Research and Prospect for

Sustainable Nuclear Energy Utilization

in Japan

Kazufumi TSUJIMOTOPartitioning and Transmutation Technology Division

Nuclear Science and Engineering Center

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA)

4th Workshop Energy for Sustainable Science at Research Infrastructures, 23-24 Nov., 2017, Magurele, Romania

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Contents

Nuclear power in Japan

The 4th Strategic Energy Plan in Japan

Outlook for future

Prospect and research for utilization of nuclear power

Current situation of nuclear power plant

Current situation and R&D on nuclear fuel cycle

R&D on Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T)

Summary

Growing Interest in Energy Issues

3Source:TEPCOSource:NYT

The Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi accident

Many thermal power plants, as well as nuclear power plants, were damaged,

and severe electricity shortage occurred in 2011.

Domestic and international situation of the development and utilization of

nuclear energy was drastically changed.

In Japan, the operation of the nuclear power plant is almost led to the situation

of zero.

Electricity Generation by Source in Japan

4

Japan depends on fossil fuels, oil/coal/natural gas (LNG), imported from abroad.

Dependency increased to 88% (based on the composition of power sources in

FY2014, more than during the first oil crisis.

Primary energy self-sufficiency of major countries (2014) and trend of Japan’s composition of energy

sources to generate electricity (source : “JAPAN’s ENERGY 2016 edition” METI)

Electricity Generation by Source in Japan

5Source : Japan Atomic Energy Relations Organization

The 4th Strategic Energy Plan of Japan

6

On April 11, 2014, the Cabinet decided to approve the new Strategic Energy Plan

as the basis for the orientation of Japan’s new energy policy, considering the

dramatic changes in energy environments inside and outside Japan.

This plan gives a direction of Japan’s energy policies for medium/long-term

(about next 20 years). It declares a period from now to 2008-2020 should be a

special stage to reform a variety of energy system.

Safety

SelfSufficiency

Energy Security

Further exceeds before the earthquake

(approximately 20%)

ElectricPowerCost

Economic Efficiency

Reducing more than present costs

CO2

Emission

Environment Suitability

Achieving reduction targets of greenhouse gas

that are comparable to Western countries

Safety always

comes first !

Principles of the Strategic Energy Plan (1/2)

7

NuclearImportant base-load power source as low carbon and quasi-domestic energy

source, contributing to stability of energy supply-demand structure, on the

major premise of ensuring of its safety, because of the perspectives;

Superiority in stability of energy supply and efficiency,

Low and stable operation cost, and

Free from GHG emission during operation.

Direct and indirect GHG emission for different sources of electricity

(“Nuclear Energy:Combating Climate Change”, OECD/NEA(2105))

However, ｄependency on nuclear power generation will be lowered to the

extent possible by thorough energy saving and maximum introduction of

renewable energy as well as improving the efficiency of thermal power

generation.

Principles of the Strategic Energy Plan (2/2)

8

Renewable (solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectricity, biomass)Promising, multi-characteristic, and important energy source with low carbon

and domestic energy sources

Accelerating their introduction as far as possible for three years, and then keep

expanding renewables

OilImportant energy source as both an energy resource and a raw material,

especially for the transportation and civilian sectors, as well as a peaking

power source

Natural GasImportant energy as a main intermediate power source, expanding its roles in

a variety of fields

CoalRevaluating as an important base-load power source in terms of stability and

cost effectiveness, which will be utilized while reducing environmental load

Constitution of Electric Power Supply

9

There is no energy source which has strengths from every aspect in terms of

stability, cost, environmental burden. Realistic and balanced demand-supply

structure will be developed based on each energy source.

Source : Strategic Energy Plan

Targets in order to achieve 3E+S

10

Self Sufficiency

Currently at 6%

【Target】

Self-sufficiency rate of 25%

(20% before 2011)

Electric Power Cost

Increase in electricity prices

after 2011

(Industrial=30%, Residential=20%)

【Target】

Reduce electric power cost

to 2013 level or less

CO2 Emission

【Target】

In FY2030, achieving -26%

compared to FY 2013

(Paris Agreement)

2013 CO2 emission worst on record※ from fuel combustion only

SA

FE

TY

Energy security

Economy

Environment

Source : the Long-term Energy Supply and Demand Outlook Subcommittee, Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy

Prospect of Power Source Mix

11

CO2 emissions

2013 2030

CO2 kg/kwh 0.570 0.370 -34%

Total (Gt) 1.408 1.042 -26%

The ideal compositions of power source in the future (FY2030) that will be

realized when implementing policies in order to achieve 3E+S based on the

Strategic Energy Plan.

source : “JAPAN’s ENERGY 2016 edition” METI)

Restart of Suspended Nuclear Power Plant

12

Before march 2011, 54 units (48.8GWe)

were operated in Japan.

