Abstract
The theoretical aspects of the linear chain method for the numerical modelling of nuclear transmutation systems, and particularly regarding the transmutation trajectory analysis (TTA), are presented. The theoretical background of the TTA method, as an advanced version of the linear chain method, with the detailed description of the applied mathematical set-up and graphical visualisation of transformation chains, is shown. As the TTA method was initially developed at the AGH University of Science and Technology almost 25 years ago, several numerical implementations were introduced worldwide, yet the mathematical improvements or alternative forms of solutions and numerical algorithms were reported since then. The method was also implemented and tested by different research groups, also in confrontation with alternative approaches to the nuclear transformation problem known as the matrix method. The aim of the paper is to present the background of the developed method and its advantages, clarify misunderstandings in the method perception and suggest unexplored options in numerical algorithm implementation.
Highlights
The formation of new isotopes can take place due to radioactive decay or nuclear reactions induced by radiation, mainly by neutron flux
The radiotoxic actinide nuclides were considered to be destroyed by conversion to less or no radiotoxic nuclides, which was called transmutation process, or as an alternative to be destroyed by fissioning—called burnup process
The advantage of the linear chain method is that the result represents the exact series of physically occurring nuclide transitions, which preserves the entire quantitative information about the transformation process
Summary
The formation of new isotopes can take place due to radioactive decay or nuclear reactions induced by radiation, mainly by neutron flux. The increased interest of the scientific community in developing new methods and tools for nuclear system analysis was observed with the development of accelerator driven systems (ADS) for nuclear waste destruction. The radiotoxic actinide nuclides were considered to be destroyed by conversion to less or no radiotoxic nuclides ( actinides), which was called transmutation process, or as an alternative to be destroyed by fissioning—called burnup process. Today both terms are more often used as synonyms
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