EDN: EIBJPR
Authors & Affiliations
Zhemkov I.Yu., Naboishchikov Yu.V.
Research Institute of Atomic Reactors, Dimitrovgrad, Russia
Zhemkov I.Yu. – Head of Department, Dr. Sci. (Tech.). Contacts: 9, Zapadnoye Shosse, Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk region, Russia, 433510. Tel.: +7 (84235) 7-92-52; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Naboishchikov Yu.V. – Head of Laboratory.
Abstract
Minor actinides are formed in the fuel during irradiation in a nuclear reactor. Despite their small proportion, they are the ones that determine the long-term activity and radiotoxicity of spent nuclear fuel. In the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and closing the nuclear fuel cycle, one of the main problems is the handling of minor actinides. Irradiation in fast neutron reactors of the main minor actinides (Am, Np), which determine the long-term radiation hazard, will make it possible to convert them into nuclides with a shorter half-life and, accordingly, with less danger.
The results of computational studies of the burning efficiency and the possibility of reducing the radiation hazard of americium and neptunium when they are irradiated in different neutron spectra of fast neutron reactors are presented.
The evaluation calculations performed showed that the efficiency of burning minor actinides in a softened neutron spectrum, which can be organized in the radial blanket of a fast neutron reactor, is significantly higher than when irradiated in a hard neutron spectrum. To reduce the radiation hazard of minor actinides, it is necessary to irradiate them to a burnup of 80–95 %, which in the softened neutron spectrum can theoretically be achieved in one cycle, and in the hard neutron spectrum multiple recycles is requires.
Keywords
minor actinides, americium, neptunium, fission cross sections, neutron capture cross sections, burning, transmutation, activity, equivalent dose rate, radiotoxicity, heat generation, fast neutron reactor, neutron spectrum
Article Text (PDF, in Russian)
References
- Zhemkov I.Yu., Izhutov A.L., Naboishchikov Yu.V., Tuzov A.A. Geterogennoye vyzhiganiye minor-aktinidov v reaktore na bystrykh neytronakh [Heterogeneous burning of minor actinides in a fast reactor]. Sbornik annotatsiy dokladov Otraslevoy konferentsii “Zamykaniye toplivnogo tsikla yadernoy energetiki na baze reaktorov na bystrykh neytronakh 2020” [Proc. of the Industry Conference “Closing the Nuclear Power Fuel Cycle Based on Fast Reactors 2020”]. Sochi, Russia, October 1–2, 2020, p. 36.
- Zhemkov I.Yu., Ishunina O.V. Transmutatsiya kak sposob umen'sheniya vysokoaktivnykh otkhodov v yadernoy energetike. Fizicheskiye problemy effektivnogo ispol'zovaniya i bezopasnogo obrashcheniya s yadernym toplivom [Transmutation as a way to reduce high-level waste in nuclear energy. Physical problems of effective use and safe handling of nuclear fuel]. Materialy XI seminara po problemam fiziki reaktorov [Materials of the XI seminar on problems of reactor physics]. Moscow, September 4–8, 2000, pp. 191–193.
- Zhemkov I.Yu. Transmutatsiya mladshikh aktinidov kak sposob umen'sheniya vysokoaktivnykh otkhodov v yadernoy energetike [Transmutation of minor actinides as a way to reduce high-level waste in nuclear power]. Sbornik trudov AO GNTS NIIAR – Proc. of RIAR, 2020, no. 4, pp. 10–18.
- Zhemkov I.Yu., Usynina S.G. Vygoraniye aktinidov v reaktore na bystrykh neytronakh: eksperiment i raschet [Actinide burnup in a fast neutron reactor: experiment and calculation]. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika, 1994, no. 4–5, pp. 30–34.
- Izhutov A.L., Zhemkov I.Yu., Naboishchikov Yu.V. Potential Capabilities of Operating Reactor BOR-60 and Reactor MBIR under Construction to Perform Experiments on Transmutation of Minor Actinides. Report WorkGroup EGIEMAM-II NEA-OECD, 2016. IAEA-CN245-103. Available at: https://media.superevent.com/documents/20170620/d48df69e20fc31fe2945fc707acb55b5/fr17-103.pdf (accessed 22.01.2025).
- Kotchetkov A., Khomiakov Y., Nerozin N., Smetanin E., Tsiboulia A., Bychkov A., Zhemkov I. Calculation and Experimental Studies on Minor Actinides Samples Irradiation in Fast Reactors. Proc. of the Seventh Information Exchange Meeting on Actinide and Fission Product Partitioning and Transmutation. Jeju, Republic of Korea, 14–16 October 2002. Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development – Nuclear Energy Agency, 2003. Pp. 693–704.
- Forrest R.A., Tabasso A., Danani C., Jakhar S., Shaw A.K. Handbook of Activation Data Calculated Using EASY‑2007. EURATOM/UKAEA Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre Abingdon Oxfordshire United Kingdom. 1995.
- Zhemkov I.Yu., Naboishchikov Yu.V., Poglyad S.S. Geterogennoye vyzhiganiye mladshikh aktinidov v reaktore na bystrykh neytronakh [Heterogeneous burning of minor actinides in a fast neutron reactor]. Nauchnyy godovoy otchot AO “GNTS NIIAR” (otchot ob osnovnykh issledovatel'skikh rabotakh, vypolnennykh v 2018 g.) [Scientific annual report of RIAR (report on the main research works performed in 2018)]. Dimitrovgrad, RIAR Publ., 2019. Pp. 136–139.
- Zhemkov I.Yu., Naboishchikov Yu.V., Polezhaev A.A., Khasanova A.E. Raschotnyye issledovaniya effektivnosti vyzhiganiya mladshikh aktinidov [Computational studies of the efficiency of burning minor actinides]. Nauchnyy godovoy otchot AO “GNTS NIIAR” (otchot ob osnovnykh issledovatel'skikh rabotakh, vypolnennykh v 2019 g.) [Scientific annual report of RIAR (report on the main research works performed in 2019)]. Dimitrovgrad, RIAR Publ., 2020. Pp. 27–30.
- Yusupova A.E., Yusupov A.N., Zhemkov I.Yu., Naboishchikov Yu.V. Radiatsionnyye kharakteristiki neobluchonnykh mavelov i sborok dlya utilizatsii mladshikh aktinidov [Radiation characteristics of unirradiated Mavels and assemblies for the utilization of minor actinides]. Nauchnyy godovoy otchot AO “GNTS NIIAR” (otchot ob osnovnykh issledovatel'skikh rabotakh, vypolnennykh v 2021 g.) [Scientific annual report of RIAR (report on the main research works performed in 2021)]. Dimitrovgrad, RIAR Publ., 2022. Pp. 191–192.
UDC 621.039.51
Problems of Atomic Science and Technology. Series: Nuclear and Reactor Constants, 2025, no. 1, 1:3