After March 2011, 6 units excluding

Fukushima Daiichi 6 units were decided

to be decommissioned.

Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) was

newly established on 2012 and new

safety regulations were issued by NRA.

NRA approved basic design of 12 units,

and 14 units are under review. Five units

are operated at present.

http://www.genanshin.jp/english/index.html

Issues for Nuclear in Strategic Energy Plan

13

Steady approach for key issues to be solved without putting

off implementing measures into the future

(1) Nuclear fuel cycle The basic policy of Japan is to promote a nuclear fuel cycle that

reprocesses spent fuels and effectively utilizes the plutonium retrieved,

from the viewpoint of effective utilization of resources and reduction of

the volume and harmfulness of high-level radioactive waste.

(2) Spent fuel management

Drastic reinforcement of measures for final disposal of high-level

radioactive waste

“GOJ will promote technology development on volume reduction

and mitigation of degree of harmfulness of radioactive waste.

Specifically, development of technologies (snip) including nuclear

transmutation technology using fast reactors and accelerators, will

be promoted by utilizing global networks for cooperation.”

Nuclear Fuel Cycle in Japan

14

Vitrified Waste

Storage CenterLow-Level Radioactive

Waste Disposal Center

Sub-surfaced

disposal test cavern

Next

Reprocessing

plant

Fast

Reactor

(FR)

Storing : approx. 2,900tU

Storage capacity : 3,000tU

Storing :

approx. 14,000tU

Storage capacity :

approx. 20,000tU

Off-site storage facility(Spent Fuel Interim Storage)

Mutsu:5,000tU

(Constructed : 2013)

MOX Fuel

Fabrication Plant

Nuclear

Power

Plant(Spent Fuel Pool

etc.)

Rokkasho

Reprocessing Plant

Waste (from

Spent Fuel

Reprocessing)

returned from

UK and France

Waste from operation

and decommissioning

Geological disposal

repository

Spent Fuel

MOX Fuel

R&Ds of FR Fuel Cycle in JAEA

15

Fuel Fabrication

FR

Evaluation of volume

reduction, etc. by

utilization of FR cycle Fuel Fabrication: Remote MA-bearing

MOX fuel fabrication technology

Determination of fuel composition range applicable

Reactor Characteristics

& Reactor system: Feasibility confirmation of FR plant

technologies Acquisition of characteristics of MA-

containing core

Fuel Development &

Irradiation Test: Systematic irradiation tests

of MA-bearing MOX fuel, High Pu-contents MOX fuel

Spent

MOX fuel

Monju

Joyo

Pu-3

CPF

Reprocessing

Reprocessing: Development of MA partitioning

process and performance evaluation Establishment of feasible process concepts

Comprehensive system evaluation: Integration of information in each area &

narrowing prospective system concepts Verification of effects on reduction of the

volume and radiotoxicity of radioactive wastes

AGFFMF

U, Pu, MA

MA-bearing

new MOX fuel

Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T)

16

MA (Np,Am,Cm)

Dominant to the potential toxicity in long

term（～107 years）

Heat from 241Am (T1/2=432yr) prevents

compact disposal.

Transmutation

Sr, Cs : 90Sr and 137Cs (T1/2~30yr) are major

heat sources which is very important factor in

determining the repository scale.

After appropriate cooling, compact

disposal is possible

PGM (Ru,Rh,Pd,Tc) : Difficult to be solidified

in the glass

Utilization as the rare metal

Other FP : Rare earths are less radioactive

and able to be highly loaded in the glass

Rational disposal (Compact layout)

Reprocess

High level liquid waste

MA, FP(Sr-Cs,

PGMs, REs)

Ag-I

(Iodine)

Hull & end-

piece

TRU wastes

Glass

solidification

Underground

disposal

Cement

solidification

Underground disposal

（Compact layout）

50 years

storage

To be smart disposal !Small long-term risk

Compact repository

Compre-

ssion

Present waste management

Reduction of Potential Toxicity by P&T

17

Radio-toxicity can be

reduced by 2 orders, if

99.5% transmutation is

achieved.

