RADIOISOTOPE PRODUCTION AND ACTINIDE WASTE TRANSMUTATION IN SMALL FUSION REACTORS

PHASE I OF THIS PROJECT INITIATES RESEARCH TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL OF RADIOISOTOPE PRODUCTION AND ACTINIDE WASTE TRANSMUTATION IN SMALL FUSION REACTORS. HIGH REVENUE RADIOISOTOPES SUCH AS (33)P AND (109)CD AS WELL AS THEIR PRODUCTION METHODS ARE BEING IDENTIFIED AND INVESTIGATED FOR A SMALL EXPERIMENTAL FUSION REACTOR. THE COST RECOVERY ASPECT IS BEING EXAMINED FOR THE BENEFIT OF A FUSION ENERGY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. AN INNOVATIVE CONCEPT FOR THE TRANSMUTATION OF ACTINIDE WASTES-MAINLY (237)NP, (241)AM, AND (243)AM-IS ALSO BEING INVESTIGATED. THE CONCEPT ENVISIONED CONVERTS THE ACTINIDES TO FISSILE NUCLIDES BY DOUBLE CAPTURE REACTIONS. AN EXAMPLE IS (237)NP (N,GAMMA) (238)NP (BETA DECAY) (238)PU (N,GAMMA) (239)PU. SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER REACTION RATES FOR THESE CAPTURE REACTIONS ARE OBTAINABLE FOR ACTINIDE CONVERSION AND ULTIMATE DESTRUCTION AT MODERATED NEUTRON ENERGY RANGE, COMPARED WITH REACTION RATES FOR FISSION REACTIONS AT HIGH ENERGY (AS NORMALLY CONSIDERED IN PREVIOUS STUDIES). THE INTERMEDIATE, NONFISSILE NUCLIDES SUCH AS (238)PU IN THE CASE OF (237)NP, ACT AS CATALYSTS DURING THE TRANSMUTATION PROCESS AND MAINTAIN A CONSTANT INVENTORY AT EQUILIBRIUM. THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY WILL LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VIABLE FUSION BLANKET FOR ACTINIDE WASTE TRANSMUTATION AT A RELATIVELY LOW NEUTRON WALL LOADING. PHASE I EFFORTS ARE ANALYZING THE TECHNICAL ISSUES AND IDENTIFYING DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS DURING THE STUDY PERIOD.