Study on Nuclear Transmutation of Nuclear Waste by 14 MeV Neutrons

Abstract

The object of this study is to clarify the possibility of 14 MeV neutrons to decrease the radioactivity of nuclear waste, especially fission products such as Cs, Sr, Tc, and I. Simulations were performed for several fission products by Monte-Carlo code and burnup calculation code. In comparison to the spectra of thermal reactor and fast reactor, it was found that D-T neutron of 14 MeV is preferable and has the possibility to reduce the radioactivity of fission products such as Cs, Sr, Tc, and I with the magnitude of the flux more than 5 × 10¹⁵ [#/cm²/sec] for 1000 days irradiation period. This investigation reveals the possibility and the superiority of 14 MeV neutron than thermal and fast neutron spectra to annihilate the fission products.