JPH0854483A - Nuclear fusion reactor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a nuclear fusion reactor which is small and easy to be controlled by injecting a hydrogen-storing substance which has stored deuterium ions or light hydrogen ions in the nuclear reactor where natural uranium is used as fuel and controlling the moderation and breeding of fast neutrons. CONSTITUTION:A nuclear reactor pressure vessel 1 is equipped with an inlet nozzle 21 for injecting a primary coolant and an outlet nozzle 22 for discharging it, and a core supporting plate 4 supports a fuel assembly 4. The fuel assembly 4 consists of a plurality of units-40, each of which is constituted by combining fuel rods 41 made of <235>U of 0.72% to 10% enrichment, moderator rods 42 made of a hydrogen-storing substance such as Pd, Ti and Zr having stored deuterium ions or light hydrogen ions and control rods 43. Moreover, the control rods 43 is connected to a drive device through drive rods 5. The moderation of fast neutrons generated through the nuclear fusion of <235>U by the surrounding hydrogen-storing substance and the simultaneous generation of neutrons through breeding make it possible to miniaturize the nuclear reactor. In addition, the nuclear fusion of thermal neutrons in the hydrogen-storing substance enables the use of <235>U of a low enrichment.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a nuclear fusion reactor system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a nuclear reactor utilizing fission, ²³⁵ U is used as a nuclear fuel. Natural uranium is mainly
^It consists of ²³⁵ U (0.72%) and the others are ²³⁸ U. ²³⁸ U rarely propagates except for fast neutron reactions. Therefore, in a nuclear reactor that uses natural uranium as a nuclear fuel to obtain energy in the neutron chain reaction, the ratio of ²³⁵ U is as low as 0.72%, so there is a limit to the neutron moderator and the critical volume used is large. Becomes
Nuclear reactors are large in the tens of tons class.

On the other hand, ²³⁵ U was concentrated to 0.72% to 3
In order to use it as a thermal neutron reactor, it must go through a nuclear fuel enrichment process. Therefore, there is a problem in that the nuclear fuel, that is, ²³⁵ U, becomes expensive due to the concentration.

Generally, in a thermal neutron reactor, thermal neutrons are ²³⁵ U
Are absorbed by the neutron and cause nuclear fission, and at that time, 2-3 fast neutrons are generated. Using these fast neutrons, the generated fast neutrons are used to generate a chain reaction in the reactor.
It is converted into thermal neutrons by multiple scattering in a neutron moderator installed around ²³⁵ U. Heavy water and light water are used as moderators. The thermal neutrons enter the nuclear fuel again, causing ²³⁵ U fission, 2-3
Emits fast neutrons.

Currently, ²³⁵ U in a light water moderator and cooling furnace
A chain reaction in which one thermal neutron generates one thermal neutron in a neutron chain reaction cycle has been achieved by using a nuclear fuel having a concentration rate of 3 to 4%.

[0006]

As described above, there is a problem to be solved in that all the conventional nuclear reactors are large in size and the control of the nuclear reactor is difficult.

That is, in the conventional nuclear reactor, as in the light water reactor shown in FIG. 4, neutrons generated from ²³⁵ U nuclear fission are
It is decelerated by a moderator composed of the same light water as the coolant and becomes heat neutral. This thermal neutron is absorbed by ²³⁵ U, which is a nuclear fuel, and causes nuclear fission, but a coolant is provided in the reactor to cool the heat by this. Here, since, ²³⁵ U is greatest reaction with thermal neutrons, ²³⁵
A few fast neutrons generated from U must be decelerated until they become thermal neutrons, and a light hydrogen moderator is used for this purpose. Such a nuclear reactor has become extremely large in the related art and has required advanced control technology.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, in view of the problems of the prior art, the inventor of the present invention
As a result of intensive research, he has invented a new fusion reactor system that can solve the conventional problems by applying the technology known as cold fusion.

