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The Japanese Thorium Programme

This article provides an overview of the current status of the Japanese Thorium Program, including nuclear energy policy before and after the Fukushima accident, recommendations for nuclear waste management, and studies on the Thorium Cycle. It also explores concepts such as liquid-fuelled Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) and the use of molten salt in the thorium fuel cycle.

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The Japanese Thorium Programme

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  1. The Japanese Thorium Programme Toshinobu Sasa J-PARC Center, Transmutation Section Japan Atomic Energy Agency

  2. Contents • Present Status in Japan • Thorium Cycle Studies in Japan • Liquid-fuelled ADS Concepts • National Review of P-T technology • Summary

  3. Present Status in Japan 3

  4. Present Status in Japan：Nuclear Energy Policy before Fukushima • “Nuclear Renaissance” • Nuclear power is a key to satisfy “Kyoto Protocol” • 50% of electricity will supply by NPP at 2030 • Atomic Energy Commission started to revise “Framework of the Nuclear Energy” at 2010

  5. Present Status in Japan:Revision of Framework of Nuclear Energy • Advisory committee on Research and Developmentsummarized a report at 2009. • R&D to prepare the future uncertainty • The performance target of technology may be changed. It is necessary to ensure the knowledge. • R&Ds for direct disposal of spent fuel, interim storage, application of Thorium, nuclear proliferation resistance, uranium extraction from sea water, etc. should be performed continuously in appropriate level.

  6. Present Status in Japan：Policy After Fukushima Accident • After Fukushima, reduction of nuclear power generation was discussed • Last year, Liberal Democratic Party won a election of the House of Representatives • LDP still aims at decreasing nuclear power • Utilize current NPP with U-Pu cycle for stable electricity supply • New energy policy is under discussion

  7. Present Status in Japan：Nuclear Waste Management • After the Fukushima accident, people’s interest in the management of nuclear waste and spent nuclear fuel has been grew up and method to decide waste disposal site becomes major issue of nuclear power • Atomic Energy Commission asked a review of high level wastes management to Science Council of Japan because the site selection process is not worked effectively

  8. Present Status in Japan:Recommendations from Science Council Recommendations of the Science Council of Japan as an answer to the Atomic Energy Commission’s independent review request (Reported at 11.9.2012) • Requires a fundamental review of waste disposal policy • Manage the total amount and temporal safe storage of waste • Ensure Reversibility and Retrievability (Several hundred years) • During the SF storage, following study should be enhanced • Waste Transmutation • Safety of Fuel Storage • Stability of Geological Layer • Construct a consensus building mechanism • Take tenacious efforts to establish waste disposal site

  9. Thorium Cycle Studies in Japan 9

  10. Thorium Cycle Studies in Japan:Working Group for Th Fuel Application in LWR/FBR • Meeting was held 5 times from July to December, 2010 • Major subjects • Characteristics and introduction scinario of Th-loaded reactor • Th fuel cycle and properties of Th fuel and materials • Public acceptance and licensing of Th fuel • Current state of the art of Th fuel cycle

  11. Thorium Cycle Studies in Japan:Summary of the WG • Followings are agreed by WG member • Th fuel has enough potential to use • Still exists many issues and problems to be solved • Detailed review of past studies should be done • Important to keep survey study of Th application and point out the issues and problems should be continued • WG has been suspended by Fukushima WG will be resumed from next month.

  12. Thorium Cycle Studies in Japan:Set up Research Committee • “Research Committee on Nuclear Applications of Molten Salt” was set up in Atomic Energy Society of Japan • Mission of the Committee • Survey molten-salt technology for • Molten-salt cooled reactor • Molten-salt fuelled reactor • Dry reprocessing processes • Summarize a current state of the art and issues Committee will start from next month.

