First results studying the transmutation of 129I, 237Np, 238Pu, and 239Pu in the irradiation of an extended natU/Pb-assembly with 2.52 GeV deuterons

Accelerator driven system for transmutation and energy production

The significant quantities of highly radiotoxic long-lived nuclear waste necessitate the research of methods of their transmutation to short-lived ones. This can be achieved by interaction between nuclear waste and neutrons (n,xn)-reactions and radiative captive). The ADS (Accelerator Driven System) is the most promising tool for such transmutation. ADS consists of powerful high energy accelerator irradiating a target of heavy nuclei: uranium, thorium, lead and bismuth. Inside of the target is generated a high-energy neutron field. Several ADS constructions for waste transmutation and energy production are considered. The influence of the cooling system on the neutron flux and the energy production in ADS are investigated. The radiation and biological protection are also discussed.

Study of secondary neutron interactions with ²³²Th, ¹²⁹I, and ¹²⁷I nuclei with the uranium assembly "QUINTA" at 2, 4, and 8 GeV deuteron beams of the JINR Nuclotron accelerator

The natural uranium assembly, "QUINTA", was irradiated with 2, 4, and 8GeV deuterons. The (232)Th, (127)I, and (129)I samples have been exposed to secondary neutrons produced in the assembly at a 20-cm radial distance from the deuteron beam axis. The spectra of gamma rays emitted by the activated (232)Th, (127)I, and (129)I samples have been analyzed and several tens of product nuclei have been identified. For each of those products, neutron-induced reaction rates have been determined. The transmutation power for the (129)I samples is estimated. Experimental results were compared to those calculated with well-known stochastic and deterministic codes.