JP2001215297A - Nuclear engine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a nuclear engine capable of taking out a required quantity of nuclear energy safely and continuously. SOLUTION: In order to take out the required quantity of the nuclear energy safely and continuously in the stable critical state in a region 11 where nuclear fuel material is dispersed uniformly, a corresponding unclear fuel (in the state where the unclear fuel material is dispersed uniformly in a carrier) is supplied to a region (core) 05 where fission reacting occurs continuously or repeatedly, through a transport pipe 21 made of material by which the fission reaction is never caused. Then, the fission reaction occurs, and the nuclear energy generated from the nuclear fuel material by the fission reaction and the energy of neutrons, gamma (γ) beams, beta(β) beams or the like generated from the carrier material by the fission reaction are collected, and the material obtaining kinetic energy causing explosion is taken out from the core to the outside, and the energy is used as kinetic energy.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a nucleus engine. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device capable of safely and continuously extracting a required amount of nuclear energy.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the use of nuclear fission reaction of a nuclear fuel material involves instantaneously generating a nuclear fission reaction such as an atomic bomb, and utilizing the explosion energy, and a method of controlling a nuclear fission reaction such as nuclear power generation in a stable state. Maintain the fission reaction of
The generated nuclear energy is absorbed by a nuclear fuel rod or the like, heated to a high temperature, the thermal energy is absorbed by a cooling substance, and the energy is used as electric energy through an engine such as a turbine.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a nuclear engine (Nuclear Engine) capable of safely and continuously extracting a required amount of nuclear energy as kinetic energy.
ne).

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A feature of the nucleus engine of the present invention is that, in a region where the nuclear fuel material is uniformly dispersed, when in a stable critical state, the required amount of nuclear energy is safely and continuously supplied. The nuclear fuel corresponding to this (the nuclear fuel material is in a state of being evenly dispersed in the carrier) is continuously or repeatedly subjected to a fission reaction through a transport pipe made of a material that does not cause a fission reaction. Nuclear energy is supplied to the region (core) and causes fission reaction. Nuclear energy generated by nuclear reaction of nuclear fuel material and neutron, gamma (γ) generated by nuclear reaction of carrier material
It collects energies such as X-rays and beta (β) rays, takes out the kinetic energy that caused the explosion from the reactor core, and uses it as kinetic energy.

[0005] Here, the "region in which the nuclear fuel material is uniformly dispersed" (this is referred to as a core) is a gas, a liquid, a powder, or a solid in which the nuclear fuel material is uniformly dispersed (this is referred to as "nuclear fuel"). ), And also includes a region where structures (for example, fuel rods) containing nuclear fuel are evenly arranged. The term “stable critical state” refers to a state in which the nuclear fuel is in a state of being on the verge of criticality, using a liquid, powder, or solid structure (eg, a control rod) of a substance containing atoms that absorb neutrons. A state in which a nuclear reaction occurs to control the neutron density in the reactor and obtain a stable output.

The term "carrier" refers to a substance such as a gas, a liquid, a powder, and a solid in which a nuclear fuel substance can be uniformly dispersed, and includes, for example, a substance such as a solution and an alloy. The term “nuclear energy generated by a nuclear reaction” refers to the kinetic energy of fission products, the energy of fission neutrons, prompt γ-rays, β-rays from fission, γ-rays, and the energy of neutral particles.

Further, the present invention also includes an engine that directly or indirectly uses the kinetic energy of a substance taken out. The nucleus engine of the present invention can be used immediately, for example, as an engine of a spacecraft flying in outer space.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 shows a nucleus engine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The present embodiment relates to a direct-utilization nucleus engine including a reactor core 05, a nuclear fuel supply device 20, a nuclear fuel storage portion 30, and a fission product extraction pipe 40. The core 05 uses a structure in which the fission reaction region 11 is surrounded by a material (radiation shielding layer) made of a material (radiation shielding layer) that is a safe and robust material that can take out stable nuclear energy by nuclear fission reaction, and that can shield various kinds of radiation generated at the same time. .

In the reactor core 05, the neutron density is maintained just before reaching the critical state, or a control rod 06 capable of absorbing neutrons or a solution capable of absorbing neutrons is supplied while fission reactions are stably occurring. Then, it is necessary to control the neutron density in the core and to keep the neutron density stable when nuclear fuel for extracting a required amount of energy is supplied instantaneously. The fission reaction zone 11 is provided at the center or a required portion of the reactor core 05. The supplied nuclear fuel is uniformly dispersed, fission by the nuclear fuel occurs, and the fission reaction energy is effectively reduced by the kinetic energy of the fission product and the carrier material. This is a region made of a material that can withstand the explosion in this case.

The nuclear fuel supply device 20 is a device for supplying nuclear fuel to the nuclear fission reaction zone 11 in the reactor core 05 through a transport pipe 21. For the nuclear fuel supply device 20 and the transport pipe 21, a structure surrounded by a material that shields neutrons (a neutron shielding layer) with a material that does not cause a fission reaction when nuclear fuel is passing is used. The fission product extraction pipe 40 is an outlet for extracting fission products and other substances having kinetic energy generated in the fission conversion region 11 as kinetic energy outside the reactor core, and sufficiently withstands explosion during a fission reaction. Use a structure that is surrounded by a material having the required strength.

The nuclear fuel storage section 30 is an area for storing a container for storing an amount of nuclear fuel capable of operating the above-described nucleus engine for a long period of time, and is made of a material in which neutrons are shielded by a material that does not cause a fission reaction.

