Transmutation of /sup 90/Sr and /sup 137/Cs in a high-flux fast reactor with a thermalized central region

Journal Article · Fri Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976 · Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7102281

Taube, M

The fission products /sup 90/Sr and /sup 137/Cs produced by fission reactors of 30 GW(th) can be transmutated into stable nuclides by neutron irradiation with a thermal flux of 2 x 10/sup 16/ n cm/sup -2/ s/sup -1/. The rates of transmutation are 15 and 3.3 times greater, respectively, than that of spontaneous beta decay. The transmutation would take place in a central thermalized region of a high-flux fast burner reactor of 7 GW(th). In the case where the power reactors of 23 GW(th) are breeders with a high breeding gain of G = 0.38, the total system, inclusive of the high-flux burner, remains a breeding system, with G/sub total/ = 0.09. Details of the neutronics calculations and simplified thermohydraulics are given. The high-flux burner is fueled with a molten salt of chlorides of plutonium and sodium with a power density of 10 kW cm/sup -3/. The ''self-liquidation'' of such a system is discussed.

• Research Organization: Federal Inst. for Reactor Research, Wuerenligen, Switzerland
• OSTI ID: 7102281
• Journal Information: Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Sci. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 61:2; ISSN NSENA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
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