MA Transmutation Performance Simulation and Accompanied Burning-up Analysis for C-ADS

TL;DR

This paper presents a neutronic simulation of a China-based accelerator-driven subcritical reactor designed to transmute high-level radioactive waste, analyzing its performance, transmutation efficiency, and operational parameters.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed neutronic analysis and core parameter optimization for a C-ADS reactor targeting minor actinide transmutation.

Findings

Validated transmutation of minor actinides in the reactor core

Determined key operational parameters including neutron spectra and power distribution

Confirmed high incineration efficiency through burning-up analysis

Abstract

An accelerator-driven subcritical reactor functions well in incinerating high-level radiotoxic waste (HLW) as well as providing energy. China is on his way to establish such a facility to transmutate the annual 1000 tons of HLW. A neutronic analysis has been performed for a reference core with a special task of burning minor actinides 237Np, 241Am, 243Am and 244Cm. Instant operation parameters are determined, including neutron energy spectra, thermal power distribution and transmutation validation. Burning-up analysis is carried out to further confirm the incineration efficiency. The core parameters optimized in this work will be applied to simulate in-core fuel behavior in future research.