  13. Liquid-fuelled ADS Concepts 13

  14. Liquid-fuelled ADS Concepts：Accelerator Molten-Salt Breeder • 1GeV-300mA Accelerator • Fluoride Salt Target/Core • Reactor Vessel made by Hastelloy-N • Windowless Target • Purpose and Performance • Weapon-grade Pu Burner • 250～300kg/yr • 233U Breeding • 700kg/yr of 233U • U concentration: 0.5-0.7mol%

  15. Liquid-fuelled ADS Concepts：Molten-salt ADS Transmutor Concept Fuel 64NaCl-5PuCl3-31MACl3 or 60PbCl2-60(Pu+MA)Cl3 MA Loading 5,000 kg 2nd Coolant 92NaBF4-8NaF Proton Beam 1.5GeV-25mA k-effective 0.92 Thermal Power 800MW Fuel Temp. 550°C/650°C Fuel Flow Speed 3.6 m/s

  16. Liquid-fuelled ADS Concepts：Molten-salt Th-fuelled ADS Concept Fuel 60NaCl-34ThCl4-6233UCl4 MA Loading 5,000 kg 2nd Coolant 92NaBF4-8NaF Proton Beam 1.5GeV-36mA Thermal Power 1500MW k-effective 0.964 Initial 233U Load ~12t Fuel Melt. Temp. 370°C Fuel Temp (Av.) 640°C Ishimoto S., et al., Nuclear Technology Vol.138 No.3 (2002)

  17. Liquid Fuel Liquid Fuel Water Water Liquid-fuelled ADS Concepts：Actinide Reformer Concept • Molten-salt fuel to avoid fuel incompatibility and heat release of Am/Cm • Modular target and core unit to connect low-power small cyclotron • Possible to return converted Pu to power reactor cycle • Lower influence of heat/neutron release than homogeneous MA recycling • Complicated reprocessing process to isolate Pu than dedicated MA transmutation with dry reprocessing

  18. National Review of P-T Technology 18

  19. National Review of P-T Technology：National Review Committee • On July 9th, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan (MEXT) launched a review committee to evaluate current state-of-the-art of P-T • Committee discussed following items • Current P-T research activities • Construction of TEF in J-PARC • Collaboration with MYRRHA project • Report planned to be issued in October, 2013

  20. National Review of P-T Technology：Member of review committee • A. Yamaguchi (Chair) Osaka Univ. (Safety) • S. Sawada Hitachi Ltd. (Fuel Cycle) • S. Tanaka Tokyo Univ. (Fuel Cycle) • K. Nakajima Kyoto Univ. (Neutronics) • A. Hasegawa Tohoku Univ. (Material) • R. Fujita Toshiba Ltd. (Fuel Cycle) • Y. Yano RIKEN (Accelerator) • Y. Wake Keio Univ. (Economics)

  21. National Review of P-T Technology：Two methods of MA transmutation • Application of Fast Reactor • Discussion started by former cabinet • MEXT launched a working group for MONJU application and usage for R&D of P-T • Innovative system with ADS • Current cabinet describes the acceleration of P-T research in their Manifesto • MEXT also launched a working group to review current state of the art of P-T with ADS

  22. National Review of P-T Technology:Interim Report (Tentative) • To realize P-T, preparation of facility should be required to handle certain amount of minor actinides. The plan to establish facilities should be continued. • As for the Transmutation Experimental Facility in J-PARC project, step up to next stage is expected. Progress should be reviewed within 3 years. • As for the participation to MYRRHA project, comprehensive cooperation is recommended not only by JAEA but also by universities and commercial sector.It is proper to begin negotiations with Belgium. Progress of the negotiation should be reported. • The committee continues a review works of P-T technology

  23. Summary Several concepts are proposed from JAEA and Universities ADS for Th breeding ADS for Minor Actinide Transmutor Transmutation Experimental Facility for ADS Experiments are under review works for construction Present Status in Japan • Japan still stay in U-Pu fuel cycle with LWR power plant • Government promotes to restart current NPP • Discussion of New Energy Policy in underway • After Fukushima, interest in spent fuel management has been increased Thorium Cycle Studies in Japan • Research Committee and Working Group will be started in AESJ • Working Group for Th Fuel Application in LWR/FBR • Suspended due to Fukushima, but it will be resumed soon • Discuss mainly a solid fuel issues • Research Committee on Nuclear Applications of Molten Salt • Discuss molten-salt system including dry reprocessing processes • Atomic Energy Commission suggested to summarize a reference of the discussion as a specialist’s point of view Liquid-fuelled ADS Concepts

