect the small hole defect of 1 mm in diameter and 20% of the outer tube thickness in depth over the wire mesh layer by the adoption of the exciter coil and horizontal type multiple detector coils with the flux guides. We also confirmed that the RFECT probe is useful for detecting thinning defects. These experimental results indicated that there is the possibility that we can inspect the double wall tube with the wire mesh layer using the RFECT.     

Conceptual core design of Advanced Recycling Reactor based on mature technologies

This paper presents about comprehensive investigations into Advanced Recycling Reactor (ARR) based on existing and/or mature technologies (called “Early ARR”), aiming transuranics (TRU) burning and considering harmonization of TRU burning capability, technology readiness, economy and safety. The ARR is a 500 MW_e (1180 MW_th) oxide fueled sodium cooled fast reactor, which the low core height of 70 cm and the large structure volume fraction with 1.0 mm of cladding thickness to tube wall have been chosen among 14 candidate concepts to reduce the TRU conversion ratio (CR) and the void reactivity, taking technology readiness into account. As a result of nuclear calculation, the ARR has TRU burning capability from 19 to 21 kg/TW_thh and is sustainable in recycling. And the ARR can accept several kinds of TRU; the LWR uranium oxide fuels, LWR-MOX used nuclear fuel, and TRU recycled in this fuel cycle and the ARR is also flexible in TRU management in ways that it can transform from TRU CR of 0.56 to breeding ratio (BR) of 1.03. In addition, it has been confirmed that the ARR core conforms to the set design requirements; the void reactivity, the maximum linear heat rate, and the shutdown margin of reactivity control system. It has been confirmed that the closed fuel cycle with the ARR plants of 180 GW_th will not release TRU outside and generate more electricity by 65% compared with the present nuclear power system in the US, curbing the risk of nuclear proliferation. Thus the study can conclude that the Early ARR is able to close nuclear fuel cycle, using mature technologies and has features of the sustainability in recycling, and the accommodation of almost all the TRU at present and in the future, and the flexibility in TRU management with breakeven core.     

The fracture behaviors of non-irradiated zircaloy-4 fuel cladding with a pinhole under simulated LOCA conditions

In a case where a pinhole leak occurs in a fuel rod incidentally, it is possible that coolant enters the fuel rod through the pinhole. Since knowledge about the behavior of the fuel rod with a pinhole under LOCA conditions is limited, semi-integral quench tests were performed with non-irradiated zircaloy-4 fuel cladding tubes with a pinhole in order to investigate the difference in the fracture behaviors between normal and leaker fuels under LOCA conditions. Isothermal oxidation temperature and time ranged from 1100 to 1225 °C and 0 to 4200 seconds, respectively. Ballooning and rupture during the heat-up process did not occur in the case of test rods with a pinhole and initially injected water. Initially injected water affected the oxidation behavior of the inner surface of cladding during the test, and the fracture boundary of the test rod was dependent on not only the axial restrained condition during the test but also the existence of a pinhole and initially injected water. This tendency seemed to be related to the amount of oxidation of cladding inner surface caused by the steam which remained in or entered the test rod during the test.     

SiC－TiC陶瓷韧化机制探讨

采用ＣＶＤ法合成ＳｉＣ－ＴｉＣ陶资，探讨了ＴｉＣ含量与断裂韧性之间的关系。结果表明，当ＴｉＣ体积含量为４０％时，断裂韧性高达７．０ＭＰａ·ｍ１／２韧化效应归功于闭合效应以及弯曲效应。断裂韧性与体积含量之间存在ＫＩＣ＝［（ＫＩＣ０）＋Ｂｖｉ］　ＫＩＣ０＝（１＋Ａ）ＫＩＣｍ关系。建立的韧化模型与实验结果相一致。     

Deuterium trapping by irradiation damage in tungsten induced by different displacement processes

The deuterium trapping behaviors in tungsten damaged by light ions with lower energy (10 keV C⁺ and 3 keV He⁺) or a heavy ion with higher energy (2.8 MeV Fe²⁺) were compared by means of TDS to understand the effects of cascade collisions on deuterium retention in tungsten. By light ion irradiation, most of deuterium was trapped by vacancies, whose retention was almost saturated at the damage level of 0.2 dpa. For the heavy ion irradiation, the deuterium trapping by voids was found, indicating that cascade collisions by the heavy ion irradiation would create the voids in tungsten. Most of deuterium trapped by the voids was desorbed in higher temperature region compared to that trapped by vacancies. It was also found that deuterium could accumulate in the voids, resulting in the formation of blisters in tungsten.