Dynamics of the accelerator-driven system as a variable gain amplifier

Journal Article · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:411769

Woosley, Jr, M L; Rydin, R A ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States)

Historically, subcritical accelerator-driven systems have been called electronuclear devices. Interest in these devices has been revived for numerous nuclear applications, such as boron neutron capture therapy, accelerator transmutation of waste (ATW), and accelerator-based conversion (ABC). The latter systems are being investigated at Los Alamos National Laboratory for energy production and radioactive waste transmutation. The ATW and ABC in particular are accelerator-(source)-driven subcritical fluid-fueled systems. System dynamics are affected by movement of delayed neutron precursors and poisons into and out of the active multiplying region, giving both a reactivity effect and reduced {Beta} (called {Beta}{sub eff}). A salient dynamic characteristic of the system is that the neutron population (power) is very sensitive to the level of subcritical reactivity, which can depend on poisoning, depletion, and thermal feedback over short operational time scales. Ruby has pointed out that the dynamic behavior of systems containing sources is not fully appreciated. It is our purpose here to illustrate some of the more interesting dynamic characteristics of systems like ATW or ABC.

• OSTI ID: 411769
• Report Number(s): CONF-951006--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 73; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
ACCELERATORS
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
REACTIVITY
REACTOR PHYSICS
SUBCRITICAL ASSEMBLIES
TRANSMUTATION