Performance of a transmutation advanced device for sustainable energy application

Preliminary studies have been performed to design a device for nuclear waste transmutation and hydrogen generation based on a gas-cooled pebble bed accelerator driven system, TADSEA (Transmutation Advanced Device for Sustainable Energy Application). In previous studies we have addressed the viability of an ADS Transmutation device that uses as fuel wastes from the existing LWR power plants, encapsulated in graphite in the form of pebble beds, cooled by helium which enables high temperatures (in the order of 1200 K), to generate hydrogen from water either by high temperature electrolysis or by thermochemical cycles. For designing this device several configurations were studied, including several reflectors thickness, to achieve the desired parameters, the transmutation of nuclear waste and the production of 100 MW of thermal power. In this paper new studies performed on deep burn in-core fuel management strategy for LWR waste are presented. The fuel cycle on TADSEA device has been analyzed based on both: driven and transmutation fuel that had been proposed by the General Atomic design of a gas turbine-modular helium reactor. The transmutation results of the three fuel management strategies, using driven, transmutation and standard LWR spent fuel were compared, and several parameters describing the neutron performance of TADSEA nuclear core as the fuel and moderator temperature reactivity coefficients and transmutation chain, are also presented.     

Challenge of transmutation of long-lived nuclides

Transmutation of radioactive nuclides into stable or short-lived ones has been under discussion as a measure to deal with the wastes of nuclear technology since its very beginning. There has been a lot of research activities world-wide with various approaches to transmuter design, matrix for waste incorporation and end waste form. This diversity comes from differently formulated transmutation priorities which, in their turn, originated in differently formulated strategy for development of nuclear fuel cycles. The present paper aims at surveying the goals of waste transmutation in view of trends identified in the past decade and address some new characteristics for estimating its radiological cost.     

Advances in the conceptual design of a gas-cooled Accelerator Driven System (ADS) transmutation device for a sustainable nuclear energy development

The possibilities of a nuclear energy development are considerably increasing with the world energetic demand increment. However, the management of nuclear waste from conventional nuclear power plants and its inventory minimization are the most important issues that should be addressed. Fast reactors and Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) are the main options to reduce the long-lived radioactive waste inventory. Pebble Bed Very High Temperature advanced systems have great perspectives to assume the future nuclear energy development challenges. The conceptual design of a Transmutation Advanced Device for Sustainable Energy Applications (TADSEA) has been done in preliminary studies. The TADSEA is an ADS cooled by helium and moderated by graphite that uses as fuel small amounts of transuranic elements in the form of TRISO particles, confined in 3 cm radius graphite pebbles forming a pebble bed configuration. It would be used for nuclear waste transmutation and energy production. In the paper, the results of a method for calculating the number of whole pebbles fitting in a volume according to its size are showed. From these results, the packing fraction influence on the TADSEAs main work parameters is studied. In addition, a redesign of the previous configuration, according to the established conditions in the preliminary design, i.e. the exit thermal power, is made.Additionally, the heterogeneity of the TRISO particles inside the pebbles is not negligible. In the paper, a study of the power density distribution inside the pebbles using a detailed model of the TRISO particles and a homogeneous composition of the fuel is addressed.     

Comparative study of ADS for minor actinides transmutation

The methodology of the efficiency comparison of the different ADS-burners is discussed. ADS with lead–bismuth coolant (fast neutron spectrum), molten salt ADS (intermediate spectrum) and heavy water ADS (thermal spectrum) are chosen as representatives for the comparison. The first results of the suggested approach are discussed.     

