A closed nuclear energy system by accelerator-driven ceramic reactor and extend AIROX reprocessing

For the future energy system, we propose a new closed nuclear energy cycle system, which consists of an accelerator-driven external neutron source, a ceramic reactor and an extend AIROX reprocessing. The attractive features of this system are as follows. （l） The operating mode of the reactor is a combination of subcritical mode and critical mode. initially, the reactor would be driven by the accelerator external neutron source in subcritical mode. A few years later, the reactor would reach the critical mode, and then would operate for a long time. （2） Nuclear fuels, coolants, and structure materials in the ceramic reactor core are made up of ceramic with excellent thermodynamics properties and neutron performance. Therefore, the ceramic reactor has extremely inherent safety, good breeding performance and high power generation efficiency. （3） Fuel reprocessing uses an extend AIROX reprocessing, which is a simple high-temperature dry process and rarely involved in chemical process. In this reprocessing, only most of fission products are separated. Other isotopes, including uranium isotopes, transuranic nuclides and long-lived fission products, would re-enter the reactor as new fuels. Therefore, this closed nuclear energy system could be known as ADANES, short for Accelerator-Driven Advanced Nuclear Energy System, which can greatly improve the utilization rate of nuclear fuels, enhance the nuclear safety, reduce the nuclear proliferation and become a sustainable and low-carbon energy supply for thousands of years.

熔盐反应堆——放射化学创新发展的新源泉

本文从放射化学视角简略介绍了熔盐堆及其在钍铀燃料循环应用中的优势,然后叙述了与熔盐堆相关的放射化学研究的三个方向:即燃料供给、辐照后燃料的再处理以及熔盐堆运行的工艺监测和核素诊断。在燃料的再处理中推荐了一种类似文献报道的AIROX流程的干法后处理的新技术路线,指出其在熔盐堆在线燃料处理中的优点和重要价值。由于熔盐堆的运行中存在大量的化学与放射化学问题,因此熔盐堆堪比"化学堆",放射化学监测和诊断对于熔盐堆的运行有极其重要的意义。由此可见,熔盐堆研发促使形成了放射化学的一门新的分支学科——以监测和诊断为目标的熔盐反应堆化学。最后给出了放射化学工作者在熔盐堆发展过程中应该注意的若干建议。