Fast Burner Reactor Devoted to Minor Actinide Incineration
- Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Cadarache (France)
This study proposes a new fast reactor core concept dedicated to plutonium and minor actinide burning by transmutation. This core has a large power level of {approx}1500 MW(electric) favoring the economic aspect. To promote plutonium and minor actinide burning as much as possible, total suppression of {sup 238}U, which produces {sup 239}Pu by conversion, and large quantities of minor actinides in the core are desirable. Therefore, the {sup 238}U-free fuel is homogeneously mixed with a considerable quantity of minor actinides.From the safety point of view, both the Doppler effect and the coolant (sodium) void reactivity become less favorable in a {sup 238}U-free core. To preserve these two important safety parameters on an acceptable level, a hydrogenated moderator separated from the fuel and nuclides, such as W or {sup 99}Tc, is added to the core in the place of {sup 238}U. Tungsten and {sup 99}Tc have strong capture resonances at appropriate energies, and {sup 99}Tc itself is a long-lived fission product to be transmuted with profit.This core allows the achievement of a consumption rate of {approx}100 kg/TW(electric).h of transuranic elements, {approx}70 kg/TW(electric).h for plutonium (due to {sup 238}U suppression), and 30 to 35 kg/TW(electric).h for minor actinides. In addition, {approx}14 kg/TW(electric).h of {sup 99}Tc is destroyed when this element is present in the core (the initial loading of {sup 99}Tc is >4000 kg in the core).The activity of newly designed subassemblies has also been investigated in comparison to standard fast reactor subassemblies (neutron sources, decay heat, and gamma dose rate). Finally, a transmutation scenario involving pressurized water reactors and minor actinide-burning fast reactors has been studied to estimate the necessary proportion of burner reactors and the achievable radiotoxicity reduction with respect to a reference open cycle.
- OSTI ID:
- 20826728
- Journal Information:
- Nuclear Technology, Vol. 137, Issue 2; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2006 American Nuclear Society (ANS), United States, All rights reserved. http://epubs.ans.org/; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0029-5450
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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