SIMULATION OF THE NUCLEAR-REACTOR ACTIVE-ZONE ELEMENTS WITH THICK ROTATING LAYER OF MICRO-PARTICLE FUEL FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE TRANSMUTATION
Abstract
The effective transmutation of radioactive isotopes into the stable ones with the use of neutrons requires the neutron high-flux and the spectra with significant part of fast and resonance neutrons. It is advisable to alternate a range of specified-duration irradiation sessions with revamping the composition of waste. The depleted fuel of the commercial reactor comprises near 1 % of such isotopes of their individual mass in the batch loading which amounts to several tens of kilograms. The article considers a perspective nuclear reactor for radioactive waste transmutation as regards its design, thermal physics and hydrodynamics. Mobile microparticles of the fuel build up the active zone of the reactor and form a steady dense ringshaped layer. The layer rotates within immovable vortex chamber using the energy of the coolant, i.e. water. The micro particles cool down with the coolant unmediated.
The formulaic valuation of the device capacity with water under pressure comes to 1–5 MW per 1 liter of the layer. The condition of avoided boiling sets the most restrictive limitations to the capacity. The bulk of the layer constricts to tens of liters inasmuch as enlarging the chamber dimensions reduces the rotary acceleration and the force confining the fuel micro-particles on the free surface of the layer. The author offers and substantiates with calculations the active zone composed of several layers or a layer with a large ratio of the volume to the surface area for achieving criticality of nuclear fuel load with limitations on enrichment. The vortex chambers in case of the active zone of several layers can have the joint coolant exscapes along the axis. Implementation of the chambers with reverse vortices in composite active zones with joint escapes allows reducing the flow rotation below the vortex reactor along the coolant course.
About the Author
V. V. Sorokin
Belarusian National Technical University
Belarus
Belarus
Associate Professor, PhD in Engineering
References
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Review
For citations:
Sorokin V.V. SIMULATION OF THE NUCLEAR-REACTOR ACTIVE-ZONE ELEMENTS WITH THICK ROTATING LAYER OF MICRO-PARTICLE FUEL FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE TRANSMUTATION. ENERGETIKA. Proceedings of CIS higher education institutions and power engineering associations. 2015;(2):72-80. (In Russ.)
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