No abstract

In this work was carried out the simulation in the SCALE6 code of an experiment on the BN-600 reactor on irradiating of fuel assemblies, containing samples of mixed nitride uranium-plutonium fuel. A comparison of the results for SCALE6 on the results of other codes is presented. The results of an estimation of uncertainties in the calculated data connected with uncertainties of an irradiation of an experimental sample and used neutron cross-sections library. Discussion of possible differences between analytical and experimental results is given.

The paper formulates the main problems associated with research on transmutation, which should be paid attention to by today’s young researchers. The processes of production of hazardous nuclides during transmutation in reactor facilities are considered. The goals of transmutation and the choice of nuclides to be transmuted are discussed. The concept of radiotoxicity is explained as a measure of the radiological hazard of radioactive nuclides, based on the maximum permissible concentration of nuclides according to the IAEA standards. The problem of the formation of secondary radioactive nuclides in nuclear fuel during generation of neutrons for transmutation is discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of various methods of transmutation in nuclear installations are considered: inclusion of transmutable nuclides in nuclear fuel in fast reactors, transmutation in specialized thermal and fast transmutation reactor installations and ADS systems. The problem of accumulation of highly radioactive actinides in a transmutation facility during long-term transmutation and the problem of a potential hazard of the transmutation facility itself are discussed. The unacceptability of application of common-type power reactors for the transmutation of long-lived fission products is demonstrated.