The time period to reduce

the radio-toxicity below the

level of natural uranium

used as raw material:

10,000y 500y

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

1010

1011

101 102 103 104 105 106 107

使用済み燃料毒性高レベル廃棄物毒性分離変換導入時毒性天然ウラン毒性（9t、娘核種を含む）

経口摂取に係る放射性毒性(ALI)

経過年

Spent fuel

HLW without Transmutation

99.5% Transmutation for MA

Natural Uranium (9 ton)

Time after reprocessing (Year)

Po

ten

tia

l to

xic

ity o

f 1

tU s

pe

nt fu

el (B

q/A

LI)

Reduction of Repository Area by P&T

18

MA Transmutation

MA Transmutation

+

FP Partitioning

+

Long-term storage of

Sr-Cs calcined waste

Vitrified waste:8,300cans

(CT:45y, Area:0.01km2)

Sr-Cs calcined waste:5,100cans

(CT:320y, Area:0.005km2)

Repository area can be reduced to 1%, if

320 years storage can be acceptable for

Sr-Cs waste.

Vitrified waste:8,300cans

(CT:5y, Area:0.18km2)

Separation of Am-241 allows closer

configuration

Sr-Cs calcined waste:5,100cans

(CT:130y, Area:0.23km2)

Vitrified HLW:40,000 cans

(CT:50y, Area:1.8km2)

TRU waste(0.13km2)Non PT

1.8 km2

0.41 km2

0.015 km2

waste volume per 32,000 HMt of 4-year cooled 45GWd/HMt

LWR spent fuel (=40 years operation of 40GWe generation)

Fuel Cycle Concept for P&T in JAEA

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FR

Fuel fabricationFR

FR

U, Pu, MA

Reprocessing

HLW

Geological disposal

Commercial FBR Fuel Cycle

FRFR

Fuel fabricationFRFR

FRFR

U, Pu, MA

Reprocessing

HLW

Geological disposal

Commercial FBR Fuel Cycle

Geological disposal

Transmutation Cycle

Commercial Fuel Cycle

Fuel fabrication Reprocessing

Partitioning

U, Pu

I-129

MA, LLFP

PartitioningFuel fabrication

MA, LLFP

HLW (MA, FP)

Dedicated transmuter

FR

LWR

LWR

Geological disposal

Transmutation Cycle

Commercial Fuel Cycle

Fuel fabrication Reprocessing

Partitioning

U, Pu

I-129

MA, LLFP

PartitioningFuel fabrication

MA, LLFP

HLW (MA, FP)

Dedicated transmuter

FRFR

LWR

LWR

Homogeneous cycle Double-Strata (ADS)

・Dedicated (second) transmutation fuel cycle

with Accelerator-Driven System (ADS) is

added to commercial fuel cycle.

・MA recovered from commercial fuel cycle is

confined in the compact transmutation cycle.

・The ADS fuel mainly consists of MA (>50%).

・MA is recycled in the next-generation

reprocessing plant.

・MA transmutation is performed in

all electricity generating FR plant.

・MA is homogeneously mixed to FBR

fuel with small amount up to 5 wt.%.

P&T technology is expected to be effective to mitigate the burden of the HLW

disposal by reducing the radiological toxicity and heat generation.

Conceptual Design of ADS in JAEA

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ガードベッセル

炉心支持構造物

ビーム窓

原子炉容器

炉心槽

主循環ポンプ

ビームダクト

内　筒

蒸気発生器

Guard Vessel

Inner tube

Beam Duct

Window

Core Vessel

Core Support

Steam

GeneratorMain Pump

Support

Structure

• Proton beam : 1.5GeV ~30MW

• Spallation target : LBE

• Coolant : LBE

• Subcriticality : keff = 0.97

• Thermal output : 800MWt

• Core height : 1000mm

• Core diameter : 2440 mm

• Fuel inventory : 4.2t (MA:2.5t)

• Fuel composition :

(MA + Pu)N+ZrN (Mono-nitride)

Inner : 70%MA+30%Pu

Outer : 54%MA+42%Pu

• Transmutation rate :

250kg(MA) / 300EFPDK. Tsujimoto, H.Oigawa, K.Kikuchi, et. al, “Feasibility of Lead-Bismuth-

Cooled accelerator-Driven System for Minor-Actinide Transmutation”,

Nucl. Tech. 161, 315-328 (2008).

Purpose : MA transmutation

Energy Balance of ADS

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Characteristics of ADS:•Chain reactions stop when the accelerator is

turned off.

•LBE is chemically stable.

High safety can be expected.

•High MA-bearing fuel can be used.

MA from 10 LWRs can be transmuted.

