JPWO2020051376A5 - - Google Patents

Description

(Field)
The subject matter described herein is generally energy neutrons by a laser-driven beam for the purpose of transmutation of long-lived high-level radioactive waste (superuranium and fission products) into short-lived radionuclides or stable nuclides. It relates to systems and methods that promote the occurrence of high rates of radioactivity, and more specifically to the subcritical liquid-phase transmutation of radioactive waste.

(background)
Fission reactors generate a constant stream of radionuclides of spent fuel. In the United States alone, 90,000 metric tons require disposal [Ref. 1] The world's spent nuclear waste inventory will reach 200,000 metric tons by 2020, with an additional 8,000 tons each year. Nuclear power accounts for 77% of electricity in France, making the need for transmutation particularly urgent. Currently, there is no suitable and reasonable means available to treat those isotope radioactive materials other than deep underground burial. The development of such means for treating isotope radioactive material has two tasks: first, separation of high radioisotopes from the remaining material to avoid activating non-radioactive material through transmutation. It requires the completion of (developing easy, robust, safe and inexpensive methods, and secondly, developing safe, inexpensive, energy-free and versatile transmutation methods).

The current approach to transmutation of radioactive nuclei is by external means (one based on the Accelerator Driven System (ADS) [Ref. 2] and the other based on the tokamak-type drive system [Ref. 3]). Includes drivers to maintain subcritical fission reactors. The ADS system relies on a high energy (~ 1 GeV) proton beam that hits a substrate (eg, Pb, W) and emits neutrons (30+ neutrons per proton). The neutrons then maintain fission in the subcritical reactor. The tokamak system produces neutrons from a deuterium-tritium reaction and uses those neutrons to drive a subcritical reactor, also known as a fission-fusion hybrid.

There are other approaches to transmutation of nuclear waste based on supercritical operation, MOSART [Ref. 4] Not only, there are various approaches using the Gen-IV reactor.

For those and other reasons, improved systems, devices, and improvements that promote the generation of high rates of energy neutrons by laser-driven beams for the purpose of subcritical transmutation of radioactive waste. There is a need for a method.

(overview)
The various embodiments provided herein are generally intended for systems and methods that facilitate transmutation of long-lived, high-level radioactive waste by fusion-generated neutrons into short-lived radionuclides or stable nuclides. There is. Neutrons are generated by fusion of a deuterium beam with either tritium or a deuterium target, and the deuterium beam is laser coherent acceleration of ions (CAIL) [Ref. Laser accelerated by the main laser using a process known as RAST, 6].

In an exemplary embodiment, the transmutation process employs a subcritical operating method that utilizes a compact device to transmutate radioactive isotopes (mainly the radioactive isotopes of minor actinides (MA)), the method being LiF-. Performed in a tank containing a solution of a mixture of spent fuel waste components (such as fission products (FP) and MA) dissolved in a molten salt solution of BeF2 (FLiBe) [Ref. 5]. The transmutation of MA is carried out using energy neutrons resulting from a laser-driven fusion reaction. Real-time monitoring and control of FLiBe, MA and FP contents in transmutation equipment is performed using active laser spectroscopy or laser-driven gamma-ray sources.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the target is formed from tritium-saturated carbon nanotubes.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the deuterium or tritium target is a laser ionized gas of approximately solid phase density. To form those targets, a prepulse laser ionizes the targets (prior to the main laser) [Ref. 7 and Ref. 8]. CAIL-accelerated heavy protons fuse with tritium or deuterium while the target remains solid-phase density.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the transmutation tank is always maintained subcritical. Subcritical actions load the neutron source and energetic neutrons are generated in a tightly coupled arrangement ((1) weight by the CAIL process by irradiating a nanometer-scale foil consisting of diamonds and deuterons. It forms a hydrogen beam and (2) injects accelerated deuterium into a target saturated with nanometer-scale "bubble" tritium that is synchronously and dynamically ionized by a prepulse laser).

Advantages of the exemplary embodiments of laser-generated neutrons include:
a) Small size laser driven ion beams and their targets.
b) Temporally and spatially precise neutron control. All fuel (MA) is within one mean free path of fission of the neutron source.
c) High repeat rate laser.
d) 30% high laser wall plug efficiency.

