Euradwaste '08 - EU Bookshop - Europa

Table 6: FUTURIX FTA fuels
Fuel name Fuel Composition
Max. linear power T° max. estimated
(W/cm) (°C)
DOE 1 U0,24Pu0,2Am0,03Np0,01Zr0,52 350 940
DOE 2 Pu0,29Am0,07Zr0,64 440 1050
DOE 3 U0,5Pu0,25Am0,15Np0,10N 370 1010
DOE 4 Pu0,23Am0,04Zr0,73N 290 830
ITU 5 Pu0,80Am0,20O2-x + 86 vol%Mo 140 1590
ITU 6 Pu0,23Am0,24Zr0,53O2-x + 60 vol%Mo 130 1510
CEA 7 Pu0,5Am0,5O2-x + 80 vol%MgO 100 1420
CEA 8 Pu0,8Am0,2O2-x +75 vol%MgO 80 1260
A metal matrix (Mo) provides an excellent possibility to obtain composite fuels with highest thermal
conductivity, and ultimately can permit highest actinide loading in the fuel. Mo must be enriched
in 92 Mo to ensure no neutronic penalties, or eventual build up of Tc. Currently, four such fuel
samples are under irradiation in the FUTURIX FTA (Phénix) and HELIOS (HFR Petten) irradiation
programmes.
2.5 Experimental qualification of the on-line monitoring of a sub-critical core configuration
The GUINEVERE project will provide answers to the questions of on-line reactivity monitoring,
sub-criticality determination and establishment of operational procedures for ADS [11]. A continuous
beam is needed for validation of the reactivity monitoring and it is necessary to establish a more
complete data base for a pure lead core. To meet these requirements SCK/CEN modifies the VE-
NUS critical facility located at the Mol site as follows:
Development of a new GENEPI-C accelerator operating in continuous and pulsed mode.
Installation of the accelerator at the VENUS facility and coupling to the new core.
Adaptation of the VENUS facility to host a fast lead core which will be named VENUS-F.
Based on the experience of GENEPI 1-2 development and operation, a new GENEPI-C accelerator
is being developed for continuous and pulsed mode operation. To realise the intended beam trips
the performance of prompt beam interruptions are foreseen with a repetition rate of a fraction of 1
Hz and duration of beam interrupts between a few hundreds �s and a few tens of ms. The necessary
development is carried out at the CNRS laboratories in Grenoble.
A sub-critical core will use two different types of fuel loading in a unique assembly type. It is foreseen
to start the operation of the zero power facility in a critical mode configuration which necessitates
a shut-down system that provides sufficient shut-down reactivity insertion in a time interval
that is sufficiently short to stop the chain reaction before core damage occurs. Moreover the system
has to be intrinsically safe. Therefore, a system has been chosen with the shut-down rods allocated
at the periphery of the fissile fuel assemblies. The rods fall into the core under gravity when receiving
the signal to de-energize electro-magnets which keep the rods out of the core region. Such a
system was already installed at the VENUS facility during the first years of operation.
3. Concluding remarks
122