That is, when thermal neutrons are incident on palladium deuterium-occluded, a nuclear fusion reaction occurs in the palladium, and as a result, three to five times as many neutrons as the incident neutrons are detected. Reference "B. Stella et al.," Ev
idence for Stimulated Emission of Neutrons in Deut
erated Palladium “, FRONTIERS OF COLD FUSION, Unive
rsal Academy Press, pp 437-440, 1993. ".

The present invention is an application of this knowledge to a nuclear reactor. In a nuclear reactor using ²³⁵ U as a fuel, deuterium ions are used for slowing and breeding fast neutrons and controlling the nuclear reactor. Alternatively, it is characterized in that a member made of a hydrogen storage material which stores at least one of light hydrogen ions is introduced. According to the configuration of the present invention, since the amount of light hydrogen or deuterium stored in the hydrogen storage material is almost the same as that of the metal or the like that forms the hydrogen storage material, a moderator equivalent to a moderator made of H ₂ O is used. Efficiency is obtained.

The member acting as a moderator according to the present invention produces several thermal neutrons by the incidence of one thermal neutron, so that it is effective in multiplying neutrons, and natural uranium of 3 to 4 is used in a light water reactor. Even if only 0.72% of natural uranium is used as a nuclear fuel without being concentrated to 1.0% and used as a nuclear fuel, it is possible to cause a chain reaction to function as a nuclear reactor.

Further, the member storing light hydrogen or deuterium in the present invention also causes a nuclear fusion reaction and therefore also functions as a fuel, so that a so-called novel nuclear fusion reactor device can be realized. It will be possible.
Furthermore, deuterium or a hydrogen storage material that stores light hydrogen can also be used as a control rod for controlling a nuclear reactor, which can be used to easily control neutron multiplication.

As described above, the hydrogen storage material according to the present invention which stores deuterium or light hydrogen can be used as a moderator, a coolant, a control rod and a nuclear fuel, but the hydrogen storage material is Ti, Zr, Pd, Proton conductor, Ag, Pt,
It may be Rh, or an oxide thereof, or an alloy thereof. Further, it is desirable that the member made of the hydrogen storage material is coated with a material that does not allow hydrogen to permeate.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a main part of a nuclear fusion reactor system to which the embodiment is applied. The reactor pressure vessel 1 is provided with an inlet nozzle 21 into which the primary coolant is injected and an outlet nozzle 22 from which the primary coolant is discharged, and inside the reactor core support plate 3
The fuel assembly 4 is supported by. Fuel assembly 4
Is composed of a plurality of units 40, each unit 40 shown in FIG.
, The fuel rod 41 and the reduction rod 42 are made of ²³⁵ U.
And the control rod 43 are combined. The fuel assembly 4 is surrounded by the reflective material 6.

In the present invention, a hydrogen storage material that stores deuterium or light hydrogen ions is used as the deceleration rod 42 or the control rod 43. The control rod 43 is connected to a control rod drive device (not shown) via the control rod drive rod 5 so as to be vertically driven in each unit 40 of the fuel assembly 4.

When a hydrogen storage material that stores deuterium or light hydrogen ions is used in the control rod 43, the structure of the control rod 43 is as shown in FIG. 3 (a), (b) or (c).
It will be like. Note that FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of these.

In FIG. 3 (a), the tube 401 has a large diameter in the middle portion, and accommodates, for example, Pd which stores deuterium or light hydrogen ions. Note that deuterium or light hydrogen is supplied to the hydrogen storage substance through a path from the inlet portion 402 to the outlet portion 403. Further, the tube 401 is made of a material that does not allow deuterium or light hydrogen ions to pass therethrough so that they do not escape.

In FIG. 3 (b), a member 405 of a hydrogen storage substance is floated inside the tube 401, and around this,
As indicated by the arrow from the inlet 402 to the output 403,
Coolant 409 is supplied. By doing so, the energy due to the nuclear fusion reaction can be efficiently extracted. The member 405 made of a hydrogen storage material is covered with a film 410 made of a material that does not allow hydrogen to permeate.

