Accelerator-driven system (ADS) study in Kyoto university research reactor institute (KURRI)

Abstract

Experimental studies on the uranium- and thorium-loaded acceleratordriven system (ADS) are being conducted for basic research of nuclear transmutation analyses with the combined use of the core at the Kyoto University Critical Assembly (KUCA) and the fixed-field alternating gradient (FFAG; 100 MeV protons) accelerator in the Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute. The ADS experiments with 100 MeV protons were carried out to investigate the neutronic characteristics of ADS, and the static and kinetic parameters were accurately analyzed through both the measurements and the Monte Carlo simulations of reactor physics parameters. An upcoming ADS at KUCA could be composed of highly enriched uranium fuel and Pb-Bi material, and the reaction rate ratio analyses (237Np and 241Am) of nuclear transmutation could be conducted in the ADS (hard spectrum core) at KUCA. The neutronic characteristics of Pb-Bi are expected to be examined through reactor physics experiments at KUCA with the use of solid Pb-Bi materials at the target and in the core.