Proton beam

MA-fueled LBE-

cooled subcritical

core

Power generation

To accelerator

To grid Spallation target

(LBE)

Super-conducting LINAC

Fission energy

Spallation target

Proton

Long-lived

nuclides (MA)

Short-lived or stable

nuclides

Fast neutrons

Utilizing chain reactions in

subcritical state

Fission neutrons

Transmutation by ADS

Max.30MW

800MW

100MW

170MW

270MWMA: Minor Actinides

LBE: Lead-Bismuth Eutectic

Technical Issues of ADS

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Reactor structure

Beam window

Spallation target

LBE handling

Accelerator

SC Linac

High power

Reliability

MA-loaded

subcritical core

Nuclear design

Reactor physics

Fuel cycle

Partitioning

MA-bearing Fuel

fabrication

Dry reprocessing

Validation of codes

and nuclear data

Reactor physics of

subcritical (k-eff

measurement, etc.)

Corrosion of

material

Test of equipment

in cold LBE loop

Oxygen control

Operation of J-

PARC LINAC

Experiment in KUCALBE loop in JAEA

LINAC in J-PARCJ-PARC:Japan Proton

Accelerator Research Complex

23

R&D for Superconducting Accelerator

Mockup of cryomodule (2 superconducting cavities)

was fabricated and tested. The design study

provided that the SC-LINAC consisting of 89

cryomodules and the length was estimated as

472m.

The accumulation of operating experience of the

LINAC (400MeV, 25Hz) in J-PARC will contribute

the improvement of the reliability.

Mockup of Cryomodule

Proton Linac (400MeV) in J-PARC

Ion source

CW beam

RF

RFQ DTL

70 keV 2 MeV

0m 5m ~15m 110m

1.5 GeV100 MeV～10 MeV

Superconducting part

Liquid He

RF RF RF RF RF

Cryomodule

472 m

Superconducting cavity

2424

R&D for Lead-Bismuth Eutectic (LBE)

Oxygen Sensor Calibration Device

– To prevent corrosion by flowing LBE, oxygen potential in

LBE should be controlled in appropriate potential range.

– Development of oxygen potential sensor and loop tests for

oxygen potential control mechanism are underway.

OLLOCHI (Oxygen-controlled Lbe LOop for Corrosion

tests in HIgh temperature)

– Material corrosion database for various temperature, oxygen

potential, LBE flow rate will be collected.

– The loop is operated from this April.

IMMORTAL (Integrated Multi-functional MOckup for

TEF-T Real-scale TArget Loop)

– Purpose of experiments is demonstration of safe operation of

LBE loop by reflecting operation condition of J-PARC LBE

Spallation target.

R&D for Reactor physics of ADS

25

Collaboration study with Kyoto University using KUCA (Kyoto University

Critical Assembly).

14 MeV neutron : D + T traget

Spallation neutron : 100 MeV proton + W target

Core image to simulate ADS in

KUCA

F F F F F

F F F F F

F F ' F ' F ' F

F F ' F ' F ' F

F F ' F ' F

F F F F

F F F F

F F F F

F F F F

F F F F

16 16

Proton beams

C2S6

C1 S4

S5 C3

KUCA core

Pulsed neutron generator FFAG accelerator

Beam line of D

D + T target =

14 MeV neutrons

100 MeV protons + W target

= Spallation neutrons

Beam line of protons

W target

Ttarget

Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA) and Fixed-Field

Alternating Gradient (FFAG) accelerator

Hadron Experimental Facility

30 GeV SynchrotronMaterials and Life Science Experimental

Facility

3 GeV Synchrotron

400 MeV

LINAC

To neutrino

detector

Site for Transmutation

Experimental Facility

Future R&D Plan in J-PARC:

Transmutation Experimental Facility (TEF)

26

Critical Assembly

Pb-Bi Target

Transmutation Physics

Experimental Facility: TEF-P

ADS Target Test

Facility： TEF-T

Proton Beam

Multi-purpose

Irradiation Area

Transmutation Experimental

Facility (TEF) consists of

Transmutation Physics

Experimental Facility (TEF-P) and

ADS Target Test Facility (TEF-T)

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Summary

Nuclear utilization in Japan (“Strategic Energy Plan”, Apr. 2014)

“Nuclear power is an important base-load power source”

“GOJ will promote development of technologies for reducing the

volume and harmfulness of radioactive waste in order to secure a wide

range of options in the future.”

Motivation of the R&D activities on P&T technology

Steady implementation of High Level Waste (HLW) disposal is one of the most important issues.

Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T) will be a key technology to reduce the environmental burden of HLW.

JAEA’s current status and future plan for MA transmutation technology with ADS

JAEA has been promoted R&D activities on P&T technology based on two concepts, FR and ADS.

Various basic R&D have been implemented, and new experimental facility, TEF, is proposed in the J-PARC.