2018 Volume 13 Pages 2505045
The partitioning and transmutation (P-T) technology have promising potential for volume reduction and mitigation of degree of harmfulness of high-level radioactive waste. JAEA is promoting the development of the P-T technology by using an accelerator-driven system (ADS). To facilitate the development, JAEA has a plan to construct Transmutation Experimental Facility (TEF) as one of the experimental facilities of Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC). TEF consists of two individual facilities: ADS Target Test Facility (TEF-T) and Transmutation Physics Experimental Facility (TEF-P). TEF-T equips with a liquid lead-bismuth spallation target bombarded by a 400 MeV - 250 kW proton beam in which candidate proton beam window materials of the ADS are to be irradiated. TEF-P equips with a critical/subcritical assembly to investigate physical and dynamic properties of the accelerator-driven system by using a low power (10 W) proton beam. Nuclear fuels containing minor actinide are to be loaded to the assembly. Comprehensive R&D activities to support the TEF construction have been conducted, and a technical design report of TEF-T was issued in March 2017.
