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U.S. Department of Energy
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Accelarator transmutation of wastes (ATW) program at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Conference ·
OSTI ID:141149
 [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM (United States)
Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) have been investigating transmutation systems based on accelerator-driven intense thermal neutron sources. Such systems use a medium-energy, high-current proton beam directed at a metal target to produce neutrons. These neutrons are thermalized in a blanket surrounding the target where they interact with the materials to be transmuted. Subcritical accelerator-driven systems can transmute both long-lived fission products and actinides. Actinide burning produces electrical energy in excess of that required to power the accelerator. Applications of this technology to defense wastes, commercial spent fuel, and weapons grade plutonium are being examined. Approaches to such applications and performance characteristics of these systems are discussed.
OSTI ID:
141149
Report Number(s):
CONF-930304--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English