Impact of PWR spent fuel variations on back-end features of advanced fuel cycles with tru-fueled VHTR

Alternative strategies are being considered as management option for current spent nuclear fuel transuranics (TRU) inventory. Creation of transmutation fuels containing TRU for use in thermal and fast reactors is one of the viable strategies. Utilization of these advanced fuels will result in transmutation and incineration of the TRU. The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of conventional PWR spent fuel variations on TRU-fueled very high temperature reactor (VHTR) systems. The current effort is focused on prismatic core configuration operated under a single batch once-through fuel cycle option. IAEA’s nuclear fuel cycle simulation system (VISTA) was used to determine potential PWR spent fuel compositions. Additional composition was determined from the analysis of United States legacy spent fuel that is given in the Yucca Mountain Safety Assessment Report. A detailed whole-core 3-D model of the prismatic VHTR was developed using SCALE5.1 code system. The fuel assembly block model was based on Japan’s HTTR fuel block configuration. To establish a reference reactor system, calculations for LEU-fueled VHTR were performed and the results were used as the basis for comparative studies of the TRU-fueled systems. The LEU fuel is uranium oxide at 15% ²³⁵U enrichment. The results showed that the single-batch core lifetimes ranged between 5 and 7 years for all TRU fuels (3 years in LEU), providing prolonged operation on a single batch fuel loading. Transmutation efficiencies ranged between 19% and 27% for TRU-based fuels (13% in LEU). Total TRU material contents for disposal ranged between 730 and 808 kg per metric ton of initial heavy metal loading, reducing TRU inventory mass by as much as 27%. Decay heat and source terms of the discharged fuel were also calculated as part of the spent fuel disposal consideration. The results indicated strong potential of TRU-based fuel in VHTR.     

Feasibility of a critical molten salt reactor for waste transmutation

This study assesses the feasibility of designing a Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) using the salt mixture of LiF (15 mol%), NaF (58 mol%) and BeF₂ (27 mol%) to be critical when fuelled with TRU from LWR spent fuel without exceeding the actinides solubility limit and while extracting fission products at realistic rates. The first part of the study investigated the graphite-to-MS volume ratio on the neutron balance, transmutation characteristics and graphite lifetime. It is found that a core without graphite moderator is the preferred design option; it offers the best neutron balance, most compact design and alleviated graphite lifetime problem. The second part of the study investigated sensitivity of the epithermal spectrum core to the feed composition, power density, fission products residence time and actinides loss fraction. It is found that the transmutation effectiveness improves with increasing power density and that the shorter the LWR spent fuel cooling time is, the better becomes the MSR neutron balance. The optimal MSR design offers a remarkably high transmutation capability – fissioning of as high as 99.8% of the TRU fed. The transmutation capability of the MSR is also rated in terms of final waste radiotoxicity, decay heat, spontaneous fission neutrons emission, fissile and ²³⁷Np inventory.     

Actinide destruction and power peaking analysis in a 1000 MWt advanced burner reactor using moderated heterogeneous target assemblies

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of moderated heterogeneous subassemblies located in the core of a sodium-cooled fast reactor on minor actinide (MA) destruction rates over the lifecycle of the core. Additionally, particular emphasis was placed on the power peaking of the pins and the assemblies with the moderated targets as compared to standard unmoderated heterogeneous targets and a core without MA targets present. Power peaking analysis was performed on the target assemblies and on the fuel assemblies adjacent to the targets. The moderated subassemblies had a marked improvement in the overall destruction of heavy metals in the targets. The design with acceptable power peaking results had a 12.25% greater destruction of heavy metals than a similar ex-core unmoderated assembly. The increase in minor actinide destruction was most evident with americium where the moderated assemblies reduced the initial amount to less than 3% of the initial loading over a period of five years core residency. In order to take advantage of the high minor actinide destruction and minimize the power peaking effects, a hybrid scenario was devised where the targets resided ex-core in a moderated assembly for the first 506.9 effective full power days (EFPDs) and were moved to an in-core arrangement with the moderated targets removed for the remainder of the lifecycle. The hybrid model had an assembly and pin power peaking of less than 2.0 and a higher heavy metal and minor actinide destruction rate than the standard unmoderated heterogeneous targets either in-core or ex-core. The hybrid model has a 54.5% greater Am reduction over the standard ex-core model. It also had a 27.8% greater production of Cm and a 41.5% greater production of Pu than the standard ex-core model. The radiotoxicity of the targets in the hybrid design was 20% less than the discharged standard ex-core targets.     

