Development of fission micro-chambers for nuclear waste incineration studies

The Incineration by Accelerator (INCA) project of the Directorate for Science of Matter of the French Atomic Energy Authority (CEA/DSM) aims to outline the ideal physical conditions to transmute minor actinides in a high intensity neutron flux obtained either by hybrid systems or innovative critical reactors. sure on-line the incineration rates of minor actinides, we are developing an innovative Double Deposit Fission Chamber (DDFC) working in current mode. Our method is based on a comparison between the isotope under study and a reference material whose nuclear parameters are well known, as 235U and 239Pu. This new fission chamber will be used in the High Flux Reactor in Grenoble/France in a neutron flux of 1.2×1015 n cm−2 s−1 for 50 days, the operating cycle of the reactor. These specific experimental conditions require substantial modifications of the existing chambers. The first experiment will be carried out in fall 2000.