First nuclear transmutation of 237Np and 241Am by accelerator-driven system at Kyoto University Critical Assembly |
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| Authors: | Cheol Ho Pyeon Masao Yamanaka Akito Oizumi Masahiro Fukushima Go Chiba Kenichi Watanabe |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University, Osaka, Japan;2. Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki, Japan;3. Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan;4. Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan |
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| Abstract: | This study demonstrates, for the first time, the principle of nuclear transmutation of minor actinide (MA) by the accelerator-driven system (ADS) through the injection of high-energy neutrons into the subcritical core at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly. The main objective of the experiments is to confirm fission reactions of neptunium-237 (237Np) and americium-241 (241Am), and capture reactions of 237Np. Subcritical irradiation of 237Np and 241Am foils is conducted in a hard spectrum core with the use of the back-to-back fission chamber that obtains simultaneously two signals from specially installed test (237Np or 241Am) and reference (uranium-235) foils. The first nuclear transmutation of 237Np and 241Am by ADS soundly implemented by combining the subcritical core and the 100 MeV proton accelerator, and the use of a lead-bismuth target, is conclusively demonstrated through the experimental results of fission and capture reaction events. |
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| Keywords: | KUCA ADS nuclear transmutation Np-237 Am-241 100 MeV protons Pb-Bi target |
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