Challenge of nuclear data for innovative nuclear energy

The article devoted to assessment of present-day demand to nuclear data for transmutation problem, including the discussion of required accuracies, status and perspectives of nuclear data evaluation and development of nuclear models. The effect of nuclear data uncertainties on radiation damage of structural materials is discussed. An analysis of ISTC projects related to nuclear data measurement and evaluation is presented. The recommendations for differential, integral experiments and recommendations on the evaluated data preparation are presented.     

聚变驱动次临界堆双冷嬗变包层热工水力学参数设计与分析

聚变驱动次临界堆双冷嬗变包层是一个以氦气和液态金属LiPb为冷却剂,以嬗变核废料为主要目的的多功能包层。依据功率平衡模型对不同工况优化的基础上,对该包层热工系统参数进行了设计分析。采用三维商用计算流体力学程序对第一壁和高功率密度区中液态LiPb的流场进行数值模拟计算,给出了优化的典型热工水力参数。     

10MW高温气冷实验堆氦气安全阀的设计与性能试验

10MW高温气冷实验堆(HTR-10)一回路安全泄放系统安装了两台核一级氦气安全阀，对反应堆一回路进行超压保护，是保证HTR-10安全的重要设备之一。本文介绍了氦气安全阀的设计要求、结构特点及性能要求，并按相关规范要求对其性能进行了实验验证。结果表明，安全阀的性能满足设计要求。     

高放废物嬗变研究发展及前景

高放废物的处置关系到核能的发展和环境保护。分离与嬗变作为高放废物处置的可能途径之一，在世界上已有近３０年的研究发展历史，目前，越来越受人们的关注。本文分别介绍了利用轻水堆、液态金属燃料堆、聚变堆（聚变－裂变混合堆）以及加速器驱动的次临界系统嬗变高放废物的原理、研究发展及前景。为我们开展高放废物嬗变研究提出一些建议。     

聚变驱动次临界堆嬗变包层双流场三维数值模拟与分析

采用流体动力学数值模拟软件对聚变次临界堆双冷嬗变包层高功率密度区 (FW、HM1 )液态金属LiPb和氦气流场进行三维数值模拟 ,考察双流场温度分布、LiPb向氦气传热热流密度场等 ,为聚变次临界堆热工水力学设计提供决策依据     

Primary System Aerodynamic Characteristics and Associated Circulator Operational Performance of HTR-10

The 10 MW high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTR-10) has reached its first criticality in 2000 and is currently under testing for full power operation in the near future. The helium circulator test was carried out on both air and helium conditions with the same gas densities of 2.74 kg/m³ to measure the aerodynamic characteristics of the primary system and the operation performance of the circulator. This paper describes the test procedures and then analyzes the test results. Based on the test data, the aerodynamic characteristics of the primary system and associated operation performance of the circulator under real working condition of the HTR-10 are predicted. As a result, the helium circulator performance satisfies the aerodynamic and operational requirements of the HTR-10 primary system on real working condition by a considerable margin.     

Application of candle burnup strategy for future nuclear energy utilization

The CANDLE burnup strategy is a new reactor burnup concept, where the distributions of fuel nuclide densities, neutron flux, and power density move with the same constant speed along the core axis from bottom to top (or from top to bottom) of the core and without any change in their shapes. Therefore, any burnup control mechanisms are not required, and reactor characteristics do not change along burnup. The reactor is simple and safe. If this burnup scheme is applied to some neutron rich fast reactors, either natural or depleted uranium can be utilized as fresh fuel after second core and the burnup of discharged fuel is about 40%. It means about 40% of natural or depleted uranium can be utilized without either enrichment or reprocessing.

