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Fabrication and development of low-activation vanadium alloys for recycling within 10 years after use in fusion reactors

Research Project

Project/Area Number 20H00144
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Review Section Medium-sized Section 14:Plasma science and related fields
Research InstitutionNational Institute for Fusion Science

Principal Investigator

Nagasaka Takuya  核融合科学研究所, 研究部, 教授 (40311203)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) 福元 謙一  福井大学, 附属国際原子力工学研究所, 教授 (30261506)
田中 照也  核融合科学研究所, 研究部, 准教授 (30353444)
外山 健  東北大学, 金属材料研究所, 准教授 (50510129)
小林 真  核融合科学研究所, 研究部, 准教授 (50791258)
藪内 聖皓  京都大学, エネルギー理工学研究所, 助教 (70633460)
矢嶋 美幸  核融合科学研究所, 研究部, 助教 (70749085)
山内 有二  北海道大学, 工学研究院, 准教授 (80312388)
申 晶潔  核融合科学研究所, 研究部, 助教 (80824747)
片山 一成  九州大学, 総合理工学研究院, 准教授 (90380708)
Project Period (FY) 2020-04-01 – 2025-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2024)
Budget Amount *help
¥44,850,000 (Direct Cost: ¥34,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥10,350,000)
Fiscal Year 2024: ¥3,770,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥870,000)
Fiscal Year 2023: ¥5,720,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,320,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥10,660,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,460,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥12,350,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,850,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥12,350,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,850,000)
Keywords核融合炉構造材料 / 不純物除去技術 / 界面分配・移行係数 / 高温強度 / 放射線耐性 / 資源循環 / 放射性廃棄物削減 / 安全性 / 核融合炉ブランケット / 高純度化 / 照射効果 / 時効 / 腐食 / 析出
Outline of Research at the Start

核融合炉ブランケットは炉心プラズマに最も近い位置に設置されるため中性子による放射化が大きく、その重量も約1000トンと大きい。そのため低放射化材料が開発され、放射性廃棄物として処分するのではなく、使用後100年程度の冷却期間を経て再利用することが検討されてきた。これに対し申請者らは、バナジウム合金を用いこれを10年以下にすることを最終目標としている。そのために、候補合金の試作と各種特性評価を行って最適組成を見出すとともに、核融合炉で材料を循環・再利用するためのシナリオを示す。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the fabrication of high-purity vanadium (V), a combination of chemical purification of raw ammonium salt, vacuum refining after metal reduction, and zone melting successfully suppressed the concentrations of harmful radioactive impurities (Co, Cu, Fe, Nb, Ni, Mo) to levels suitable for reuse within 10 years. Notably, the most harmful element, Co, was reduced to less than 1/10 of conventional levels. Through thermodynamic analysis, the segregation/transfer coefficient of Co at the solid-liquid or gas-liquid interface was determined, demonstrating that Co removal from V is easier than from Fe, indicating that V alloys are more advantageous than steel for low activation. Furthermore, studies on reducing the highly radioactive alloying element Ti identified candidate compositions with V-(6~8)Cr-(1~3)Ti, which can maintain various properties comparable to the conventional V-4Cr-4Ti alloy.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

放射化有害不純物をppm以下の濃度で制御するために必要な、金属バナジウム溶湯-気相間の移行係数(真空精製係数)、及び溶湯-固相間の分配係数(偏析係数)を定量化した。そして、低放射化と諸特性が両立する最適な合金組成を求めるため、Cr、Ti濃度が微細組織と物性に及ぼす影響とそのメカニズムを明らかにした。さらに、低放射化バナジウム合金を核融合炉で使用後10年以内に再利用するシナリオを示した。従来想定されていた100年での再利用と比較して、管理が必要な放射化物の総量を1/6を減らし、同じ炉での材料循環で輸送も不要とできる。つまり、核融合炉の安全性、社会的受容性、経済性を格段に向上させられる。

