Progress and Advancements in Fuel Performance Modelling for MYRRHA/XT-ADS

Sergei Lemehov, Vitaly Sobolev, Kevin Govers, Marc Verwerft, Hamid Aït Abderrahim

    Research outputpeer-review

    Abstract

    Transmutation of the minor actinides (neptunium, plutonium, americium and curium) in either a fast reactor (FR) or a fast accelerator-driven system (ADS) is currently considered as one of the promising options. The current reference fuels for a European ADS-transmuter are oxides such as MOX, (Cm,Am,Pu)O2 diluted in MgO, ZrO2, and Mo matrices. In the framework of the number of EC projects and its own project MYRRHA, the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK•CEN started few years ago the studies on fuels for transmutation in ADS. To evaluate basic in-pile features of fuel design the full-scale fuel performance code MACROS has been developed and is currently used. This paper will show the main results of calculation of the in-pile behaviour of two inert matrix oxide fuels dedicated to transmutation of Am in a fast spectrum ADS performed with MACROS. The results of the modelling studies show that designs of the fuel/target rods considered in FUTURE and MYRRHA projects (European projects for ADS transmuters) are quite suitable for long term operation under representative ADS conditions.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationInternational Topical Meeting on Nuclear Research Applications and Utilization of Accelerators
    Place of PublicationVienna, Austria
    StatePublished - 4 May 2009
    EventInternational Topical Meeting on Nuclear Research Applications and Utilization of Accelerators - Vienna
    Duration: 4 May 20098 May 2009

    Conference

    ConferenceInternational Topical Meeting on Nuclear Research Applications and Utilization of Accelerators
    Country/TerritoryAustria
    CityVienna
    Period2009-05-042009-05-08

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