Neutronic analysis for transmutation of minor actinides and long-lived fission products in a fusion-driven transmuter (FDT)


Yapici H., Demir N., Genc G.

JOURNAL OF FUSION ENERGY, vol.25, pp.225-239, 2006 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 25
  • Publication Date: 2006
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s10894-006-9027-4
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF FUSION ENERGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.225-239
  • Erciyes University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study presents the transmutations of both the minor actinides (MAs: Np-237, Am-241, 243 Am and 244 Cm) and the long-lived fission products (LLFPs: Tc-99, I-129 and Cs-135), discharged from high burn-up PWR-MOX spent fuel, in a fusion-driven transmuter (FDT) and the effects of the MA and LLFP volume fractions on their transmutations. The blanket configuration of the FDT is improved by analyzing various sample blanket design combinations with different radial thicknesses. Two different transmutation zones (TZ(MA) and TZ(FP) which contain the MA and LLFP nuclides, respectively) are located separately from each other. The volume fractions of the MA and the LLFP are raised from 10 to 20% stepped by 2% and from 10 to 80% stepped by 5%, respectively. The calculations are performed to estimate neutronic parameters and transmutation characteristics per D-T fusion neutron. The conversion ratios (CRs) for the whole of all MAs are about 65-70%. The transmutation rates of the LLFP nuclides increase linearly with the increase of volume fractions of the MA, and the Tc-99 nuclide among them has the highest transmutation rate. The variations of their transmutation rate per unit volume in the radial direction are quasi-concave parabolic.