  24. Backup Slides

  25. Waste Transmutation by ADS：Partitioning & Transmutation Goals ・Reduction of long-term risk： Reduce radiological hazard of wastes ・Increase effective capacity of repository： Reduce heat release from wastes ・Use waste as useful resource： Application of rare metals（White metals, etc.） P-T Technology Separate radionuclides according to their yield and half-life, and Transmute long-lived nuclide by nuclear reaction to reduce their lifetime and/or radiological hazard Spent Fuel Return to power generation cycle Reprocess U、Pu Stored in glass waste and put in repository FP & MA Current Policy P-T Technology Transmute by FBR and/or ADS MA（Np、Am、Cm） Partitioning Application Rare Metal（Ru, Pd, etc.） Stored in Ceramics Gamma Emitter (Sr, Cs) Stored in High Density Glass Waste Others MA：Minor Actinides FP：Fission Products

  26. Waste Transmutation by ADS：Reduction of activity and hazard Radioactivity Ingestion Hazard • Toxicity can be reduced by 2 orders from current HLW, if 99.5% transmutation is achieved. • Time needs to reduce the toxicity below the level of natural uranium can be shortened from 10,000y to several hundred years.

  27. Spent fuel option ADS transmutor Spent fuel NPP(LWR/FR) NPP(LWR/FR) MA reprocessing & partitioning dry reprocessing・fuel fabrication reprocessing washing liquid & used solvent soluble FP metallic FP metals & rare earths Tc & PGM Sr-Cs ZrN hull HLW calcined 700m3 80m3 480m3 Alloy 60m3 LLW 11,000m3 glass 1,200m3 sodalite 70m3 utilized 16m3 glass 5,500m3 ×11 Waste Transmutation by ADS：Wastes from P-T Cycle with P-T Non P-T Cycle ＝heat-generating waste ＝cold waste ＝LLW Waste volume per 32,000HMt of 4-year cooled 45GWd/HMtLWR spent fuel (=40 years operation of 40GWe generation)

  28. Steam Generator Main Pump Inner tube Beam Duct Window Core Vessel Core Support Guard Vessel Support Structure Waste Transmutation by ADS：JAEA proposed ADS- LBE Target/Cooled Concept - • Proton beam : 1.5GeV ~20MW • Spallation target : Pb-Bi • Coolant : Pb-Bi • Subcriticality : keff= 0.97 • Thermal output : 800MWt • Core height : 1000mm • MA initial inventory : 2.5t • Fuel composition : • (60%MA+40%Pu) Mono-nitride • Transmutation rate : • 10%MA / Year (10 units of LWR) • Burn-up reactivity swing : 1.8%Dk/k

  29. Waste Transmutation by ADS:Issues and R&D for ADS Accelerator High Power, Reliability, Cost, etc. MA-loaded Subcritical Core Physics and Control of Subcritical Core with MA-bearing Fuel, etc. J-PARC Accelerator Operation Experience, etc. Structure Design of Reactor Vessel, Pumps, SGs, Quake-proof Structure, Beam Duct & Window, etc. J-PARC Transmutation Experimental Facility ・2 Individual Facilities Transmutation Physics Experimental Facility：TEF-P Neutronics Tests by Low Power Beam ADS Target Test Facility：TEF-T Material Irradiation by High Power Beam R&D using JAEA Experiences Utilize existing resources & knowledge Fuel, Cycle Fabrication, Irradiation, Reprocessing of MA-bearing Fuel, etc. Pb-Bi Spallation Target Material Irradiation, Operation, Lifetime Evaluation, etc.

