NSUF 09-197: Measurement of Actinide Neutronic Transmutation Rates with Accelerator Mass Spectroscopy
Advanced nuclear systems with objectives of waste minimization with reduced proliferation risk are under investigation, and will be a fundamental asset of any future development of sustainable nuclear energy. The fuel cycles associated with these innovative systems present new challenges that will require high quality neutron cross section data for all (transuranic) TRU nuclei to provide a reliable assessment of their feasibility and performance. Some basic data are available for most TRU elements/isotopes (up to Cf) but true accuracy requirements have never been formulated. New innovative systems' designs will require tight target accuracies for the projected performances, in order to allow a convincing case both for economic and safety purposes. As far as nuclear data, this means that for a very wide range of reactions, energy ranges and isotopes, a robust validation is needed in order to quantify their reliability in view of the potential impact of their uncertainties on fuel cycle performance parameters and the consequent requirement for relatively high accuracies. Traditional integral experiments (i.e. irradiation in power reactors of samples and successively performing chemical analysis to characterize the different isotopes produced during irradiation) cannot allow acceptable measurement accuracies for isotopes of mass higher than A+1 (if isotope A is irradiated) and in any case need specific features (e.g. long irradiation times), that result in expensive and time consuming experimental campaigns. The objective of the work outlined in this proposal is to use a completely novel approach, in order to obtain valuable integral information about practically all high mass actinides neutron cross sections that are of importance for advanced nuclear fuel cycles in a relatively short time compared to the standard route indicated above and using very small amounts of “father” isotopes. We believe that one cycle of ATR time will be sufficient for each batch of actinides.This is a proposed three year project, anticipating that one or more Ph.D. theses can be performed.
Additional Info
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Advanced nuclear systems with objectives of waste minimization with reduced proliferation risk are under investigation, and will be a fundamental asset of any future development of sustainable nuclear energy. The fuel cycles associated with these innovative systems present new challenges that will require high quality neutron cross section data for all (transuranic) TRU nuclei to provide a reliable assessment of their feasibility and performance. Some basic data are available for most TRU elements/isotopes (up to Cf) but true accuracy requirements have never been formulated. New innovative systems' designs will require tight target accuracies for the projected performances, in order to allow a convincing case both for economic and safety purposes. As far as nuclear data, this means that for a very wide range of reactions, energy ranges and isotopes, a robust validation is needed in order to quantify their reliability in view of the potential impact of their uncertainties on fuel cycle performance parameters and the consequent requirement for relatively high accuracies. Traditional integral experiments (i.e. irradiation in power reactors of samples and successively performing chemical analysis to characterize the different isotopes produced during irradiation) cannot allow acceptable measurement accuracies for isotopes of mass higher than A+1 (if isotope A is irradiated) and in any case need specific features (e.g. long irradiation times), that result in expensive and time consuming experimental campaigns. The objective of the work outlined in this proposal is to use a completely novel approach, in order to obtain valuable integral information about practically all high mass actinides neutron cross sections that are of importance for advanced nuclear fuel cycles in a relatively short time compared to the standard route indicated above and using very small amounts of “father” isotopes. We believe that one cycle of ATR time will be sufficient for each batch of actinides.This is a proposed three year project, anticipating that one or more Ph.D. theses can be performed. |
| Award Announced Date | 2010-01-21T00:00:00 |
| Awarded Institution | Idaho National Laboratory |
| Facility | Advanced Test Reactor |
| Facility Tech Lead | Alina Zackrone |
| Irradiation Facility | None |
| PI | George Imel |
| PI Email | [email protected] |
| Project Type | Irradiation/PIE |
| RTE Number | 197 |