A high gain energy amplifier operated with fast neutrons
- CERN, Geneva (Switzerland)
The basic concept and the main practical considerations of an Energy Amplifier (EA) have been exhaustively described in Ref. . Here the concept of the EA is further explored and additional schemes are described which offer a higher gain, a larger maximum power density and an extended burn-up. All these benefits stem from the use of fast neutrons, instead of thermal or epithermal ones, which was the case in Ref. . The higher gain is due both to a more efficient high energy target configuration and to a larger, practical value of the multiplication factor. The higher power density results from the higher permissible neutron flux, which in turn is related to the reduced rate of {sup 233}Pa neutron captures (which, as is well known, suppress the formation of the fissile {sup 233}U fuel) and the much smaller k variations after switch-off due to {sup 233}Pa decays for a given burn-up rate. Finally a longer integrated burn-up is made possible by reduced capture rate by fission fragments of fast neutrons. In practice a 20 MW proton beam (20 mA - 1 GeV) accelerated by a cyclotron will suffice to operate a compact EA at the level of {approx_equal}1 GWe. The integrated fuel burn-up can be extended in excess of 100 GW d/ton, limited by the mechanical survival of the fuel elements. Radio-Toxicity accumulated at the end of the cycle is found to be largely inferior to the one of an ordinary Reactor for the same energy produced. Schemes are proposed which make a 'melt-down' virtually impossible. The conversion ratio, namely the rate of production of {sup 233}U relative to consumption is generally larger than unity, which permits production of fuel for other uses. Alternatively the neutron excess can be used to transform unwanted 'ashes' into more acceptable elements.
- OSTI ID:
- 21156115
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 346, Issue 1; Conference: International conference on accelerator-driven transmutation technologies and applications, Las Vegas, NV (United States), 25-29 Jul 1994; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.49069; (c) 1995 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ACCELERATOR DRIVEN TRANSMUTATION
BURNUP EXTENSION
CAPTURE
CONVERSION RATIO
FAST NEUTRONS
FISSION FRAGMENTS
FUEL ELEMENTS
GAIN
GEV RANGE
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
NEUTRON FLUX
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NUCLEAR DECAY
POWER DENSITY
PROTACTINIUM 233
PROTON BEAMS
URANIUM 233