  30. Transmutation Experimental Facility Program:Transmutation Experimental Facility TEF-P:Transmutation Physics Experimental Facility TEF-T:ADS Target Test Facility Purpose : Material Irradiation Category : Radiation Application Proton Power：400MeV-250kW Target Material：Lead-Bismuth Purpose : Reactor Physics Category：Critical Assembly Proton Power：400MeV-10W Thermal Output： Less than 500W 臨界集合体 多目的照射エリア レーザー光源 10W 核破砕ターゲット 250kW 陽子ビーム

  31. Construction Schedule and Cost When construction start at 2015, Start TEF-T operation from 2017 Licensing for TEF-P start from 2015 Cooperation with MYRRHA Project Assuming 10% of total cost will be contributed from Japan (Total:960MEuro) Provide irradiation data to MYRRHA full power operation (Irradiation:2018, PIE:2021) R&D/Design Construction Operation R&D/Design Licensing Construction Operation R&D/Design Tendering ManufacturingConstruction Operation

  32. Status of TEF Program :Cooperation with MYRRHA project • Discussion to facilitate cooperation with TEF and MYRRHA was held at Oct.2012, with Dr. Aït Abderrahim • Start cooperative researches for cost and scenario for fuel cycle and flow dynamics experiments using JLBL-3 loop • Prepare to send “Expression of Interest” • Prepare roadmap to accelerate ADS RD&D works

  33. User Application of TEF-T：TEF-T Hall Layout (Tentative) Experimental refrigerator system UCN NE Neutrion Irradiation (pneumatic tube) EDM Main Target TOF(20m) RI Target ISOL Target ISOL Medical RI Port（ターゲット室内） High Energy Neutron Irrad. (30° PT) Ultra Cold Neutron Line Sub Beam (5〜10kW) Main Beam (225〜250kW) EDM Line ISOL+TOF Line

  34. TEF-MYRRHA Joint Roadmap to Accelerate Establishment of ADS Transmutation ADS technology without MA fuel(Pb-Bi core, Acclerator, Operation Experience) Power ADS Plant 30MW-beam,800MWth 　・MA transmutation ADS Demo⇒MYRRHA ~2.4MW-beam, 50~100MWth 　・Demonstration of ADS Physics of MA fuel and Target Development Improve Window Material J-PARC Transmutation Experimental Facility250kW-beam 　・Pb-Bi target ・ADS core • Lead the worldwide RD&D for transmutation technology in cooperation with J-PARC and MYRRHA • Obtain knowledge & experience to realize ADS in 2030th Basic tests (Pb-Bi loop, KUCA, etc.) Year 2050 2010 2020 2030

  35. Activities for Partitioning in JAEA *Fast reactor cycle technology development (FaCT) project Dissolution U selective separation U U-Np-Pu co-recovery U, Pu, Np An(III)+RE separation An(III)/RE separation RE Am/Cm separation Sr-Cs separation Sr-Cs FP Am Cm

  36. Safety target value < 6$ FBR+5%MA Monju ‘95 FBR Equ. Monju ‘08 MA Transmutation by power reactor (1) • Transmutation by power reactor have some difficulties • Safety review of FBR “Monju” gives serious increase of coolant void reactivity Coolant Void Reactivity ($) Doppler Reactivity (Tdk/dT)

  37. MA Transmutation by power reactor (2) • Dr. Bouchard (GEN-IV Chair) said how to fabricate MA-spiked fuel is not simple and has to be done remotely, as does reprocessing. He also express concern that SFR technology, including safety and nonproliferation measures will prove difficult to deploy at a reasonable cost (even in non MA-spiked fuel). Nucleonics Week Vol.50, No.35 (Sep. 3, 2009) • From EDF’s point of view, a partial recycling of MAs in heterogeneous blankets may then be adopted if it is feasible and if technological and economic advantages outweigh possible drawbacks. Heat load and the associated activity from glass canisters will have to be managed in the fast reactor themselves, the reprocessing plants, the fabrication plants, the reactor fuel handling sections, the transport casks and interfaces. - N. Camarcat et al., Global’09, Paper 9079

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