Induced nuclear reactions: processes – systems – and elements – Nuclear transmutation – By neutron bombardment
Patent
1994-05-23
1996-04-30
Harvey, Behrend E.
Induced nuclear reactions: processes, systems, and elements
Nuclear transmutation
By neutron bombardment
376192, 376194, 376351, 376395, 376901, G21C 130, G21C 112, G21G 108
Patent
active
055132260
ABSTRACT:
Plutonium is effectively and economically rendered unsuitable for employment in a device for creating a nuclear detonation. Weapons-grade plutonium is made into ceramic fuel in the form of spheroids of submillimeter size, coated with multi-layer fission-product-retentive coatings and disposed in sealed fuel chambers in graphite block fuel elements. These elements are used to form a core for a modular helium-cooled high temperature nuclear reactor which is operated to efficiently generate power by causing the hot high pressure helium coolant to drive a gas turbine directly connected to an electrical generator, which nuclear fuel core has about a 3-year lifetime. Spent nuclear fuel elements are removed at the end of 3 years and shifted to form the core for an accelerator-driven helium-cooled reactor wherein a subcritical core of spent fuel elements is safely caused to effectively continuously fission by a neutron flux created by a Linac which bombards a lead target with a beam of high energy protons. At the end of 1 to 2 more years, more than 99% of the original Pu-239 has fissioned or been transmuted, and the isotope distribution of remaining plutonium renders it no longer useful for carrying out a nuclear detonation. Such fuel elements can be securely stored without reprocessing in simple metal canisters in a long-term repository.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3349001 (1967-10-01), Stanton
patent: 3413196 (1968-11-01), Fortescue et al.
patent: 4309249 (1982-01-01), Steinberg et al.
patent: 4704248 (1987-11-01), Lee et al.
patent: 5160696 (1992-11-01), Bowman
Bowman et al., "Nuclear Energy Generation and Waste Transmutation Using an Accelerator-Driven Intense Thermal Neutron Source", Los Alamos National Laboratory, LA-UR-91-2601, pp. 1-26.
Simon et al., "Design Features of the Gas Turbine Modular Helium Reactor (GT-MHR)", General Atomics Report GA-A21351, pp. 1-24, Jun. 1993.
Van Tuyle et al., "Accelrator-Driven Subcritical Target Concept for Transmutation of Nucelar Wastes", Nuclear Technology, vol. 101, pp. 1-17, Jan. 1993.
General Atomics article (GT-006), "The Gas Turbine-Modular Helium Reactor Offers Both Outstanding Safety and Economics", pp. 1-13, Feb. 9, 1994.
Baxter Alan M.
Lane Richard K.
General Atomics
Harvey Behrend E.
LandOfFree
Destruction of plutonium does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Destruction of plutonium, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Destruction of plutonium will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-635145