METHOD FOR SERVICING FAST HOMOGENEOUS REACTOR Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: servicing nuclear reactors. SUBSTANCE: minor actinides are extracted from spent nuclear fuel. For initial charge of reactor core use is made of fuel mixture of plutonium and aluminum granules incorporating 1-2 atom percent of plutonium and the rest of aluminum. Criticality of core reducing with first-charge fuel burn-up is maintained by adding granules of minor actinides. Plutonium burnout yields fuel in the form of metal alloy of minor actinides and aluminum containing 3-3.5 atom percent of minor actinides and 96.5-97 atom percent of aluminum. Fuel composition obtained is maintained till end of burnout process of accumulated minor actinides. Then minor actinide burn-up in core is compensated for by plutonium. Combustion of minor actinides results in fuel in the form of metal alloy containing 1-2 atom percent of plutonium and the rest of aluminum. Composition of fuel mixture obtained is maintained till end of combustion of available plutonium. Proposed method enables destruction of highly radioactive and long-living products of nuclear fuel irradiation (minor actinides). EFFECT: enlarged range of structural materials for core container manufacture; reduced accumulated stock of weapon plutonium. 3 cl, 1 dwg