SOME SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF HOMOGENEOUS AMERICIUM-BASED AND NEPTUNIUM-BASED FUELS TRANSMUTATION THROUGH THE OUTCOMES OF THE SUPERFACT EXPERIMENT IN PHENIX FAST-REACTOR

The results of nondestructive and destructive examination of the SUPER FACT 1 experiment carried out by both the Transuranium Institute (TUI) and the French Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) are reported. This experiment aimed to study the behavior of fuels made up with nept unium or americium (from 2 wt% up to 45 wt% of heavy atoms) under irra diation in the Phenix French fast reactor (FR). Posttest examinations, jointly performed by the CEA and TUI, allowed comparison of this beha vior with the standard oxide fuel reference. The experiment's main res ults are reviewed Then, the real interest in the FRs for a high rate o f transmutation of actinides is examined, and also, some limitations a re discussed.