A sub-critical, He-cooled, fast reactor for the transmutation of spent nuclear fuel (DOE Grant ER54350)

Abstract

A design concept and supporting analysis are presented for a He-cooled, fast reactor for the transmutation of spent nuclear fuel. Coated TRU fuel particles in a SiC matrix are used. The reactor operates sub-critical (k ≤ 0.95), with a tokamak D-T fusion neutron source, to achieve > 90% TRU burnup in repeated 5-batch fuel cycles, fissions 1.1 MT/FPY, and produces 700 MWe net electrical power. The reactor design is based on nuclear, fuels, materials and separations technologies being developed in the GEN-IV, NGNP and AFCI Programs and similar international programs, and the fusion neutron source is based on the physics and technology supporting the ITER design.