Accelerator-driven assembly for plutonium transformation (ADAPT)

Conference · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:10193045

Van Tuyle, G J; Todosow, M; Powell, J; Schweitzer, D

A particle accelerator-driven spallation target and corresponding blanket region are proposed for the ultimate disposition of weapons-grade plutonium being retired from excess nuclear weapons in the US and Russia. The highly fissile plutonium is contained within .25 to .5 cm diameter silicon-carbide coated graphite beads, which are cooled by helium, within the slightly subcritical blanket region. Major advantages include very high one-pass burnup (over 90 %), a high integrity waste form (the coated beads), and operation in a subcritical mode, thereby minimizing the vulnerability to the positive reactivity feedbacks often associated with plutonium fuel.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 10193045
• Report Number(s): BNL-60884; CONF-950110-7; ON: DE95002415
• Resource Relation: Conference: 12. symposium on space nuclear power and propulsion,Albuquerque, NM (United States),8-12 Jan 1995; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
LINEAR ACCELERATORS
TARGETS
TRITIUM
PRODUCTION
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
PLUTONIUM
FISSION
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
SAFETY
430100
450200
052001
350200
DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, AND OPERATION
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS AND EXPLOSIVES
WASTE PROCESSING
PROLIFERATION