Abstract:
Considering stable energy supply and the response to greenhouse effect of “CO2”, the nuclear power generation plays an important role and will continue to account for its present level of around 30% of Japan’s total electricity beyond 2030.
To meet this request, the light water reactors (LWRs) are utilized at near term including the replacement of improved one. Furthermore it is expected to introduce fast breeder reactors (FBRs) on a commercial basis from around 2050.
To extend the lifetime of LWRs and introduce the FBRs, the experimental resolution for the ageing degradation of materials under neutron environment, upgrading the fuel performance and new materials development are so important issues. To satisfy this requirement, the effort for research and development (R&D) of fuels and materials under neutron environment is essential. This rely on facility infrastructure such as research reactors, post-irradiation examination facility and so on.
In Oarai Research and Development Center, there are some research reactors and post-irradiation examination facilities to investigate the fuels and materials for the fission and fusion reactor. That is, the research reactors are the Japan Material Test Reactor (JMTR) and the High Temperature Test Reactor (HTTR) as the thermal neutron irradiation field and the Japan Experimental Fast Reactor “JOYO” as the fast neutron irradiation field. In addition, there are four post-irradiation examination (PIE) facilities and a fuel specimen fabrication facility.
Thus, it is possible not only to fabricate the fuel specimens, examine the fuels and materials after irradiation, but also to treat and storage the radioactive waste. Besides, the research center of universities for the irradiation behavior of materials is located in the same site. Hence, Oarai Research and Development Center is able to support the research of irradiation behavior for reactor materials and upgrading the reactor fuels, effectively and efficiently.