Concept of hydride fuel target subassemblies in a fast reactor core for effective transmutation of MA

Substantial Reduction of High Level Radioactive Waste by Effective Transmutation of Minor Actinides in Fast Reactors Using Innovative Targets

“…The U-(Np, Am)-Zr hydride composition has the atomic ratio of U:(Np, Am):Zr:H=1:4:10:27, which was determined based on the experimental study on the U-Th-Zr-H system (Yamawaki et al, 1998). The Use of actinide-hydride target enables to increase amount of actinides loaded in the target assemblies.…”

“…(Simnad, 1980). The U-Th-Zr-H fuels have been fabricated and examined for thermal and mechanical properties through a preliminary irradiation examination (Yamawaki et al, 1998). These experiences are expected to contribute to development of Np and Am hydride fuels.…”

“…for their possible development as a new U-Th mixed hydride fuel (Yamamoto et al, 1995), (Yamawaki et al, 1998). The hydride fuel has several advantages such as high hydrogen atom concentration as well as inherent safety, low release of fission products, and high thermal conductivity.…”

Thermochemical studies of advanced nuclear fuels and materials

“…The experiments done so far on the hydride fuel have been for the hydrogenated U-Th-Zr alloy. Figure 7 shows the hydrogen desorption characteristics of UThZr 4 -hydrogen system at 1173 K [29]. The slowly ramping slope in the left side of the curve in Fig.…”

“…The hydride fuel has been studied by the researchers in the University of Tokyo in collaboration with Tohoku University. The studies on hydrogeneration of uranium alloys [26][27][28] have led to a possibility of a new MA-containing hydride fuel which may be used as MA transmutating target material [29]. The merit of this target material would be to attain the best transmutation rate of MA with improved safety characteristics of a fast reactor core.…”