Fusion transmutation of waste: design and analysis of the in-zinerator concept.

Technical Report · Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/895981· OSTI ID:895981

Durbin, S M; Cipiti, Benjamin B; Olson, Craig Lee; Guild-Bingham, Avery ^[1]; Venneri, Francesco ^[2]; Meier, Wayne ^[3]; Alajo, A B ^[4]; Johnson, T R ^[5]; El-Guebaly, L A ^[6]; Youssef, M E ^[7]; Young, Michael F; Drennen, Thomas E ^[8]; Tsvetkov, Pavel Valeryevich ^[9]; Morrow, Charles W; Turgeon, Matthew C; Wilson, Paul ^[10]; Phruksarojanakun, Phiphat ^[11]; Grady, Ryan ^[11]; Keith, Rodney L; Smith, James Dean ; Cook, Jason T; Sviatoslavsky, Igor N ^[12]; Willit, J L ^[13]; Cleary, Virginia D; Kamery, William ^[14]; Mehlhorn, Thomas Alan; Rochau, Gary Eugene

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1. Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
2. General Atomics, San Diego, CA
3. LLNL, Livermore, CA
4. Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
5. Argonne Mational Laboratory, Argonne, IL
6. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
7. University of California, Los Angeles, CA
8. Hobart & William Smith College, Geneva, NY
9. Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
10. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
11. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
12. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
13. Argonne Mational Laboratory, Argonne, IL
14. Hobart & William Smith College, Geneva, NY

Due to increasing concerns over the buildup of long-lived transuranic isotopes in spent nuclear fuel waste, attention has been given in recent years to technologies that can burn up these species. The separation and transmutation of transuranics is part of a solution to decreasing the volume and heat load of nuclear waste significantly to increase the repository capacity. A fusion neutron source can be used for transmutation as an alternative to fast reactor systems. Sandia National Laboratories is investigating the use of a Z-Pinch fusion driver for this application. This report summarizes the initial design and engineering issues of this ''In-Zinerator'' concept. Relatively modest fusion requirements on the order of 20 MW can be used to drive a sub-critical, actinide-bearing, fluid blanket. The fluid fuel eliminates the need for expensive fuel fabrication and allows for continuous refueling and removal of fission products. This reactor has the capability of burning up 1,280 kg of actinides per year while at the same time producing 3,000 MWth. The report discusses the baseline design, engineering issues, modeling results, safety issues, and fuel cycle impact.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 895981
• Report Number(s): SAND2006-6590; TRN: US0700677
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ACTINIDES
BUILDUP
CAPACITY
DESIGN
FABRICATION
FAST REACTORS
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUEL CYCLE
NEUTRON SOURCES
NUCLEAR FUELS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REMOVAL
SAFETY
TRANSMUTATION
SPENT FUELS
Transuranic elements-Incineration.
Nuclear reactors-Waste disposal.
Transuranic wastes (TRU)
Nuclear facilities-Waste disposal.