Publication: Potential role of fusion neutron source in nuclear power systems ПОТЕНЦИАЛЬНАЯ РОЛЬ ТЕРМОЯДЕРНОГО НЕИТРОННОГО ИСТОЧНИКА В ЯДЕРНЫХ ЭНЕРГЕТИЧЕСКИХ СИСТЕМАХ
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2021
Авторы
Kulikov, G. G.
Shmelev, A. N.
Apse, V. A.
Kulikov, E. G.
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© 2021 National Research Center Kurchatov Institute. All rights reserved.The paper analyzes the possibility of integrating hybrid thermonuclear reactors (HTRs) into existing nuclear power systems. This is supposed to involve the production of non-traditional nuclear fuel in a D-T-plasma operated HTR with a thorium blanket. Non-traditional fuel to be produced is peculiar in that it contains in significant amounts of rare isotopes, such as 231Pa and 232U, alongside the traditional 233U. High-energy (14.1 MeV) thermonuclear neutrons have a unique ability to promote the accumulation of significant amounts of 231Pa and 232U via threshold (n, 2n)- and (n, 3n)-reactions. Non-traditional fuel compositions for nuclear power thermal reactors (the most common nuclear reactor class in the world), hold promise due to the following factors. As is known, the neutron balances for reactors fueled with 235U are better (in terms of the breeding ratio enhancement) than for reactors fueled with 233U or reactor-grade plutonium. A better neutron balance is likely to translate into higher fuel breeding ratios and help ease the thermal reactors' fuel self-sustainability problem. Because 231Pa and 232U are fertile and moderately fissionable nuclides, they can stabilize the time-dependent behavior of the thermal reactor power and prolonging a thermal reactor's lifetime through higher fuel burnup. Being a strong α-emitter, 232U can be used to control unauthorized use of 233U-based nuclear explosives and thereby contribute to nuclear non-proliferation. All this suggests that D-T-plasma operated HTRs with a thorium blanket can be integrated into nuclear power systems to generate very promising nontraditional fuel compositions for conventional nuclear power reactors.
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Potential role of fusion neutron source in nuclear power systems ПОТЕНЦИАЛЬНАЯ РОЛЬ ТЕРМОЯДЕРНОГО НЕИТРОННОГО ИСТОЧНИКА В ЯДЕРНЫХ ЭНЕРГЕТИЧЕСКИХ СИСТЕМАХ / Kulikov, G.G. [et al.] // Problems of Atomic Science and Technology, Series Thermonuclear Fusion. - 2021. - 44. - № 2. - P. 21-26. - 10.21517/0202-3822-2021-44-2-21-26