In the nuclear reactor having the above-described structure, a required amount of nuclear fuel is supplied by the transport pipe 21 to the fission reaction zone 11 in which the nuclear fuel material is uniformly dispersed and is in a stable critical state. The reaction is caused to occur continuously or repeatedly, the nuclear energy generated by the nuclear reaction and the carrier material collect the energy of neutrons, gamma rays, beta rays, etc. generated by the nuclear reaction. 05
From the fission product extraction pipe 40, and can be directly used as kinetic energy, so that nuclear energy can be safely and continuously extracted.

The kinetic energy extracted from the fission product extraction pipe 40 may be used as a driving force for an object or the like equipped with the nucleus engine.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 2 shows a nucleus engine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the fission product removal pipe 40 in the first embodiment is
The present invention relates to an indirect utilization type nucleus engine provided with an energy converter 50 and a radioactive substance adsorption device 60. The energy converter 50 is a device that converts kinetic energy of a radioactive material or the like discharged from the core from the fission product extraction pipe 40 into another energy (for example, a device that converts electric energy or heat energy). For example, a turbine can be used.

The radioactive substance adsorption device 60 is an apparatus for surely recovering radioactive substances and the like that have passed through the energy converter 50 by adsorption or other methods. The other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted. According to this embodiment, in addition to the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above, kinetic energy generated by fission can be converted into other energy and indirectly used, and nuclear energy can be safely and continuously used. It became possible to take it out.

In this embodiment, a radioactive material adsorbing device 60 for surely recovering the radioactive material and the like discharged from the reactor core from the fission product extraction pipe 40 by adsorption or other methods is provided, so that it is compatible with the global environment. Will do. In addition, it is possible to indirectly use the kinetic energy of the substance taken out through the energy conversion device 50.

[Experimental Results] In the present invention, the following experimental apparatus was used for the purpose of directly extracting and utilizing nuclear energy generated by nuclear fission of a nuclear fuel material as kinetic energy of a fission product material and a carrier material. A basic experiment was performed. The purpose of this experimental device is to add a small amount of uranyl nitrate exceeding the critical amount, cause a small-scale fission reaction, and safely convert and extract it as kinetic energy of fission products and carrier substances. It is.

Experimental Apparatus As shown in FIG. 3, a container 20 having a diameter of 400 mm and a height of 610 mm is used to store about 37 liters of a uranyl nitrate solution therein. The uranium concentration is 279 g / l and the uranium amount is 16.6 kg.

Neutron density The amount of uranium in the container 20 shown in FIG. 3 did not reach the neutron density necessary for causing a fission reaction. The nuclear fuel material used in this experiment was uranium 235 and the carrier was a nitric acid solution. The nuclear fuel used was a uranyl nitrate solution.

About 1 liter of the uranyl nitrate solution placed in a stainless steel bucket having a capacity of about 10 liters was manually supplied from a handhole portion of the experimental apparatus shown in FIG. 3 using a scoop having a volume of about 1 liter. . About 37 shown in FIG.
As a result of the addition of a little less than about 1 liter of uranyl nitrate solution to the area where 1 liter of uranyl nitrate was present by the above-described method, the critical amount immediately exceeded the nuclear fission reaction, and a nuclear reaction occurred.

In view of the change in the indicated value of the neutron monitor shown in FIG. 4, the fission number of the portion where the change in the number of neutrons generated by the initial critical reaction is large is 1.2 × 10 ¹⁸ , and the comparatively gentle portion thereafter. In the first peak
An effective fission reaction occurs after a second and a second small peak is seen. This is due to the fact that when exploded at the first peak, a part of the unreacted uranyl nitrate solution that was scattered was cooled, dropped again into the reactor shown in FIG. 3, and again a small nuclear reaction occurred. It is presumed to show. This has been demonstrated to repeatedly generate a stable fission reaction.

[0022]

As described above in detail with reference to the embodiments, the nucleus engine of the present invention supplies a required amount of nuclear fuel to a region where nuclear fuel material is uniformly dispersed and in a stable critical state. The fission reaction was caused to occur continuously or repeatedly, and the nuclear energy generated by the nuclear reaction and the carrier material collected the neutrons, gamma rays, beta rays, etc. generated by the nuclear reaction to obtain the kinetic energy that caused the explosion. Since the substance is taken out and used directly or indirectly as kinetic energy, nuclear energy can be safely and continuously taken out.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a direct-use nucleus engine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of an indirect-use nucleus engine according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an experimental device relating to the nucleus engine of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing a neutron monitor indication value.

[Explanation of symbols]

 05 Nuclear core 06 Control rod 11 Fission reaction zone 20 Nuclear fuel supply device 21 Transport pipe 30 Nuclear fuel storage part 40 Fission product extraction pipe 50 Energy converter 60 Radioactive material adsorption device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a stable critical state in a region where nuclear fuel material is uniformly dispersed, a necessary amount of nuclear energy is safely and continuously taken out. Through a transport pipe made of a material that does not cause it, it is supplied to the region where continuous or repeated fission reaction occurs, causing fission reaction, nuclear fuel material is nuclear energy generated by nuclear reaction, and carrier material is neutron, gamma ray generated by nuclear reaction. A nucleus engine, which collects energy such as beta rays and the like, takes out the substance that obtained the kinetic energy that caused the explosion, and uses it as kinetic energy.