Accelerator-Driven Subcritical Fission in a Molten Salt Core: Destroy the Transuranics in UNF

摘要

Accelerator-driven subcritical fission in a molten salt core appears to offer serious promise for the task of destroying the long-lived transuranics that are produced in all nuclear power plants. Two configurations have been optimized: an Isobreeder, fueled with TRU and DU recovered from UNF, which makes electric power indefinitely with periodic refueling of only DU, and an Isoburner, fueled solely with TRU recovered from UNF, which destroys all TRU isotopes leaving only FP. ADAMS would operate safely, with no potential failure modes that could lead to criticality, and with in-situ verification of fissionable inventories for non-proliferation concerns. ADAMS would produce new energy by destroying the transuranics, and it would recover and utilize the DU from used nuclear fuel so that the nuclear fuel cycle could be closed.