Transmutation of Spent Nuclear Fuel utilizing Spallation Reactions

John Freiderich

NCSS

07/27/2006

Introduction

Accumulated Spent Nuclear Fuel Over 40k metric tons

Spallation Transmutation

Spallation

What does this entail? Incident Particle Target Nucleus

Goal: Generate Neutrons

Cross-Section

Incident Particles Charged Particles

Uncharged Particles

)1(2

BRTOT

2)( RTOT

Mass Partitions

Two-Step Nucleon Production

First Step Penetration Intranuclear Cascade

Second Step De-excitation of Compound Nucleus

Evaporation of nucleons and light nuclei Fission

Intranuclear Cascade

Spent Nuclear Fuel

Prediction: Enrico Fermi (1940s) Today

Criticality Concerns Decay Heat Management Radioactive Waste Handling

Seen as Primary Problems

Products of Nuclear Waste

Radio nuclides 90Sr, 137Cs 239Pu, 242Pu, 237Np, 129I, 135Cs and 99Tc

Mobility & Half-lives

Transmutation

Transforming the Nucleus Neutron Absorption

eRuTcnTc 56

1004457

100431

1056

9943

Neutron Absorption

Induced through Sub-critical System Accelerator-Driven System (ADS) External Source of Neutrons

Chemical Reprocessing

Aqueous Separations Remove 238U and some other fission

products

ADS Schematic

Conclusion

Exponential growth in Energy Demand Spallation provides neutron source

Inquiries?

References

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[3]Friedlander, G.; Kennedy, J. W.; Macias, E. S.; Miller, J. M. Nuclear and Radiochemistry, 3rd edition; John Wiley and Sons: New York, 1981; 171-176.

[4](a) Gudowski, W. Transmutation of Nuclear Waste. Nucl. Phys. A. 2000, 663&664, 169c-182c. (b) Accelerator-driven Transmutation Projects. The Importance of Nuclear Physics Research for Waste Transmutation. Nucl. Phys. A. 1999, 654, 436c-457c.

[5]Loveland, W.; Morrissey, D.J.; Seaborg, G.T. Modern Nuclear Chemistry; John Wiley and Sons: New Jersey, 2006; 288-290.

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