Conceptual study of actinide reformer using high-power proton accelerator

Sasa, Toshinobu   ; Nishihara, Kenji  ; Sugawara, Takanori  ; Oigawa, Hiroyuki 

The nuclear fuel cycles based on MOX-fueled LWRs and FRs, americium (Am) and curium (Cm) should be carefully managed because they may affect the soundness of nuclear fuels if they are recycled with plutonium. On the other hand, if we dispose of Am and Cm, they will affect the design of the geological repository because of their long half-lives. We propose a new system concept called an "Actinide Reformer", whose purpose is the effective transmutation of Am and Cm. In the concept, Am and Cm are separated from the spent fuel by the advanced aqueous reprocessing and converted to chloride molten-salt fuel which has many experiences for developing pyrochemical reprocessing process. Using such liquid-type fuel, many defects on Am and Cm such as high radioactivity and heat release and chemical incompatibility can be overcome. The Actinide Reformer is designed as an accelerator-driven system which consists of a 10MW-class cyclotron, tungsten target and subcritical core. The system is designed to recover overall electricity to drive system itself.