Nuclear energy generation and waste transmutation using an accelerator-driven intense thermal neutron source

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5349222

Bowman, C D; Arthur, E D; Lisowski, P W; Lawrence, G P; Jensen, R J; Anderson, J L; Blind, B; Cappiello, M; Davidson, J W; England, T R; Engel, L N; Haight, R C; Hughes, III, H G; Ireland, J R; Krakowski, R A; LaBauve, R J; Letellier, B C; Perry, R T; Russell, G J; Staudhammer, K P ; Versamis, G; Wilson, W B

We describe a new approach for commercial nuclear energy production without a long-term high-level waste stream and for transmutation of both fission product and higher actinide commercial nuclear waste using a thermal flux of accelerator-produced neutrons in the 10{sup 16} n/cm{sup 2}-s range. Continuous neutron fluxes at this intensity, which is approximately 100 times larger than is typically available in a large scale thermal reactor, appear practical owing to recent advances in proton linear accelerator technology and to the spallation target-moderator design presented here. This large flux of thermal neutrons makes possible a waste inventory in the transmutation system which is smaller by about a factor of 100 than competing concepts. The accelerator allows the system to operate well below criticality so that the possibility for a criticality accident is estimated. No control rods are required. The successful implementation of this new method for energy generation and waste transmutation would eliminate the need for nuclear waste storage on a geologic time scale. The production of nuclear energy from {sup 232}Th or {sup 238}U is used to illustrate the general principles of commercial nuclear energy production without long-term high-level waste. There is sufficient thorium to meet the world's energy needs for many millenia. 27 refs., 13 figs., 12 tabs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5349222
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-91-2601; CONF-910626-10; ON: DE91018019
• Resource Relation: Conference: 6. international conference on emerging nuclear energy systems, Monterey, CA (United States), 16-21 Jun 1991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
DESIGN
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
TRANSMUTATION
COST
FISSION PRODUCTS
LINEAR ACCELERATORS
NEUTRON SOURCES
POWER GENERATION
THERMAL NEUTRONS
ACCELERATORS
BARYONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
HADRONS
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NEUTRONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEONS
PARTICLE SOURCES
POWER PLANTS
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
052000* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management
220600 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors