Fast Reactors and Accelerator Driven Systems Knowledge Base

Conference Article: High gain energy amplifier emploing a fast spectrum booster coupled one way to a thermal spectrum system

Abstract

The Indian nuclear power programme has a special interest in Accelerator Driven Subcritical Systems (ADSS) from the point of view of utilization of .the large thorium deposits in the country. Our effort is directed towards devising an ADSS based on the 233U-Th cycle, which produces a net energy output. In view of the constraints in accelerator technology for achieving high currents, we have also been investigating the possibility of having an ADSS with a reduced accelerator current. In an earlier work, these investigations were carried out using a simple model based on two groups diffusion theory. It was shown that it is possible to achieve a high neutron multiplication by designing a subcritical assembly made up of a booster and a main reactor region and ensuring that there is a more or less one way coupling between the two regions. In the present work, we have studied an ADSS, consisting of a fast spectrum booster coupled one way to a thermal spectrum reactor, using multigroup transport theory. The results of these calculations show that such a system has many advantages over the fast-fast system. It is shown that it is in principle possible to design such a system with a reasonable amount of 233U inventory and which is driven by a 1 GeV proton beam having a current of 1-2 mA for a power of 750 MW(th). The power densities in the two regions are found to be in the range of typical fast and thermal reactors, respectively. Such a system could also be useful for waste incineration.

view the full text of this article (7 pages, format: PDF, size= 183kB)

Reference:

Proceedings of an Advisory Group meeting held inTaejon, Republic of Korea, 1–4 November 1999

International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

IAEA-TECDOC--1365, pp:71-77