MA transmutation in various fast reactor core concepts

Oki, Shigeo ; Iwai, Takehiko*; Jin, Tomoyuki*

Transmutation Property of minor actinide nuclides (MA) was analyzed for fast reactor cores having different coolant and fuel types in order to obtain basic data for evaluating an ability of the efficient use of resource and reducing the effect on the environment. The investigated fast reactor cores were (a) sodium cooled and oxide fueled core, (b) lead cooled and nitride fueled core (BREST-300), (c) carbon dioxide gas cooled and oxide fueled core (ETGBR), (d)lead cooled and oxide fueled core, (e) sodium cooled and nitride fueled core (both He-bond and sodium-bond), and (f) sodium cooled and metallic fueled core. Followings were observed for the relation between MA transmutation property and the different types of coolant and fuel of fast reactor core. (1) For the MA transmutation rate, the relation "Oxide Metal Nitride" was found out for difference of fuel type. A main reason of the increment of MA transmutation rate is that the neutron flux level rises on nitride and metallic fueled cores in comparison with oxide core. (2) The relation "Lead Sodium and Carbon dioxide" can be seen for the MA transmutation rate in the difference of coolant, but it is not clear whether the cause is driven from the difference of coolant itself on the difference of core design. (3) The changes of MA transmutation property mentioned above are comparatively small.