Problems with Inert matrix fuel

INRAG colleagues Friederike Frieß and Wolfgang Liebert have published a paper together in the journal Progress in Nuclear Energy.
In particular, they deal with “Selected mid- and long-term effects on reprocessing, fuel fabrication and inventory sent to final disposal.

Abstract:

Partitioning and transmutation (P&T) fuel cycles provide a technical approach to ease the problem of radioactive waste disposal. Some of the partitioned components of the waste stream are irradiated while others can be used for energy production or are sent to final storage. Minor actinides are planned to be irradiated in a fast spectrum nuclear facility to transmute them into stable or short-lived isotopes. As minor actinides have negative effects on reactor dynamics, subcritical, accelerator-driven systems are proposed to increase their fraction in the fuel. An example is the MYRRHA research reactor to be built in Mol, Belgium.

This reactor is modeled for depletion calculations. The behavior of special fuel elements that mirror fuel composition as envisioned for large scale transmutation facilities, namely inert-matrix fuels with an increased minor actinide content, are investigated within this reactor environment. It turns out that gamma dose rates, activity and residual heat from the spent fuel elements present significant challenges for implementing a P&T program. Spent inert-matrix fuel element show significantly higher levels than spent fuel elements from fast reactors. This requires long cooling periods and poses unprecedented challenges to reprocessing technology. The problem is amplified by the fact that it is generally agreed upon that due to low transmutation efficiencies several transmutation steps would be necessary. Looking at the radiotoxicity index, the efforts suggested to reduce the minor actinide content in a final repository are justified. The long-term safety case of deep geological repositories, however, implies that certain long-lived fission products are more relevant. The build-up of some of these radionuclides is investigated for two hypothetical German P&T scenarios. Naturally, the amount of fission products increases with continued irradiation. But namely the fraction of Cs-135 increases over-proportionally when inert-matrix fuel rich on minor actinides is used.