Transmutation of massive loadings of cesium-137 in the blanket of a controlled thermonuclear reactor
Calculations have been performed which indicate the possibility of reducing below ten years the effective half-life for transmutation of massive loadings of /sup 137/Cs placed in the blanket of a controlled thermonuclear reactor (CTR). The calculations assume the cylindrical standard blanket'' geometry and neutron source (which yields a vacuum wall loading of 10 MW/m/sup 2/ of 14-MeV neutrons). Significant thermal flux enhancement is obtained by (n,2n) reactions in a beryllium moderator. Oas production and induced radioactivity problems in the beryllium moderator are not much worse than in a graphite moderator. For an 80% target-zone loading of /sup 137/Cs, a transmutation rate of 290 kg per year per meter of CTR length is obtained. At this loading, the transmulation rate in roughly 1% of the length of a CTR blanket would balance the production rate in a fission reactor of the same power. Constraint of the CTR source strength to yield a wall loading of 1 MW/m/sup 2/ would increase the effective half-life for /sup 137/CS to more than 20 years. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Battelle-Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA
- NSA Number:
- NSA-29-023242
- OSTI ID:
- 4312517
- Journal Information:
- Nucl. Sci. Eng., v. 53, no. 3, pp. 319-323, Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-74
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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