Etude par simulation numérique du retraitement des déchets du T.M.S.R. (Thorium Molten Salt Reactor)

Les réacteurs à sels fondus semblent aujourd'hui présenter une alternative intéressante aux réacteurs de quatrième génération refroidis au sodium. En effet, les réacteurs à sels fondus ont beaucoup évolué depuis le M.S.B.R. (prototype américain de réacteur à sels fondus modéré au graphite et fonctionnant en spectre thermique). Le concept évolue aujourd'hui vers des réacteurs sans modérateur en coeur dont le spectre neutronique s'est considérablement durci par rapport au spectre thermique du M.S.B.R. Ces réacteurs possèdent une unité de retraitement couplée qui permet de purifier le sel et d'optimiser la gestion des déchets rejetés. On espère ainsi définir un retraitement efficace qui minimiserait la radiotoxicité de ce type de réacteur. Ce rapport explique comment on simule l'évolution des réacteurs à sels fondus et on calcule la radiotoxicité des déchets produits. Les résultats donnés ici ne sont qu'indicatifs et servent surtout à monter que les outils et méthodes développés pendant ce stage sont satisfaisants et permettront une étude beaucoup plus poussée lors de la thèse qui suit

Minimizing the fissile inventory of the molten salt fast reactor

International audienceMolten salt reactors in the configurations presented here, called Molten Salt Fast Reactors (MSFR), have been selected for further studies by the Generation IV International Forum. These reactors may be operated in simplified and safe conditions in the Th/233U fuel cycle with fluoride salts. We present here the concept, before focusing on a possible optimization in term of minimization of the initial fissile inventory. Our studies demonstrate that an inventory of 233U lower than 4 metric tons per GWe may be easily reached, and bring to light the limitations of the concept due to the irradiation damages to the structural materials and to the capacities of the heat exchangers. We conclude that these two issues will have to be studied in depth to allow a realistic evaluation of the global possibilities of such a reactor

Theoretical approach based on Monte-Carlo simulations to predict the cell survival following BNCT

International audienceWe present here a very preliminary work on BNCT Dosimetry. The approach is as follows:A full Monte Carlo calculation is used to separate all dose components and determine the corresponding physical dose fractions with a realistic clinical model.These dose fractions are then used as mixed fields to predict cell-survivals and RBE values for a specific cell-line, thanks to the radiobiological model NanOxTM

Progress Report on Target Development

The present document is the D08 deliverable report of work package 1 (Target Development) from the MEGAPIE TEST project of the 5th European Framework Program. Deliverable D08 is the progress report on the activities performed within WP 1. The due date of this deliverable was the 5th month after the start of the EU project. This coincided with a technical status meeting of the MEGAPIE Initiative, that was held in March 2002 in Bologna (Italy). The content of the present document reflects the status of the MEGAPIE target development at that stage. It gives an overview of the Target Design, the related Design Support activities and the progress of the work done for the safety assessment and licensing of the target

Oxygen adsorption isotherms at the surfaces of liquid Cu and AuCu alloys and their interfaces with Al2O3 detected by wetting experiments

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Some aspects of wetting at high temperature

This chapter presents a comprehensive overview of wetting phenomena which take place at high temperatures. It relies in part on the chapter "Introduction to interfaces and diffusion", elsewhere in this volume, as a foundation. The topics addressed include: definitions of intrinsic wetting and associated quantities, wetting anomalies due to diffusion and anisotropy of solid/fluid interfaces, wetting hysteresis on real surfaces, and orders of magnitude of the energies that determine wetting in metal/metal, metal/ceramic and glass systems. At the end of this chapter some examples of evolving contact between liquid and solid metal illustrate the complexity of wetting phenomena at high temperature