Rapid Transmutation of High-Level Nuclear Wastes in a Catalyzed Fusion-Driven System

The aim of this study is to investigate the high-level waste (HLW) transmutation potential of fusion-driven transmuter (FDT) based on catalyzed D–D fusion plasma for various fuel fractions. The Minor actinide (MA) (²³⁷Np, ²⁴¹Am, ²⁴³Am and ²⁴⁴Cm) and long-lived fission product (LLFP) (⁹⁹Tc, ¹²⁹I and ¹³⁵Cs) nuclides discharged from high burn-up pressured water reactor-mixed oxide spent fuel are considered as the HLW. The volume fractions of the MA and LLFP are raised from 10 to 20% stepped by 2% and 10 to 80% stepped by 5%, respectively. The transmutation analyses have been performed for an operation period (OP) of up to 6 years by 75% plant factor (η) under a first-wall neutron load (P) of 5 MW/m² by using two different computer codes, the XSDRNPM/SCALE4.4a neutron transport code and the MCNP4B Monte Carlo code. The numerical results bring out that the considered FDT has a high neutronic performance for an effective and rapid transmutation of MA and LLFP as well as the energy generation along the OP.