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Neutronic Analysis for Transmutation of Minor Actinides and Long-Lived Fission Products in a Fusion-Driven Transmuter (FDT)

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This study presents the transmutations of both the minor actinides (MAs: 237Np, 241Am, 243Am and 244Cm) and the long-lived fission products (LLFPs: 99Tc, 129I and 135Cs), 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 (TZMA and TZFP 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 99Tc 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.

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Abbreviations

E :

neutron energy

E f :

energy per fission (200 MeV)

k eff :

neutron multiplication coefficient

L :

neutron leakage per fusion neutron

M :

blanket energy multiplication factor

n :

neutron

N :

atomic density in atoms/cm3

Q :

reaction energy in MeV

R x :

x-reaction rate in reactions/s

R x D :

x-reaction rate density in reactions/cm3/s

T6 :

tritium breeding ratio from 6Li

T7 :

tritium breeding ratio from 7Li

V :

volume in cm3

VF:

volume fraction in percentage

B/T:

burning and/or transmutation

CR:

conversion ratio

D–T:

deuterium–tritium

EC:

electron capture

FDT:

fusion-driven transmuter

FFHR:

force-free helical reactor

FW:

first wall

HLW:

high-level waste

LLFP:

long-lived fission product

MA:

minor actinide

MOX:

mixed oxide

NMZ:

neutron multiplier zone

PWR:

pressured water reactor

RZ:

reflector zone

SZ:

shielding zone

TBR:

tritium breeding ratio

BZ:

tritium breeding zone

TRU:

transuranium

TZ:

transmutation zone

α:

alpha particle

β:

beta decay

ϕ:

neutron flux in n·cm−2·s−1

γ:

capture

δ:

radial thickness in cm

σ:

microscopic cross-section in cm2

Γ:

peak-to-average fission power density ratio

A:

absorption

Be:

beryllium

C:

capture

f or F:

fission

FP:

long-lived fission product

Li2O:

lithium oxide

MA:

minor actinide

Max:

maximum

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Erciyes Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey

    Hüseyin Yapıcı, Nesrin Demir & Gamze Genç

Authors
  1. Hüseyin Yapıcı
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  2. Nesrin Demir
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  3. Gamze Genç
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Correspondence to Hüseyin Yapıcı.

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Yapıcı, H., Demir, N. & Genç, G. Neutronic Analysis for Transmutation of Minor Actinides and Long-Lived Fission Products in a Fusion-Driven Transmuter (FDT). J Fusion Energ 25, 225–239 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10894-006-9027-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10894-006-9027-4

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