Report

(7 results)
  • 2024 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2023 Annual Research Report
  • 2022 Annual Research Report
  • 2021 Annual Research Report
  • 2020 Comments on the Screening Results   Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (28 results)

All 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020

All Journal Article (11 results) (of which Peer Reviewed: 11 results,  Open Access: 7 results) Presentation (17 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 10 results,  Invited: 3 results)

  • [Journal Article] Microstructural changes and irradiation hardening behavior of V-4Cr-4Ti alloys irradiated with He ions using flash-electropolishing2025

    • Author(s)
      Fukumoto Ken-ichi、Zou Yichen、Nagasaka Takuya、Ishigami Ryoya
    • Journal Title

      Journal of Nuclear Materials

      Volume: 603 Pages: 155438-155438

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155438

    • Related Report
      2024 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] Deuterium permeation of low-activation vanadium alloys possible for reuse in a short time in fusion reactors2024

    • Author(s)
      Yoshizawa Aoi、Yamauchi Yuji、Nagasaka Takuya、Tomioka Satoshi、Matsumoto Yutaka、Higashi Naoki
    • Journal Title

      Fusion Engineering and Design

      Volume: 202 Pages: 114410-114410

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.fusengdes.2024.114410

    • Related Report
      2024 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Journal Article] Deuterium and helium desorption/retention properties of low-activation vanadium alloys possible for reuse in a short time in fusion reactors2024

    • Author(s)
      Yamauchi Yuji、Tanoue Yusuke、Keta Kazuki、Nagasaka Takuya、Shen Jingjie、Tomioka Satoshi、Matsumoto Yutaka
    • Journal Title

      Nuclear Materials and Energy

      Volume: 39 Pages: 101655-101655

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.nme.2024.101655

    • Related Report
      2024 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] Influences of minor Ti addition on microstructure and tensile properties of high-purity V-10Cr alloys2024

    • Author(s)
      Shen Jingjie
    • Journal Title

      Materials Science and Engineering: A

      Volume: 915 Pages: 147263-147263

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.msea.2024.147263

    • Related Report
      2024 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] Microstructural changes in He-irradiated V-Cr-Ti alloys with low Ti addition at 700°C2024

    • Author(s)
      Zou Yichen、Fukumoto Ken-ichi、Ishigami Ryoya、Nagasaka Takuya
    • Journal Title

      Nuclear Materials and Energy

      Volume: 38 Pages: 101605-101605

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.nme.2024.101605

    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Journal Article] Ten-Year Recycling of Vanadium Alloy in Fusion Reactors2023

    • Author(s)
      Nagasaka Takuya、Tanaka Teruya、Kobayashi Makoto、Fukumoto Ken Ichi、Toyama Takeshi、Sugawara Takamasa、Kasada Ryuta、Yamauchi Yuji、Katayama Kazunari、Oya Makoto、Yabuuchi Kiyohiro、Sakurai Seiji、Nomura Kazuhiro、Yoshinaga Hideo
    • Journal Title

      Materials Science Forum

      Volume: 1106 Pages: 117-126

    • DOI

      10.4028/p-nmm22p

    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Journal Article] Effects of annealing temperature on microstructure and hardness of cold rolled high-purity V-4Cr-xTi alloys2023

    • Author(s)
      Shen Jingjie、Saito Kazuki、Tokitani Masayuki、Muroga Takeo
    • Journal Title

      Fusion Engineering and Design

      Volume: 194 Pages: 113905-113905

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.fusengdes.2023.113905

    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Journal Article] Effects of titanium concentration on microstructure and mechanical properties of high-purity vanadium alloys2022

    • Author(s)
      Jingjie Shen, Takuya Nagasaka, Masayuki Tokitani, Takeo Muroga, Ryuta Kasada, Seiji Sakurai
    • Journal Title

      Materials & Design

      Volume: 224 Pages: 111390-111390

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.matdes.2022.111390

    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] Correlation between microstructural change and irradiation hardening behavior of He-irradiated V-Cr-Ti alloys with low Ti addition2021

