Fission product yield data for the transmutation of minor actinide nuclear waste

A Coordinated Research Project of the IAEA Nuclear Data Section


OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of the project has been to develop fission yield systematics and nuclear models as tools for the evaluation of energy-dependent fission yields up to an incident neutron energy of 150 MeV. Several concepts for the transmutation of nuclear waste have been proposed using thermal and fast reactors as incinerators, or accelerator driven systems. Fission yields and other nuclear data are required for various exploratory studies. Thermal reactors require thermal fission yields, fast reactors require yields up to a neutron energy of 20 MeV, while accelerator driven systems involve fission yield data up to a neutron energy of 150 MeV. Fission yields are needed for the calculation of neutron economy, reactor kinetics, decay heat and inventory (for burn-up, toxicity and loss of reactivity).

Fission yield systematics were developed from relatively few measurements in order to estimate fission yields over a wide range of fissioning nuclides for neutron energies ranging from thermal to 150 MeV. Specific nuclear models were also developed with identical aims in mind. A benchmark exercise was undertaken to test and compare the resulting systematics and nuclear models. The bibliographic compilations and all resulting benchmark data can be found on the CD-ROM, while the overall findings of this exercise are described in the technical report.

COMPILATIONS AND EVALUATIONS

BENCHMARK RESULTS

Individual results of the benchmark exercise.

COMPARISON PLOTS FOR THE BENCHMARKS