An optimization methodology for heterogeneous minor actinides transmutation
Autor: | L. Buiron, Gérald Rimpault, Timothée Kooyman |
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Přispěvatelé: | Département Etude des Réacteurs (DER), CEA-Direction des Energies (ex-Direction de l'Energie Nucléaire) (CEA-DES (ex-DEN)), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) |
Jazyk: | angličtina |
Rok vydání: | 2018 |
Předmět: |
Fission products
Nuclear transmutation Fission 020209 energy Nuclear engineering 02 engineering and technology Actinide 7. Clean energy lcsh:TK9001-9401 Spent nuclear fuel 0202 electrical engineering electronic engineering information engineering Environmental science Neutron source lcsh:Nuclear engineering. Atomic power [CHIM]Chemical Sciences Neutron Decay heat |
Zdroj: | EPJ N-Nuclear Sciences & Technologies EPJ N-Nuclear Sciences & Technologies, EDP Sciences, 2018, 4, pp.4. ⟨10.1051/epjn/2018002⟩ EPJ Nuclear Sciences & Technologies, Vol 4, p 4 (2018) EPJ N-Nuclear Sciences & Technologies, 2018, 4, pp.4. ⟨10.1051/epjn/2018002⟩ |
ISSN: | 2491-9292 |
Popis: | International audience; In the case of a closed fuel cycle, minor actinides transmutation can lead to a strong reduction in spent fuel radiotoxicity and decay heat. In the heterogeneous approach, minor actinides are loaded in dedicated targets located at the core periphery so that long-lived minor actinides undergo fission and are turned in shorter-lived fission products. However, such targets require a specific design process due to high helium production in the fuel, high flux gradient at the core periphery and low power production. Additionally, the targets are generally manufactured with a high content in minor actinides in order to compensate for the low flux level at the core periphery. This leads to negative impacts on the fuel cycle in terms of neutron source and decay heat of the irradiated targets, which penalize their handling and reprocessing. In this paper, a simplified methodology for the design of targets is coupled with a method for the optimization of transmutation which takes into account both transmutation performances and fuel cycle impacts. The uncertainties and performances of this methodology are evaluated and shown to be sufficient to carry out scoping studies. An illustration is then made by considering the use of moderating material in the targets, which has a positive impact on the minor actinides consumption but a negative impact both on fuel cycle constraints (higher decay heat and neutron) and on assembly design (higher helium production and lower fuel volume fraction). It is shown that the use of moderating material is an optimal solution of the transmutation problem with regards to consumption and fuel cycle impacts, even when taking geometrical design considerations into account. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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