Technology and Components of Accelerator-Driven Systems

Introduction

The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) organised the third international workshop on technology and components of accelerator driven systems (TCADS-3). The meeting was held in Mito, Japan on 6-9 September 2016, and was hosted by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA).

Background

Accelerator Driven Systems (ADS) are promising tools for the efficient transmutation of nuclear waste and are considered as a potential option for partitioning and transmutation strategies in an advanced nuclear fuel cycle. Followed by the success of the workshop series on the utilisation and reliability of the high power proton accelerators (HPPA) in 1998-2007, the scope the TCADS workshop covered sub-critical systems as well as the use of neutron sources. The first two workshops were held respectively in 2010 (Karlsruhe, Germany) and in 2012 (Nantes, France).

The workshop provided a forum for experts to present and discuss state-of-the-art developments in the field of ADS and neutron sources.

Scope

The workshop covered: R&D status on ADS including accelerators, neutron sources and sub-critical systems for current facilities and future experimental and power systems; technology, engineering and research aspects of the above components; system optimisation for reducing capital and operational costs and the role of ADS in advanced fuel cycles.

Proposed topics and subjects discussed were

• ADS accelerator systems:
  • reliability and availability;
  • continuous mode operation, operational control and challenges (high beam power and low-loss operation, accelarator-target interfaces, etc);
  • safety systems/shielding of accelerator and beam line;
  • development and tests of ADS-rated accelerator component.
• neutron sources:
  • current and future intense neutron sources;
  • spallation and non-spallation targets;
  • design concepts and required technologies (e.g. coolant, materials, performance, instrumentation, etc.);
  • operational characteristics and related technical issues (e.g. window/windowless, solid/liquid, interface between accelerator and target, etc.).
• design and technology of sub-critical systems:
  • design concepts and performance parameters (e.g. transmutation, energy production, etc.);
  • ADS fuel/target design options;
  • sub-critical reactor physics (e.g. reactivity monitoring, etc.);
  • coolant technology and materials, thermal hydraulics;
  • unique ADS auxiliary systems (e.g. target replacement, refuelling machine, etc.).
• current ADS experiments:
  • low-power coupling experiments;
  • zero-power physics simulators.
• ADS data and simulations:
  • nuclear and thermal hydraulics issues;
  • safety analysis;
  • ADS transmutation fuel cycle (simulations of MA content, final waste).

Programme

The proposed topics for the technical sessions were

1. ADS accelerator systems;
2. neutron sources;
3. design and technology of sub-critical systems;
4. current ADS experiments;
5. ADS data and simulations.

Download the programme

Proceedings

Technology and Components of Accelerator-Driven Systems Workshop Proceedings – Mito, Japan, 6-9 September 2016

Scientific Advisory Committee

Contacts

Presentations

Presentations (password protected | reminder)

Last reviewed: 4 July 2017