Seed and blanket thorium-reprocessed fuel ADS: Multi-cycle approach for higher thorium utilization and TRU transmutation

• Published in: Annals of nuclear energy Vol. 75; pp. 438 - 442
• Main Authors: Vu, Thanh Mai, Kitada, Takanori
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-01-2015
• Subjects: Assemblies; Fuels; Nuclear power generation; Nuclear reactor components; Nuclear reactors; Thorium; Transmutation; Wastes
• ISSN: 0306-4549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2014.08.025

In the previous publication, the seed and blanket thorium-reprocessed fuel ADS was designed for efficient transmutation of TRU waste from the spent nuclear fuel. In this study, the multi-cycle core was designed in order to increase thorium utilization and TRU waste transmutation. For that purpose, the reprocessed fuel assemblies inside the subcritical core are shuffled for twice burnt while the thorium assemblies are remained inside the reactor until the end of reactor life. As the result, at the equilibrium state, the thorium fuel contribution to total core power is improved (35.7%) compared to the startup cycle and it has benefit in flattening the power peaking inside the subcritical core. Compare to the startup cycle, less reprocessed fuel is loaded but the reprocessed assemblies are shuffled and burnt twice, hence, the TRUs are transmuted in a deeper level. At discharge, the reduction of radiotoxicity from the TRU waste is about 20% with 1% uncertainty, mainly due to the reduction of Pu and Am.