Myrrha, Technology Development for the Realisation of ADS in Eu:. Current Status & Prospects for Realisation
Abstract
The coupling between an accelerator, a spallation target and a subcritical core has been studied for the first time at SCK•CEN in collaboration with Ion Beam Applications (IBA, Louvain-la-Neuve) in the frame of the ADONIS project (1995-1997). ADONIS was a small irradiation facility, based on the ADS concept, having a dedicated objective to produce radioisotopes for medical purposes and more particularly 99Mo as a fission product from highly enriched 235U (HEU) fissile targets. The ad-hoc scientific advisory committee recommended extending the purpose of the ADONIS machine to become a Material Testing Reactor (MTR) for material and fuel research, to study the feasibility of transmutation of the minor actinides and to demonstrate at a reasonable power scale the principle of the ADS. The project, since 1998 named MYRRHA, has then evolved to a larger installation.
MYRRHA is now conceived as a flexible irradiation facility, able to work as an Accelerator Driven (subcritical mode) and in critical mode. In this way, MYRRHA will allow fuel developments for innovative reactor systems, material developments for GEN IV systems, material developments for fusion reactors, radioisotope production for medical and industrial applications and industrial applications, such as Si-doping. MYRRHA will also demonstrate the ADS full concept by coupling the three components (accelerator, spallation target and subcritical reactor) at reasonable power level to allow operation feedback, scalable to an industrial demonstrator and allow the study of efficient transmutation of high-level nuclear waste. Since MYRRHA is based on the heavy liquid metal technology, the eutectic lead-bismuth, it will be able to significantly contribute to the development of Lead Fast Reactor Technology. Since MYRRHA will also be operated in critical mode, MYRRHA can even better play the role of European Technology Pilot Plant in the roadmap for LFR.- Publication:
-
Applications of High Intensity Proton Accelerators
- Pub Date:
- June 2010
- DOI:
- 10.1142/9789814317290_0009
- Bibcode:
- 2010ahip.conf...77F