Accelerator driven system for transmutation and energy production

Abstract

The significant quantities of highly radiotoxic long-lived nuclear waste necessitate the research of methods of their transmutation to short-lived ones. This can be achieved by interaction between nuclear waste and neutrons (n,xn)-reactions and radiative captive). The ADS (Accelerator Driven System) is the most promising tool for such transmutation. ADS consists of powerful high energy accelerator irradiating a target of heavy nuclei: uranium, thorium, lead and bismuth. Inside of the target is generated a high-energy neutron field. Several ADS constructions for waste transmutation and energy production are considered. The influence of the cooling system on the neutron flux and the energy production in ADS are investigated. The radiation and biological protection are also discussed.