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Analysis of the Gas Core Actinide Transmutation Reactor (GCATR). Semiannual report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7101104
;

Design power plant studies were carried out for two applications of the plasma core reactor: (1) As a breeder reactor, (2) As a reactor able to transmute actinides effectively. In addition to the above applications the reactor produced electrical power with a high efficiency. A reactor subsystem was designed for each of the two applications. For the breeder reactor, neutronics calculations were carried out for a U-233 plasma core with a molten salt breeding blanket. A reactor was designed with a low critical mass (less than a few hundred kilograms U-233) and a breeding ratio of 1.01. The plasma core actinide transmutation reactor was designed to transmute the nuclear waste from conventional LWR's. The spent fuel is reprocessed during which 100% of Np, Am, Cm, and higher actinides are separated from the other components. These actinides are then manufactured as oxides into zirconium clad fuel rods and charged as fuel assemblies in the reflector region of the plasma core actinide transmutation reactor. In the equilibrium cycle, about 7% of the actinides are directly fissioned away, while about 31% are removed by reprocessing.

Research Organization:
Georgia Inst. of Tech., Atlanta (USA). School of Nuclear Engineering
OSTI ID:
7101104
Report Number(s):
N-78-10861; NASA-CR-155221
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

052001 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
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ACTINIDE ISOTOPES
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BREEDER REACTORS
BREEDING BLANKETS
DESIGN
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FISSIONING PLASMA
FLUID FUELED REACTORS
GAS FUELED REACTORS
HEAVY NUCLEI
HOMOGENEOUS REACTORS
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MOLTEN SALTS
NUCLEI
PLASMA
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SALTS
TRANSMUTATION
URANIUM 233
URANIUM ISOTOPES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES