MYRRHA: a polyvalent research project around an ADS nuclear reactor
by
Francesco Belloni(SCK CEN), Roberto Salemme(SCK - Sapienza Università di Roma)
→
Europe/Rome
Aula Conversi (Dipartimento di Fisica - Ed. G. Marconi)
Aula Conversi
Dipartimento di Fisica - Ed. G. Marconi
Description
Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) are presently playing an important role in future nuclear energy scenarios, as they are potential and promising candidates for transmutation of long lived nuclear waste. Introduction of Partitioning & Transmutation in the nuclear waste reprocessing would enable isolation of long living radioisotopes and transformation into much shorter lifetime isotopes, thereby alleviating the burden upon geological disposal solutions. The road towards industrial transmutation facilities still features many R&D steps. MYRRHA (Multi-purpose hYbrid Research Reactor for High-tech Applications) is a flexible experimental ADS nuclear reactor project to demonstrate the feasibility and operability of a safe and efficient transmuter, under development at SCK•CEN, the Belgian Nuclear Research Center. MYRRHA consists of a subcritical Pb-Bi cooled core fed by an external neutron source, obtained by spallation through a high power proton accelerator. In this seminar, the project and its broad span of applications are briefly presented. A detailed discussion of the R&D and design activities ongoing both on the reactor and the linear accelerator driver is then given.
14:00 – 14:10 The MYRRHA project and its broad spectrum of applications R. Salemme and F. Belloni
Project’s motivations and description. Presentation of the large span of applications in various fields of research. SCK•CEN and European involvement in the project. Budget, planning, ongoing activities.
14:10 – 14:30 The fast spectrum Pb-Bi cooled nuclear reactor: subcritical and critical configurations F. Belloni
Description of the main components of MYRRHA and the design choices made to fulfill the multi-purpose activities of the reactor with particular focus on the transmutation process.
14:30 – 14:50 The 600 MeV, 2.4 MW superconducting proton LINAC R. Salemme
Current accelerator requirements for ADS applications. Accelerator design key elements and innovative characteristics. The MYRRHA accelerator design choices and where they stand within the current global panorama of High Power Superconducting LINACs. Review of the accelerator layout and of the adopted technologies. Presentation of the current R&D activities.
