Compact, energy EFFICIENT neutron source: enabling technology for various applications

Hershcovitch, A. ; Roser, T.

关键词: AR FACILITIES;    ALPHA PARTICLES;    BERYLLIUM;    BREEDER REACTORS;    DEUTERIUM;    DEUTERIUM IONS;    ION SOURCES;    NEUTRON SOURCES;    NEUTRONS;    PLASMA;    RADIOACTIVE WASTES;    THICKNESS;    TRANSMUTATION;    TRITIUM relativistic heavy ion collider;   

DOI  :  10.2172/1027849
RP-ID  :  BNL--90846-2009-IR
PID  :  OSTI ID: 1027849
Others  :  R&D Project: KBCH139
Others  :  Other: KB0202011
Others  :  TRN: US1105882

美国|英语

来源: SciTech Connect

【 摘 要 】

A novel neutron source comprising of a deuterium beam (energy of about 100 KeV) injected into a tube filled with tritium gas and/or tritium plasma that generates D-T fusion reactions, whose products are 14.06 MeV neutrons and 3.52 MeV alpha particles, is described. At the opposite end of the tube, the energy of deuterium ions that did not interact is recovered. Beryllium walls of proper thickness can be utilized to absorb 14 MeV neutrons and release 2-3 low energy neutrons. Each ion source and tube forms a module. Larger systems can be formed from multiple units. Unlike currently proposed methods, where accelerator-based neutron sources are very expensive, large, and require large amounts of power for operation, this neutron source is compact, inexpensive, easy to test and to scale up. Among possible applications for this neutron source concept are sub-critical nuclear breeder reactors and transmutation of radioactive waste.