Accelerator Driven Systems - Subcritical Reactors

Well, since oil is getting scarce and nuclear fusion ain't going anywhere the first couple of decades, I thought it would be informative of shedding light on some alternative, realistic options. One such an option are accelerator driven systems, also called subcritical reactors, the idea is to use a particle accelerator as neutron source to drive the fusion reaction.

The main advantages are:

it is intrinsically safer, because it stops when the accelerator is switched off. Criticality is no longer a big risk, the only remaining risk is still that off a meltdown.

it can better adapt to some variation of the criticality (due to a variation of the constitution of different nuclides in the reactor) during the operation of the reactor than a conventional reactor by tuning the intensity of the proton beam.

it can be operated by natural thorium, which is much more abundant than the actually used 235U, which could solve the energy problem of mankind for several ten-thousands of years.

when operated with thorium, no 239Pu which constitutes a problem for proliferation, is breeded.

there is an option to also transmutate certain forms of nuclear waste, which makes themselves no more radioactive in a matter of hundreds of years instead of hundreds of thousands of years. This makes storage of nuclear waste cheaper and takes away an argument of environmentalists that a burden is put on future generations in the extreme long term.


The main disadvantages are:

there is a need for 10% extra energy to fuel the accelerator which is wasted

technical difficulties with producing a consistent neutron beam and heating of the spallation target

high cost of the accelerator in addition to the powerplant

Accelerator driven systems: an application of proton accelerators to nuclear power industry

Robert Klapisch

I'm not going to copy and paste the entire article, for that please go to the link provided. It is a long but interesting read.

It's a shame that alternate nuclear energy technologies don't spark more interest. It makes me think that people have resolved to watch society collapse back into pre-oil days.


Accelerator-Driven Transmutation System
www.nea.fr...

Another nuclear technology that has sparked my interest is betavoltaic power cells. Nuclear batteries for cars sounds like a pipe dream, but is currently possible.

peswiki.com...:Beta_voltaic

Thanks for posting the article. I'm looking into it now.

Originally posted by Regenmacher
Another nuclear technology that has sparked my interest is betavoltaic power cells. Nuclear batteries for cars sounds like a pipe dream, but is currently possible.

Do you think that someone would allow the use of batteries with word "nuclear" in their description? Greenpeace members would spit out blood.


[edit on 30-8-2005 by longbow]

Originally posted by Regenmacher
Another nuclear technology that has sparked my interest is betavoltaic power cells. Nuclear batteries for cars sounds like a pipe dream, but is currently possible.

I'm sure Al Qaeda will be glad to hear it, everyone can buy his own potential dirty bomb. Power to the people!

[edit on 30-8-2005 by Simon666]

Originally posted by longbow

Do you think that someone would allow the use of batteries with word "nuclear" in their description? Greenpeace members would spit blood.

Screw Greenpeace when facing global famine and that PC idealism crap can get flushed along with them. It's time to usher in the "age of reason" and that's not assuaging the egos of emotionally driven eco-nuts that base opinion on pseudo-science and unwarranted nuke fears. Coal driven plants and combustion engines kill millions more people than nuclear energy ever has. Greenpeace can't do math.

They can spit blood and go live on Auckland with the sheep for all I care.

Originally posted by Simon666
I'm sure Al Qaeda will be glad to hear it, everyone can buy his own potential dirty bomb. Power to the people!

Can make a dirty bomb rather easily with yellowcake which is not controlled (go up to Wyoming and get some) and Iran seems to be doing a fine job and producing enriched uranium.

So you have to ask yourself are you ready for global economic collapse? The free market based system relies on cheap energy to grow. Now there's a dirty bomb for ya.

[edit on 30-8-2005 by Regenmacher]

Originally posted by Regenmacher
Can make a dirty bomb rather easily with yellowcake which is not controlled (go up to Wyoming and get some) and Iran seems to be doing a fine job and producing enriched uranium.

That gives off very low levels of alpha radiation, which are stopped easily by the skin. Yellowcake is further a heavy powder so it is pretty much useless as dirty bomb material. beta radiation penetrates just a bit further.

Sounds interesting, I wouldn't mind getting in on the ground floor of this technology