Conceptual design of accelerator-driven system for transmutation of minor actinide, 1; Overview of research program

Tsujimoto, Kazufumi ; Nishihara, Kenji  ; Takei, Hayanori   ; Sugawara, Takanori  ; Iwamoto, Hiroki   ; Oizumi, Akito   ; Sasa, Toshinobu   

To continue the utilization of the nuclear fission energy, the management of the high-level radioactive waste (HLW) is one of the most important issues to be solved. Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T) technology of HLW is expected to be effective to mitigate the burden of the HLW disposal by reducing the radiological toxicity and heat generation. The research and development on P&T in Japan are basing on two kinds of concepts: one is the homogeneous recycling of minor actinide (MA) in commercial fast breeder reactors and the other is the dedicated MA transmutation, so-called "double-strata" strategy, using an accelerator-driven system (ADS). The objective of this research program is to enhance the technology revel from basic research phase to semi-engineering research phase for the main component of the double-strata P&T concept, MA partitioning process and the ADS technologies. For the ADS, the simulation experiments in the critical assembly connecting with the proton accelerator will be carried out to accumulate the reactor experimental results to solve R&D issues in the reactor physics aspect of the ADS. The results of this R&D program will be reflected on the assessment of the technically feasibility for each technology.