KEYWORDS

• Nuclear Fuel
• Fission Product
• FP effective application
• Fuel Debris

Research themes

Improving the soundness of the nuclear fuel cycle in nuclear power generation and aiming for more stable power supplies are extremely important issues in Japan, which is a resource-saving nation. However, there has been insufficient progress regarding radioactive waste management in each step of the nuclear fuel cycle, which has significant impacts on other steps and hinders the realization of a safe nuclear fuel cycle. This is largely due to the "unconscious alienation" that causes people to subconsciously assume that "radioactive waste = irrelevant troublesome material". However, while radioactive waste can potentially be a nuisance given that it emits radiation that can be harmful to human bodies, it is also true that can be handled with sufficient safety using current technology and risk management techniques. Hence, it is extremely important that efforts be made to educate society in this regard.

As for the severe accidents resulting from specific eutectic melting of fuel and metallic materials (fuel debris) following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, it is important to emphasize the advancements in related processes that have been accomplished while acknowledging the severity of the incidents themselves, and to perform further research that underscores the importance of more effective radioactive waste management.

With the above points in mind, this research unit aims at contributing to the management of radioactive waste in the nuclear fuel cycle by studying both the effective use of fission products and the role of fuel debris resulting from severe accidents.

Research Purpose

Soundness of nuclear fuel cycle

Functional development of radioactive processes

Studying the progress of severe accidents and fuel debris properties