In the example of FIG. 3C, the member 405 of the hydrogen storage material is floated inside the tube 401, while the electrode plate 406 is attached to the inner surface of the tube 401 so as to surround it. Then, a negative potential is applied to the electrode plate 406 and a positive potential is applied to the member 405 of the hydrogen storage material via the wiring 407, and the electrolytic solution 411 is introduced into the tube 401 from the upper inlet to the lower outlet in the figure. Distribute. Then, deuterium or light hydrogen ions are collected on the surface of the electrode plate 406, and the effect of the present invention is further enhanced.

By implementing the nuclear fusion reactor system by adopting the above-mentioned system, the fast neutrons generated by the fission of ²³⁵ U are decelerated by the surrounding moderator. Here, the hydrogen storage material containing hydrogen ions is decelerated similarly to light hydrogen and deuterium, and because it produces neutrons by multiplication, the critical volume of the reactor can be made small, which is suitable for downsizing of the reactor. .

The neutrons that have become thermal neutrons cause so-called solid nuclear fusion inside the hydrogen storage substance, and generate several thermal neutrons per thermal neutron. When the neutron multiplication rate is x, the coefficient x is introduced into the chain reaction cycle of the conventional nuclear reactor, and the condition for sustaining the chain reaction becomes easier accordingly. Therefore, even if the concentration rate of ²³⁵ U, which is the nuclear fuel, is low, it will function as a sufficiently practical reactor.

Incidentally, the ratio of ²³⁵ U used as a nuclear fuel in a conventional nuclear reactor is about 3 to 4%, but the ratio to the ratio of ²³⁵ U in natural uranium (0.72%) is 3/0. .72≈4.17. Therefore, if the coefficient x can be set to a value of about 4 to 5, even if natural uranium is used, it can be sufficiently operated as a nuclear reactor. Therefore, sufficient energy can be taken out from the nuclear reactor without enlarging the nuclear fuel at a huge cost as in the past.

Further, according to the present invention, the control rod composed of the hydrogen storage material can be pulled out from the reactor to control the reactor itself. That is, the hydrogen storage material is neither a radioactive material nor a nuclear fuel by itself.

[0025]

As described above in detail, in the nuclear fusion reactor device according to the present invention, the hydrogen storage material containing deuterium or light hydrogen is used to decelerate, multiply and accelerate fast neutrons in a nuclear reactor. Since the reactor itself is controlled, the long-standing problem of downsizing the reactor itself can be solved.

Further, since natural uranium can be directly used as a nuclear fuel without concentrating ²³⁵ U, it is not necessary to go through an expensive nuclear fuel concentration process.

Further, by configuring the control rod with a hydrogen storage material that stores light hydrogen and deuterium, the control of the output of the nuclear reactor can be significantly improved compared to the conventional case.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a nuclear fusion reactor device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the inside of a nuclear reactor according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a control rod according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a conventional nuclear reactor device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Reactor pressure vessel, 21 ... Inlet nozzle, 22 ... Outlet nozzle, 3 ... Core support plate, 4 ... Fuel assembly, 40 ... Unit, 41 ... Fuel rod, 42 ... Reduction rod, 43 ... Control rod, 40
1 ... Tube, 406 ... Electrode plate

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A hydrogen storage material containing at least one of deuterium ions and light hydrogen ions for deceleration and breeding of fast neutrons and control of the reactor in a reactor fueled with ²³⁵ U. A nuclear fusion reactor device characterized by the introduction of members. 2. The enrichment rate of ²³⁵ U in fuel is 0.72%.
The nuclear fusion reactor apparatus according to claim 1, which is at least 10%. 3. The hydrogen storage material is Ti, Zr, Pd,
The nuclear fusion reactor device according to claim 1, which is a proton conductor, Ag, Pt, Rh, an oxide thereof, or an alloy thereof. 4. The nuclear fusion reactor system according to claim 1, wherein the member made of the hydrogen storage substance is covered with a material that does not allow hydrogen to permeate therethrough.