Irradiation test program of MA-bearing MOX fuel fabricated by using recovered MA from spent fuel; "SmART" cycle concept

中村 博文; 木原 義之; 小山 真一; 田中 康介; 勝山 幸三; 曽我 知則; 前田 茂貴; 竹内 正行

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A lot of technologies and basic data of nuclear fuel cycle are necessary for a realization of partitioning and transmutation on the engineering scale. So the Japan Atomic Energy Agency is now promoting a new program that is an irradiation test of minor actinide (MA)-bearing MOX fuel fabricated by using recovered MAs from spent fuel, namely SmART (Small Amount of Reused fuel Test) cycle concept. This concept is to validate MA recycle in fast reactor fuel cycle system included ADS. It is very important to verify the effect of recovered MAs to fabrication process, irradiation and transmutation behaviour. In order to evaluate the transmutation behavior, the irradiation time should be planned through 3 cycles (180 days). According to pre-analysis, Am content was decreased from 5% to 4.6%, and Np and Cm were increased in the case of 3rd row irradiation in Joyo. Each experiment will be performed at JAEA facilities. Through these actual experiments, consistency and optimization of each process condition, handling technique of highly radioactive material and material balance, transmutation and irradiation behavior can be evaluated.