Transmutation of high-level radioactive waste with a controlled thermonuclear reactor

Abstract
Lected radionuclides in high-level waste undergo transmutation in the blanket rcgion of a CTR. Idealistic conditions were assumed to facilitate the calculations. These conditions are expected to produce optimistic results and thereby define an apparent upper limit for the transmutation rates. An upper limit helps to define theoretical feasibility and determine incentives for further study. The waste constituents of the fission product category studied included; targets made of Sr and Cs, and the isotopes /sup 90/Sr,/sup 137 /Cs / sup 85/Kr and /sup 129/I. Isotopes between /sup 232/U and /sup 243/Cm we re included in the actinidc category. Calculations were made for neutrons obtained from both a D-D plasma and a D-T plasma to -determine - the effect of plasma type on the transmutation rate. Two neutron flux levels were also studied to determine the effect of neutron source strength on the transmutation rate. (auth)