In the ideal nuclear energy utilization system, the radioactive toxicity in the environment should remain or decrease after the utilization. This requirement is very severe and difficult to be satisfied. It may take too much time for its realization. The CANDLE burnup may substitute this period. Though it is a once-through fuel cycle, the discharged fuel burnup is about ten times of the present value for light water reactors. The space necessary for final disposal can be drastically reduced. However, in order to realize such a high burnup of discharged fuels some innovative technologies should be developed. Either new material standing still for such a high burnup or intermediate recladding will be required. Especially new fuel development will take a lot of time. For the time being a small reactor with CANDLE burnup may be a good option for nuclear power generation. Even this kind of reactor requires some innovative technologies and a long period for their developments. For the first stage of CANDLE burnup the prismatic fuel high-temperature gas cooled reactor is preferable. Since the design of this reactor fits to the CANDLE burnup very well, only a little time is required for its research and development.     

摩洛哥坦坦地区核能海水淡化示范项目

摩洛哥王国准备采用我国开发的１０ＭＷ核供热堆作为热源,与高温多效蒸馏工艺相耦合,在坦坦地区建造核能海水淡化示范厂,日产８０００ｍ＾３淡水,可行性研究结果表明：该示范厂设计方案不存在技术障碍,其淡水生产成本和该地区相同规模的石化燃料淡化厂相当。     

Structure of ion tracks in ceria irradiated with high energy xenon ions

Structure and accumulation behavior of ion tracks in CeO₂ irradiated with 200 MeV Xe ions were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) to obtain fundamental knowledge on the microstructure evolution induced by fission fragments in nuclear fuels and transmutation targets, which is of importance for the development of advanced fuel/target materials at high burn-up conditions. Bright-field (BF) TEM images of ion tracks from an inclined direction showed Fresnel contrast along penetrating path of incident ions. The signal intensity of high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) STEM images was decreased at the core damage region of ion tracks along the path of ions, revealing the reduction of atomic density inside the ion track. Preferential formation of smaller and larger ion tracks was observed at a high ion fluence of 1 × 10¹⁴ cm⁻² compared to a low ion fluence of 1 × 10¹¹ cm⁻². Results were discussed due to the coalescences and incomplete recovery of the core damage regions during the overlap of high density electronic excitation damage, which is induced during the repetition of the formation and recovery of ion tracks within an influence region.     

The design and utilization of a high-temperature helium loop and other facilities for the study of advanced gas-cooled reactors in the Czech Republic

This paper focuses on the research infrastructure of advanced gas cooled reactors in the Czech Republic, particularly on the high-temperature helium loop HTHL, which is a unique facility of its kind. HTHL is intended mainly for testing structural materials. It also can be used to research technologies relating to helium coolant. The maximum temperature and pressure that can be used within the specimen testing space are 900 °C and 7 MPa, respectively, and the maximum gas flow rate in the main loop is 38 kg/hr. Originally, the equipment was envisaged as a device for corrosion tests of materials in the reactor LVR-15 but, according to current plans, a different equipment will be built for this purpose within the frame of the SUSEN project. At the same time, an additional helium loop (S-Allegro) will be built to test selected components of advanced gas-cooled reactors.     

Transmutation capabilities of the CERN Energy Amplifier System

Progress in particle accelerator technology makes it possible to use a proton accelerator to produce energy and to destroy nuclear waste efficiently. Energy Amplifier (EA) systems consist of a sub-critical fast neutron core driven by a proton accelerator. If well designed, they prevent any possible criticality accidents. It has been proposed to take advantage of this sub-criticality in order to use certain types of fuel with poor neutronic properties (for instance those with very small delayed neutron fractions). In this respect, they are particularly attractive for destroying, through fission, transuranic elements produced by present nuclear reactors. EA's could also transform efficiently and at minimal cost long-lived fission fragments using the concept of Adiabatic Resonance Crossing (ARC), an innovative method tested at CERN with the TARC experiment.     

10MW高温气冷实验堆项目管理系统的框架设计

介绍了１００ＭＷ高温气冷实验堆工程项目管理系统的初步设计框架，在此基础上，重点介绍了核工程管理信息系统（ＭＩＳ）和工程监控系统（ＰＭＳ）的功能设计以及ＭＩＳ各子系统的功能设计。本文在ＭＩＳ和决策支持系统（ＤＳＳ）的开发方法上也作一些尝试。