Neutron source, linear-accelerator fuel enricher and regenerator and associated methods
Abstract
A device for producing fissile material inside of fabricated nuclear elements so that they can be used to produce power in nuclear power reactors. Fuel elements, for example, of a LWR are placed in pressure tubes in a vessel surrounding a liquid lead-bismuth flowing columnar target. A linear-accelerator proton beam enters the side of the vessel and impinges on the dispersed liquid lead-bismuth columns and produces neutrons which radiate through the surrounding pressure tube assembly or blanket containing the nuclear fuel elements. These neutrons are absorbed by the natural fertile uranium-238 elements and are transformed to fissile plutonium-239. The fertile fuel is thus enriched in fissile material to a concentration whereby they can be used in power reactors. After use in the power reactors, dispensed depleted fuel elements can be reinserted into the pressure tubes surrounding the target and the nuclear fuel regenerated for further burning in the power reactor.
- Inventors:
-
- Huntington Station, NY
- Shoreham, NY
- Setauket, NY
- Blue Point, NY
- Brookhaven, NY
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 864092
- Patent Number(s):
- 4309249
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21G - CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT(30-1)-16
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- neutron; source; linear-accelerator; fuel; enricher; regenerator; associated; methods; device; producing; fissile; material; inside; fabricated; nuclear; elements; produce; power; reactors; example; lwr; placed; pressure; tubes; vessel; surrounding; liquid; lead-bismuth; flowing; columnar; target; proton; beam; enters; impinges; dispersed; columns; produces; neutrons; radiate; tube; assembly; blanket; containing; absorbed; natural; fertile; uranium-238; transformed; plutonium-239; enriched; concentration; whereby; dispensed; depleted; reinserted; regenerated; burning; reactor; associated method; power reactors; power reactor; material inside; proton beam; nuclear power; fuel elements; fuel element; nuclear fuel; fissile material; neutron source; tube assembly; beam enters; fertile fuel; vessel surrounding; flowing columnar; /376/976/
Citation Formats
Steinberg, Meyer, Powell, James R, Takahashi, Hiroshi, Grand, Pierre, and Kouts, Herbert. Neutron source, linear-accelerator fuel enricher and regenerator and associated methods. United States: N. p., 1982.
Web.
Steinberg, Meyer, Powell, James R, Takahashi, Hiroshi, Grand, Pierre, & Kouts, Herbert. Neutron source, linear-accelerator fuel enricher and regenerator and associated methods. United States.
Steinberg, Meyer, Powell, James R, Takahashi, Hiroshi, Grand, Pierre, and Kouts, Herbert. Fri .
"Neutron source, linear-accelerator fuel enricher and regenerator and associated methods". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864092.
@article{osti_864092,
title = {Neutron source, linear-accelerator fuel enricher and regenerator and associated methods},
author = {Steinberg, Meyer and Powell, James R and Takahashi, Hiroshi and Grand, Pierre and Kouts, Herbert},
abstractNote = {A device for producing fissile material inside of fabricated nuclear elements so that they can be used to produce power in nuclear power reactors. Fuel elements, for example, of a LWR are placed in pressure tubes in a vessel surrounding a liquid lead-bismuth flowing columnar target. A linear-accelerator proton beam enters the side of the vessel and impinges on the dispersed liquid lead-bismuth columns and produces neutrons which radiate through the surrounding pressure tube assembly or blanket containing the nuclear fuel elements. These neutrons are absorbed by the natural fertile uranium-238 elements and are transformed to fissile plutonium-239. The fertile fuel is thus enriched in fissile material to a concentration whereby they can be used in power reactors. After use in the power reactors, dispensed depleted fuel elements can be reinserted into the pressure tubes surrounding the target and the nuclear fuel regenerated for further burning in the power reactor.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982}
}