Power Installations based on Activated Nuclear Reactions of Fission and Synthesis

TL;DR

This paper analyzes power installations utilizing externally activated nuclear reactions of fission and fusion, which operate at lower temperatures and pressures, enhancing safety, compactness, and waste transmutation capabilities.

Contribution

It introduces schemes for nuclear power installations activated by external sources, differing from traditional ADS systems, enabling safer and more efficient nuclear energy production.

Findings

Supports subcritical operation for safety and compactness

Enables transmutation of radioactive waste

Proposes alternative activation schemes for fission and fusion reactions

Abstract

The general scheme of power installations based on nuclear reactions of fission and synthesis activated by external sources is analyzed. The external activation makes possible to support nuclear reactions at temperatures and pressures lower than needed for chain reactions, so simplifies considerably practical realization of power installations. The possibility of operation on subcritical masses allows making installations compact and safe at emergency situations. Installations are suitable for transmutation of radioactive nuclides, what solves the problem of utilization of nuclear waste products. It is proposed and considered schemes of power installations based on nuclear reactions of fission and fusion, activated by external sources, different from ADS systems. Variants of activation of nuclear reactions of fission (U-235, 238, Pu-239) and fusion (Li-6,7, B-10,11) are considered.