Analysis of Los Alamos accelerator-driven transmutation system

To move forward, the nuclear industry must win three challenges: economics, nuclear safety, waste disposal. Economics means producing electrical energy (without government support) at lower costs than by means of oil. Reactor safety signifies demonstrating to the public opinion that a Chernobyl type accident cannot happen again. Waste disposal means finding a demonstrably safe system for the final disposal of Radioactive Waste. Until now burial was considered the most promising way for high level nuclear waste disposal. Today the necessity of consensus for the nuclear industry seems to indicate the opportunity of studying other alternatives, such as the burning of Actinides (transmutation). The most important Actinide is Plutonium because it represents most, about 94%, of the mass of the Actinides. Therefore it is convenient to divide the actinide burning problem in two parts: Plutonium burning, Minor Actinide burning. In the present paper only the Minor Actinide burning problem is analyzed. (authors)