Principal Investigator Neil Todreas
Co-investigator Pavel Hejzlar
Project Website http://canes.mit.edu/research/system-analysis-actinide-transmutation-options-0
Researchers and their students are investigating thermal and fast-spectrum closed fuel cycles compared with the open fuel cycle regarding spent fuel management economics and proliferation resistance. Their work has shown that thermal reactors can be applied to reduction of actinide accumulation by transmutation of transuranics (TRUs), provided that suitable nonfertile materials are developed to host the TRU elements. The nonfertile fuel rods could replace 20 percent of an LWR assembly uranium dioxide (UO2) fuel rods, and that would lead to net destruction of transuranics. However, recycling of TRUs may need cooling intervals of about 20 years to limit the spontaneous fission neutrons during fuel manufacturing. In addition, the use of thorium hydride to host the actinides in PWRs is being investigated. The nuclear fuel cycle simulation code CAFCA has been upgraded with a more user-friendly acceptance of alternative advanced reactor options and also equipped with a more robust numerical scheme to estimate the appropriate rate of addition of advanced reactor capability. A system dynamics version was created to allow for built-in treatment of uncertainties. Work this year enlarged the number of fuel cycle options that can be simulated, including high burnup fuel, and mixed oxide recycling in LWRs as well as fast reactor with different conversion ratios. The validation of CAFCA against other system codes, such as DANNESS of ANL, VISION of INL and COSI of CEA is being pursued.