Fast Reactors and Accelerator Driven Systems Knowledge Base

Conference Article: Homogeneous recycling of minor actinides in an EFR type fast reactor

Abstract

The capability of the European Fast Reactor (EFR) as a typical large fast reactor to incinerate the minor actinides Np and Am, produced in LWRs, has been investigated for the case of homogeneous recycling of Np, Am and Pu. Detailed account is taken for a three-region reload scheme in which every two years 1/3 of the core is refuelled. The fraction of admixed minor actinides is varied from 2.8 to 7.5%. Results are given in terms of the number of clean-up LWRs by one burner, the nuclide inventories during recycling, and the risk potential of the waste from the incineration system compared to the non-incineration case. It is concluded that an enforced research should be done in chemistry to prove that a satisfactory separation especially of Am and also of Cm from the rare earths in the waste is possible on large scale.

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Reference:

Use of fast reactors for actinide transmutation. Proceedings of a specialists meeting, Obninsk, Russian Federation, 22-24 September 1992. Mar 1993.

International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

IAEA-TECDOC--693, pp:94-98