The Accelerator Driven Systems, a 21st Century Option for Closing Nuclear Fuel Cycles and Transmuting Minor Actinides

Abstract

Closing the nuclear fuel cycle and transmuting Minor Actinides (MAs) can be considered as an application of the duty of care principle which says that, “before the final disposal of any waste, any possible chemical and/or physical treatment has to be applied in order to reduce the waste’s toxicity, provided the treatment does not convey unacceptable risks or unacceptable costs”. Forty years of complex research and development has shown that Accelerator Driven Systems could provide a solution to the challenge posed by spent nuclear fuels, by enabling the ability to considerably decrease their radiotoxicity lifetime burden and volume. In particular, a multilateral strategy of treatment of the MAs could be a commendable solution for both the countries phasing out the exploitation of nuclear energy and for those pursuing and developing this exploitation. The pre-industrial assessment of the technical and financial feasibility for industrialization is the next step. This applies to the four R&D and Demonstration building blocks: advanced separation, MAs’ loaded fuel fabrication, dedicated transmuters demonstration (MYRRHA) and provision for MAs’ fuel loaded processing. A global vision of the process leading to a sustainable option is proposed.

A First Step to Zero Waste Nuclear – Advanced Strategic Thinking in the Light of iMAGINE

“…When discussing about nuclear waste, the P&T community delivers the reduction of radiotoxicity over time normalized to one ton see e. g. [35,36] with the caveat that radiotoxicity is a weighted unit overemphasizes the effect of heavy isotopes due to a higher toxicity index. An approach often criticized in the final disposal community [37].…”

“…Specific element content in the fuel salt of a molten salt reactor based on 42.5 % NaCl -17.25 % UCl3 -40.25 % UCl4 fuel at a burnup of 100 GWd/itHM, structured by the top elements by concentration, the top of the rarest metals produced, to noble gasses, the rare earth elements, and other notable elements all with a concentration near to or greater than 1 ppm. x S is formed as an activation product of Cl35 , while a portion of H forms as a portion of the activation of Cl35 .…”

Diglycolamic acid for the mutual separation of lanthanides and actinides from dilute nitric acid solution: solvent extraction, dynamic light scattering, and spectroscopic investigations

“…1 The separation of long-lived trivalent actinides (Am and Cm isotopes) from HLLW followed by their transmutation is essential for reducing the long-term radiotoxicity of HLLW and for the safe management of HLLW. 2,3 However, the separation of actinides alone from HLLW is quite difficult due to the concentration level of nitric acid (3-4 M) prevailing in HLLW. In addition, the chemical similarity of lanthanides with actinides also pose challenges during the separation as described elsewhere.…”

Toward Elucidating the Influence of Hydrostatic Pressure Dependent Swelling Behavior in the CERCER Composite

“…Accelerator-driven systems (ADS, subcritical reactors) [ 1 , 2 , 3 ] have been proposed as an efficient transmutation system to burn the long-lived radionuclides of hazardous nuclear wastes (for example, minor actinides including Np, Am, and Cm) and produce enormous amounts of energy at the same time. The main component of the reactor core is a fuel element that is loaded with MA and fissile nuclides [ 3 , 4 ].…”