The MYRRHA ADS programme in Belgium: A multi-national demonstration programme for incineration of spent nuclear fuel wastes

    Research outputpeer-review

    Abstract

    The coupling between an accelerator, a spallation target and a subcritical core has been studied for the first time at SCK•CEN in collaboration with IBA, Louvain-la-Neuve in the frame of the ADONIS project (1995-1997). The ad-hoc scientific advisory committee recommended extending the purpose of the ADONIS machine to become a Material Testing Reactor (MTR) for material and fuel research, to study the feasibility of transmutation of the minor actinides and to demonstrate at a reasonable power scale the principle of the ADS. The project, since 1998 named MYRRHA, has then evolved to a larger installation. MYRRHA is now conceived as a flexible irradiation facility, able to work as an Accelerator Driven (subcritical mode) and in critical mode. In this way, MYRRHA will allow fuel developments for innovative reactor systems, material developments for GEN IV systems, material developments for fusion reactors, radioisotope production for medical and industrial applications and industrial applications, such as Si-doping. MYRRHA will also demonstrate the ADS full concept by coupling the three components (accelerator, spallation target and subcritical reactor) at reasonable power level to allow operation feedback, scalable to an industrial demonstrator and allow the study of efficient transmutation of high-level nuclear waste.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationTechnology and Accelerator-driven Systems
    Place of PublicationParis, France
    Pages33-42
    StatePublished - 15 Mar 2010
    EventTCADS Workshop - KIT - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe
    Duration: 15 Mar 201017 Mar 2010

    Conference

    ConferenceTCADS Workshop
    Country/TerritoryGermany
    CityKarlsruhe
    Period2010-03-152010-03-17

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