RD&D-Programme 2004 - SKB

out in Cadarache, France. Hindas and N-TOF concern measurements of reaction cross-sections
for neutrons with high energies etc. Pyrochemical partitioning processes were studied within
Pyrorep. The project Partnew examined different organic compounds with a view towards
possible use for partitioning of heavy transuranics. Calixpart studied organic compounds
of another type for partitioning of e.g. actinides, cesium and technetium. Within the Sixth
Framework Programme, all partitioning studies are coordinated within a so-called integrated
project Europart, which started at the beginning of 2004. In a similar manner, a coordination
of the transmutation projects within Eurotrans is planned. But this is not expected to start until
early 2005 at the earliest.
Research in Sweden
The Department of Nuclear Chemistry at Chalmers University of Technology (CTH) has been
conducting SKB-funded research on partitioning since 1991. The research on transmutation
at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm is principally concentrated on
accelerator-driven systems (ADS). The research at the Department of Nuclear and Reactor
Physics has been supported by SKB since 1993. Projects for measurement of cross-sections
for neutrons in the high-energy range 20 to 100 MeV are being carried out at The Svedberg
Laboratory (TSL) and the Department of Neutron Research at the University of Uppsala. The
projects are being funded in part by contributions from SKB, the nuclear power plants and SKI.
The Swedish research groups are participating in several EU projects. The Department of
Nuclear and Reactor Physics at KTH is the coordinator of the project Confirm, where plutonium
nitride fuel (PuN fuel) will be irradiated at the R2 reactor in Studsvik. Additional EU projects
where Swedish research groups are participating are PDS-XADS (KTH), Future (KTH), Spire
(KTH), Tecla (KTH, Nuclear Safety is coordinator), Muse (KTH), Hindas (UU) and Partnew
and the new Europart (CTH, Nuclear Chemistry is participating in both). In the Tecla project,
a special circuit has been built in a laboratory at KTH for studying thermohydraulic conditions
during lead-bismuth cooling. This project is being funded in the EU’s Fourth Framework
Programme. A continuation is planned within the Sixth Framework Programme, as a part of
Eurotrans, where, incidentally, both KTH and Uppsala University plan to participate.
The Swedish research programme is being funded primarily by SKB and is partially coordinated
with the EU projects in which the Swedish groups are participating. SKB has provided some
support to all of these projects except Tecla. The results of the Swedish research are reported in
various scientific publications. Furthermore, annual reports are compiled by the three groups
at CTH, KTH and Uppsala University. The last three years’ reports /23-11 to 23-20/ contain
summaries of the most important results as well as abstracts, reprints and/or references to the
scientific papers. During the period 2001–2003, two doctorates, five licentiate degrees and five
undergraduate degree projects have been based on work within the Swedish programme for
Partitioning and Transmutation.
In recent years, the nuclear chemistry group at CTH has increasingly tied their P&T research
to the partially EU-funded projects described briefly above. The following are among the
more important projects in recent years. The formation of nitrate complexes with promethium,
europium, americium and curium has been investigated. The results of these studies will soon be
ready for publication. Nitrate complex formation has also been investigated experimentally for
other lanthanides.
The basic chemical properties of bromodecanoic acid have been determined. It is important to
know how this extraction reagent works when it is used in combination with various nitrogenbased
synergy reagents. The results will hopefully be able to provide information on the
extraction mechanism.
The basic chemical properties of several nitrogen-based synergy reagents have further been
studied. The results have been published for two of the reagents. Several other compounds,
synthesized by the University of Reading, have also been tested, but the results are not yet ready
for publication.
314 RD&D-Programme 2004