Reduction of burden for waste disposal by accelerator-driven transmutation technology; Preparing for unforeseeable future by nuclear fuel cycle for back-end

Oigawa, Hiroyuki 

Accelerator Driven System (ADS) is an innovative nuclear system to transmute minor actinides. By coupling transmutation technology by ADS and partitioning technology, the burden for nuclear waste disposal is expected to be largely reduced. Under the present status where the future of nuclear fuel cycle is unforeseeable, it is desirable to proceed with the research and development of ADS which can flexibly harmonize well with various options in the future. The research and development of ADS should be promoted by international and interdisciplinary collaboration. In this context, Transmutation Experimental Facility under the J-PARC phase-2 project is expected to play an important role to lead worldwide activities to cope with radioactive wastes.