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Np, Am, Cm Transmutation in Different Types of Reactors

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Atomic Energy Aims and scope

Different approaches to the transmutation of Np, Am, and Cm in molten-salt reactors are compared: based on the eutectics LiF–NaF–KF (BZhSR), LiF–NaF–BeF2 (MOSART), and the salt LiF–BeF2 (ZhSR-S). In addition the efficiency of transmutation in a BREST-1200 type fast reactor is evaluated. It is shown that the highest possible transmutation efficiency can be realized in a reactor based on the salt LiF–NaF–KF (~306 kg/yr per 1 GW(t)). The results show that further study of the physical and chemical properties of LiF–NaF–KF is warranted, specifically, a study of the solubility of a fuel composition with fission products and an investigation of the possibility of developing a reactor with a fast neutron spectrum on the basis of this salt.

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Correspondence to M. N. Belonogov.

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L. I. Ponomarev is Deceased

Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 126, No. 3, pp. 132–137, March, 2019.

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Ponomarev, L.I., Belonogov, M.N., Volkov, I.A. et al. Np, Am, Cm Transmutation in Different Types of Reactors. At Energy 126, 150–155 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-019-00529-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-019-00529-x

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