PROLIFERATION PROTECTION OF MOX FUEL BY MEANS OF INHERENT RADIATION BARRIER CREATION

Present paper addresses one of the promising ways to create protective barrier in MOX-fuel, namely, short-term irradiation of MOX-fuelled sub-assemblies (S/As) in an accelerator-driven system (ADS). The radiation protective barrier inside of the fresh S/A can be created by neutron irradiation before S/A transportation to nuclear power plants. The power-producing properties of the fresh S/A are required to be preserved. It means that irradiation time should be rather short. In addition, the procedures used for creation of inherent radiation barrier should meet the nuclear safety requirements. Choice of ADS as a nuclear facility for creating the radiation protective properties of fresh S/As is analysed from the positions mentioned above. The simplest example of dedicated ADS - pool-type system where MOXfuelled S/As are placed around a solid target bombarded by accelerated protons is investigated. In the paper, levels of the inherent radiation protective barrier are evaluated depending on S/A irradiation conditions and S/A arrangement in ADS blanket.