Postirradiation Examination of Metallic Fuel for Minor Actinides Transmutation in Fast Reactor

Abstract

Advanced nuclear reactors and closed nuclear fuel cycles are developed worldwide as a key component to ensure sustainable energy supplies to satisfy future demands1-4, while minimizing the long-term radiotoxicity of the resulting high level waste. Separation from spent fuel and subsequent recycling of Pu, U as fuel, and transmutation of Minor Actinides (MA) Np, Am, Cm) in fast reactors and/or MA burners are necessary steps to achieve this goal5-7. In addition to oxides, metal alloys, nitrides and carbides are considered as possible fuels for the new generations of nuclear reactors8-9. This paper presents an update of the results from the METAPHIX programme, a collaboration between the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI, Japan) and the Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU, a Joint Research Centre of the European Commission) devoted to the study of MA-containing fast reactor metal fuels.