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Title: Advanced Burner Reactor 1000MWth Reference Concept

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1349893· OSTI ID:1349893

The primary mission of the ABR Program is to demonstrate the transmutation of transuranics recovered from the LWR spent fuel, and hence, to validate the benefits of the fuel cycle closure to nuclear waste management. The transmutation, or burning of the transuranics is accomplished by fissioning and this is most effectively done in a fast spectrum. In the thermal spectrum of commercial LWRs, some transuranics capture neutrons and become even heavier transuranics rather than being fissioned. Even with repeated recycling, only about 30% can be transmuted, which is an intrinsic limitation of all thermal spectrum reactors. Only in a fast spectrum can all transuranics be effectively fissioned to eliminate their long-term radiotoxicity and decay heat.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1349893
Report Number(s):
ANL-AFCI-202; 134264
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English