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Title: Apparatus for nuclear transmutation and power production using an intense accelerator-generated thermal neutron flux

Abstract

Apparatus for nuclear transmutation and power production using an intense accelerator-generated thermal neutron flux. High thermal neutron fluxes generated from the action of a high power proton accelerator on a spallation target allows the efficient burn-up of higher actinide nuclear waste by a two-step process. Additionally, rapid burn-up of fission product waste for nuclides having small thermal neutron cross sections, and the practicality of small material inventories while achieving significant throughput derive from employment of such high fluxes. Several nuclear technology problems are addressed including 1. nuclear energy production without a waste stream requiring storage on a geological timescale, 2. the burn-up of defense and commercial nuclear waste, and 3. the production of defense nuclear material. The apparatus includes an accelerator, a target for neutron production surrounded by a blanket region for transmutation, a turbine for electric power production, and a chemical processing facility. In all applications, the accelerator power may be generated internally from fission and the waste produced thereby is transmuted internally so that waste management might not be required beyond the human lifespan.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
7206333
Patent Number(s):
5160696
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-560900
Assignee:
Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 17 Jul 1990
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS; 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; ACCELERATORS; ACTINIDES; TRANSMUTATION; FISSION PRODUCTS; RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES; ON-SITE POWER GENERATION; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT; HEAT RECOVERY EQUIPMENT; NEUTRON FLUX; RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING; SAFETY; SPALLATION; TIME DEPENDENCE; ELEMENTS; EQUIPMENT; ISOTOPES; MANAGEMENT; MATERIALS; METALS; NUCLEAR FACILITIES; NUCLEAR REACTIONS; POWER GENERATION; PROCESSING; RADIATION FLUX; RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS; WASTE MANAGEMENT; WASTE PROCESSING; WASTES; 052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing; 430100 - Particle Accelerators- Design, Development, & Operation; 320304 - Energy Conservation, Consumption, & Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Waste Heat Recovery & Utilization

Citation Formats

Bowman, C D. Apparatus for nuclear transmutation and power production using an intense accelerator-generated thermal neutron flux. United States: N. p., 1992. Web.
Bowman, C D. Apparatus for nuclear transmutation and power production using an intense accelerator-generated thermal neutron flux. United States.
Bowman, C D. Tue . "Apparatus for nuclear transmutation and power production using an intense accelerator-generated thermal neutron flux". United States.
@article{osti_7206333,
title = {Apparatus for nuclear transmutation and power production using an intense accelerator-generated thermal neutron flux},
author = {Bowman, C D},
abstractNote = {Apparatus for nuclear transmutation and power production using an intense accelerator-generated thermal neutron flux. High thermal neutron fluxes generated from the action of a high power proton accelerator on a spallation target allows the efficient burn-up of higher actinide nuclear waste by a two-step process. Additionally, rapid burn-up of fission product waste for nuclides having small thermal neutron cross sections, and the practicality of small material inventories while achieving significant throughput derive from employment of such high fluxes. Several nuclear technology problems are addressed including 1. nuclear energy production without a waste stream requiring storage on a geological timescale, 2. the burn-up of defense and commercial nuclear waste, and 3. the production of defense nuclear material. The apparatus includes an accelerator, a target for neutron production surrounded by a blanket region for transmutation, a turbine for electric power production, and a chemical processing facility. In all applications, the accelerator power may be generated internally from fission and the waste produced thereby is transmuted internally so that waste management might not be required beyond the human lifespan.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Nov 03 00:00:00 EST 1992},
month = {Tue Nov 03 00:00:00 EST 1992}
}

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