Studies on accelerator-driven transmutation at JAERI

Research and development on intense proton accelerator-driven transmutation of long-lived radioactive nuclides are being carried out at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) under the Japanese long-term program for research and development on nuclide partitioning and transmutation technology, called the OMEGA Program. In the conceptual design study of transmutation system, two options of solid system and molten-salt system have been pursued as dedicated transmutation systems with hard neutron spectrum and high neutron flux. Spallation integral experiments are being made on a lead assembly with 500 MeV proton beam to validate and improve the cascade code NMTC/JAERI. Front-end components for the prototype intense proton accelerator such as ion source, RFQ, DTL, and RF source were developed and tested successfully. JAERI is proposing the development of an intense proton linear accelerator of 1.5 GeV class with a maximum beam power of around 10 MW for tests in accelerator-driven transmutation technology and various experiments in basic sciences. The project of the accelerator-based research complex is expected to be launched in 1997 with conceptual designs of the accelerator and research facilities. (authors)