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Fig. 4-1 Nuclear safety research at JAERI

Assuring the safety of nuclear facilities and the environment is essential for employing nuclear power and developing the relevant technologies. JAERI has been carrying out research concerning these issues while taking into account the needs of the future as well. Safety research at JAERI addresses the safety of nuclear power plants, nuclear fuel cycle facilities, and the environment. It also covers related fields like research for improving the safety of nuclear power plants, radioactive waste management, and other fundamental studies. The scope of this safety research is based on the "Long-Term Program for Development and Utilization of Nuclear Energy" and the "Annual Nuclear Safety Research Program" that specify research items to be performed by government organizations for ensuring the safety of nuclear facilities. These items have been selected according to the necessity for establishing safety criteria and a technical basis for licensing procedures, and for developing technology for improving nuclear safety. A series of proving tests that demonstrate the safety of nuclear facilities has also been conducted to promote the development of nuclear energy and the acceptance of this source of energy by the public. Safety research for nuclear power plants focuses on the behavior of high burn-up fuels, aging and lifetime of reactor components and structures, accident management measures (measures for preventing the magnification of a nuclear accident and for minimizing environmental impact), and passive safety (safety due to the functioning of mechanism particular to a system without any action from the outside). With respect to the nuclear fuel cycle, JAERI has given priority to research on criticality safety and the confinement of radioactive materials using the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Research Facility completed in 1994. It is becoming increasingly important to enhance research directed to decreasing the burden of radioactive waste management. In terms of environmental safety, attention has been shifted from research on low-level radioactive waste (LLW) to the safety evaluation for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) and transuranic (TRU) waste. The need has been emphasized to establish methods for evaluating the behavior of radioactive nuclides in the sea and during emergencies, the improvement in the accuracy of dose measuring methods, and the regional extension of the atmospheric dispersion calculation. The assurance of nuclear safety is an issue common to the people all over the world. From this point of view, JAERI has supported underdeveloped countries in various nuclear related aspects. JAERI will promote the propagation of the results of its research, carry on research to meet social needs, and investigate potential research from new viewpoints.

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