Mox Fuel Module Fast Reactor Transmutation Research

The transuranic elements especially the minor actinides (MA) in spent fuel represent potential environmental radiotoxicity hazard in the long term. Hundreds tones of MA are already produced worldwide, and annually about a few tones of MA is added. Though China develops nuclear power since near term, it will face the same situation that the amounts of MA accumulated in the spent fuel in China is growing quickly. Fast reactor has operated successfully in some countries, which is suitable to burn MA and is effective to some degree. MA can be used for nuclear energy production as fuel for fast reactor. But to burn MA in fast reactor concern of many issues in which the first one influencing MA burning is reprocessing (particularly MA partitioning). The second is its conditioning and fuel fabrication of MA. The third is the influence to fast reactor core performance by the MA added. The fourth is the multiple recycles of MA in fast reactor and so on.China plans to design and construct the prototype fast reactor in the future not very far which also is a first module of the Modular Fast reactor Power Plant. The transmutation of MA from thermal neutron reactors using modular fast reactor is discussed in this thesis. The amounts of MA accumulated in the spent fuel are predicted according to the Nuclear Power Plant development plan envisaged in China. The modular fast reactor core conceptual design is performed. The ratio of MA added to the MOX fuel is studied. The neutronics characteristics of MA transmutation, and the transmutation and burning efficiency of the modular fast reactor are calculated. The role of the modular fast reactor to buffer the growing of MA in China and the reduction of radiotoxicity of nuclear waster via multiple recycling of MA in the modular fast reactor are calculated. Many constrains and limits are considered when designing the modular fast reactor core. The MA transmutation rate and burning rate of the modular fast reactor are realizable. Basing this transmutation capability the reduction tendency of the amounts of MA accumulated in China is predicted. The main conclusion of this thesis is that the transmutation supporting ratio of the modular fast reactor is two, which core is not special designed for transmutation. The efficiency of modular fast reactor could be raised greatly as the partitioning technology developing and the successfully designing of modular fast reactor core favorite for MA transmutation. The results and conclusions given in this thesis could be as a reference to the strategy study of the nuclear fuel cycle in the country.