    • Author(s)
      K.-I. Fukumoto, S. Miura, Y. Kitamura, R. Ishigami, T. Nagasaka
    • Journal Title

      Quantum Beam Science

      Volume: 5 Issue: 3 Pages: 26-26

    • DOI

      10.3390/qubs5030026

    • Related Report
      2021 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] Irradiation Hardening Behavior of He-Irradiated V-Cr-Ti Alloys with Low Ti Addition2021

    • Author(s)
      Ken-ichi Fukumoto, Yoshiki Kitamura, Shuichiro Miura, Kouji Fujita, Ryoya Ishigami, Takuya Nagasaka
    • Journal Title

      Quantum Beam Science

      Volume: 5, 1 Issue: 1 Pages: 1-9

    • DOI

      10.3390/qubs5010001

    • Related Report
      2020 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] Activation analysis for the reference low-activation vanadium alloy NIFS-HEAT-22020

    • Author(s)
      Teruya Tanaka, Takuya Nagasaka, Takeo Muroga, Masanori Yamazaki, Takeshi Toyama
    • Journal Title

      Nuclear Materials and Energy

      Volume: 25 Pages: 100782-100782

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.nme.2020.100782

    • Related Report
      2020 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Presentation] 液体リチウム中でのバナジウム合金の腐食に関する研究2024

    • Author(s)
      片山 一成、片山 翔太、森 裕薫、荒川 理央、五十川 浩希、長坂 琢也
    • Organizer
      日本原子力学会
    • Related Report
      2024 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Ten-year recycling of vanadium alloy in fusion reactors2023

    • Author(s)
      Nagasaka Takuya、Tanaka Teruya、Kobayashi Makoto、Fukumoto Ken Ichi、Toyama Takeshi、Sugawara Takamasa、Kasada Ryuta、Yamauchi Yuji、Katayama Kazunari、Oya Makoto、Yabuuchi Kiyohiro、Sakurai Seiji、Nomura Kazuhiro、Yoshinaga Hideo
    • Organizer
      International Conference on Processing & Manufacturing of Advanced Materials (THERMEC’2023)
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
  • [Presentation] 放射化不純物の低減による核融合炉用バナジウム合金の早期再利用2023

    • Author(s)
      長坂琢也、田中照也、菅原孝昌、櫻井星児、野村和宏、吉永英雄
    • Organizer
      プラズマ・核融合学会第40回年会
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Deuterium and helium desorption/retention properties of low-activation vanadium alloys possible for reuse in a short time in fusion reactors2023

    • Author(s)
      Yusuke Tanoue, Kazuki Keta, Takuya Nagasaka, Jingjie Shen, Satoshi Tomioka, Yutaka Matsumoto
    • Organizer
      21st International Conference on Fusion Reactor Materials (ICFRM-21)
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Microstructural Changes of V-Cr-Ti Alloys with Low Ti Addition irradiated with He ions at 700°C2023

    • Author(s)
      Yichen Zou, Ken-ichi Fukumoto, Takuya Nagasaka
    • Organizer
      21st International Conference on Fusion Reactor Materials (ICFRM-21)
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Impurity control and re-design of composition toward ten-year materials recycling of vanadium alloys in fusion reactors2023

    • Author(s)
      Takuya Nagasaka, Teruya Tanaka, Makoto Kobayashi, Ken-ichi Fukumoto, Takeshi Toyama, Takamasa Sugawara, Ryuta Kasada, Yuji Yamauchi, Kazunari Katayama, Makoto Oya, Kiyohiro Yabuuchi, Seiji Sakurai, Kazuhiro Nomura
    • Organizer
      21st International Conference on Fusion Reactor Materials (ICFRM-21)
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Deuterium permeation of low-activation vanadium alloys possible for reuse in a short time in fusion reactors2023

    • Author(s)
      Aoi Yoshizawa, Yuji Yamauchib, Takuya Nagasaka, Satoshi Tomioka, Yutaka Matsumoto
    • Organizer
      15th International Symposium on Fusion Nuclear Technology
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] 核融合炉用低放射化バナジウム合金の中性子照射硬化に及ぼすクロム、チタン、侵入型不純物濃度の影響2022

    • Author(s)
      長坂琢也, 田中照也, 福元謙一, 外山健, 吉田健太, 山崎正徳, 菅原孝昌, 笠田竜太
    • Organizer
      東北大学金属材料研究所大洗・アルファ合同研究会
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] 核融合炉用低放射化バナジウム合金の析出挙動に及ぼす照射効果2022

    • Author(s)
      長坂琢也, 福元謙一, 外山健, 藪内聖皓
    • Organizer
      第66回放射化学討論会
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Development of Fabrication Technology for Low Activation Vanadium Alloys as Fusion Blanket Structural Materials2022

    • Author(s)
      Takuya Nagasaka, Shaoning Jiang, Ken‐ichi Fukumoto4, Takeshi Toyama, Kiyohiro Yabuuchi
    • Organizer
      International Conference on Modern Materials and Technologies (CIMTEC 2022), 9th Forum on New Materials
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
  • [Presentation] Deuterium retention and desorption of low-activation vanadium alloys developed for early material recycling2021

    • Author(s)
      Yusuke Tanoue, Yuji Yamauchi, Takuya Nagasaka, Jingjie Shen, Kazuki Saito, Satoshi Tomioka, Yutaka Matsumoto
    • Organizer
      20th International Conference on Fusion Reactor Materials
    • Related Report
      2021 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Purification and re-design of composition of low-activation vanadium alloys for early material recycling2021

    • Author(s)
      Takuya Nagasaka, Teruya Tanaka, Jingjie Shen, Makoto Kobayashi, Kazuki Saito, Ken-ichi Fukumoto, Takeshi Toyama, Takamasa Sugawara, Ryuta Kasada, Yuji Yamauchi, Kiyohiro Yabuuchi, Seiji Sakurai, Kazuhiro Nomura, Hideo Yoshinaga
    • Organizer
      20th International Conference on Fusion Reactor Materials
    • Related Report
      2021 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] 低放射化バナジウム合金中の窒素移行に及ぼすチタン濃度の影響2020

    • Author(s)
      齋藤 千貴, 小林真, 申晶潔, 山崎樂, 長坂琢也, Valentyn Tsisar, 室賀健夫
    • Organizer
      日本原子力学会秋の年会
    • Related Report
      2020 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Effects of Ti and Cr concentrations on high temperature tensile properties of high purity V alloys2020

    • Author(s)
      Jingjie Shen, Takuya Nagasaka, Masayuki Tokitani, Takeo Muroga, Ryuta Kasada
    • Organizer
      日本原子力学会秋の年会
    • Related Report
      2020 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Effects of Ti and Cr concentrations on microstructure and mechanical properties of high purity vanadium alloys2020

    • Author(s)
      Jingjie Shen, Takuya Nagasaka, Masayuki Tokitani, Takeo Muroga, Ryuta Kasada
    • Organizer
      The Nuclear Materials Conference
    • Related Report
      2020 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] 低放射化バナジウム合金の重水素イオン照射後の滞留・脱離挙動と表面微細構造2020

    • Author(s)
      田上勇輔, 山内有二, 長坂琢也, 齋藤千貴, 富岡智, 松本裕
    • Organizer
      第37回プラズマ・核融合学会年会
    • Related Report
      2020 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] Strengthening and improvement of ductility by precipitation control for low-activation vanadium alloy for fusion reactors2020

    • Author(s)
      Jingjie Shen, Takuya Nagasaka, Masayuki Tokitani, Takeo Muroga, Ryuta Kasada, Kiyohiro Yabuuchi
    • Organizer
      The 11th International Symposium of Advanced Energy Science
    • Related Report
      2020 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research

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Published: 2020-04-28   Modified: 2026-01-16  

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