Apparatus for nuclear transmutation and power production using an intense accelerator-generated thermal neutron flux
Apparatus for nuclear transmutation and power production using an intense accelerator-generated thermal neutron flux. High thermal neutron fluxes generated from the action of a high power proton accelerator on a spallation target allows the efficient burn-up of higher actinide nuclear waste by a two-step process. Additionally, rapid burn-up of fission product waste for nuclides having small thermal neutron cross sections, and the practicality of small material inventories while achieving significant throughput derive from employment of such high fluxes. Several nuclear technology problems are addressed including 1. nuclear energy production without a waste stream requiring storage on a geological timescale, 2. the burn-up of defense and commercial nuclear waste, and 3. the production of defense nuclear material. The apparatus includes an accelerator, a target for neutron production surrounded by a blanket region for transmutation, a turbine for electric power production, and a chemical processing facility. In all applications, the accelerator power may be generated internally from fission and the waste produced thereby is transmuted internally so that waste management might not be required beyond the human lifespan.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Assignee:
- Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5160696; A
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-560900
- OSTI ID:
- 7206333
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 17 Jul 1990
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
ACCELERATORS
ACTINIDES
TRANSMUTATION
FISSION PRODUCTS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
ON-SITE POWER GENERATION
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
HEAT RECOVERY EQUIPMENT
NEUTRON FLUX
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
SAFETY
SPALLATION
TIME DEPENDENCE
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
ISOTOPES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
METALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
POWER GENERATION
PROCESSING
RADIATION FLUX
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing
430100 - Particle Accelerators- Design
Development
& Operation
320304 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Waste Heat Recovery & Utilization