In an exemplary embodiment, as described in the previous paragraph, the laser design provides, for example, a pulse energy of <10 fs, 10 mJ, a pulse with a spot size greater than 20 μm (which results in optimal a ₀ = 0.5). It is configured to provide. A coherent amplification network (CAN) laser that allows for very high pump pulse repetition rates up to 100 kHz provides pump pulses for optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (“OPCPA”). A femtosecond pulse is generated by a femtosecond oscillator that delivers more than one million pulses per second. After the oscillator, the pulse is picked up at the desired rate of up to 100 kHz before being extended to a few nanoseconds. After expansion, the pulse is amplified to a level of tens of megajoules in the cryogenic OPCPA. The cryogenic OPCPA preferably exhibits a very high thermal conductivity comparable to that of copper, which is necessary to dissipate the tens of kilowatts of heat load produced during the optical parametric amplification process. Corresponding to a pulse with a spectral bandwidth shorter than 10 fs, the pulse can be easily extended to about 1 nanosecond and amplified to 10 mJ by optical parametric amplification. In that process, the pulse is mixed with a pump pulse of energy> 10 mJ with a duration of about 1 ns provided by the CAN system. The amplified chirped pulse is then compressed to return to its initial value of <10 fs.

In the various embodiments provided herein, transmutation of low-level radioactive waste (“LLRW”) occurs in the liquid state, where LLRW is in a lithium fluoride-belylium fluoride (FLLiBe) molten salt. It is dissolved.

In the various embodiments provided herein, the transmutation machine operates in a subcritical mode and the neutron source is always required to drive the transmutation.

In one exemplary embodiment, laser surveillance via laser spectroscopy is performed by the CAN laser [Ref. 12].

In addition, laser-driven gamma-ray sources (commonly referred to as laser Compton gamma rays) are provided to track the content and behavior of MA and FP isotopes in the tank in real time.

A further embodiment is directed to a 2-tank strategy (one tank is critical and the other is subcritical) to reduce the overall neutron cost. The two tanks comprises a set of two interconnected tanks. Preferably, the first tank or set of tanks contains a mixture of Pu with minor actinide (MA) containing neptunium, americium, and curium (Np, Am, Cm), but the second tank or tank. The set contains a mixture of minor actinide (MA) only. Since the first tank or set of tanks is critical ( _keff = 1), no external neutron source is needed. In addition, the first tank or set of tanks is fueled using spent nuclear fuel (Pu and MA) after chemical removal of fission products. The first tank or tank pair utilizes fast neutrons (non-decelerated fission neutrons with energy> 1 MeV plus fusion neutrons) for transmutation of minor actinides (MA) and plutonium (Pu). The concentration of curium (Cm) is increased. Alternatively, a small amount of neutrons may be injected into the first tank or set of tanks to initiate the Pu annihilation process.

In a further embodiment, the walls of the first tank and the second tank or set of tanks are made of a carbon-based material such as diamond. To protect the wall from chemical erosion and corrosion, the salt adjacent to the wall (facing the molten salt) is allowed to solidify and prevent direct contact of the molten salt with the wall.

In a further embodiment, the embodiments of the transmutation apparatus described above can be applied to carbon dioxide reduction methods and processes, such as use as a cooling material to be carbon negative as a whole, and the generation of synthetic fuels. It is suggested. In the following exemplary embodiment, the synthetic fuel (CH ₄ -methane) requires 200-400 ° C. and the presence of catalysts such as Ni, Cu, Ru, etc. CO ₂ + 4H ₂ → CH ₄ + 2H ₂ O reaction. Can be generated via (Sabatier reaction). CO ₂ can be extracted from the atmosphere, the sea, or cars, houses, chimneys
It can be extracted by directly capturing CO ₂ with a source such as and smokesticks). The operating temperature range of the molten salt nuclear converter is 250-1200 ° C, so ideally it should be in a state to continuously supply the required temperature required to drive the Sabatier reaction and produce methane. It provides an efficient route to stabilize and reduce CO ₂ concentrations in the atmosphere and sea.

Other systems, devices, features, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will be apparent to those of skill in the art or will become apparent after consideration of the drawings and detailed description below. All such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages are contained within this description, are within the scope of the subject matter described herein, and are intended to be protected by the appended claims. Has been done. In no case shall the features of the exemplary embodiment be construed as limiting the scope of the accompanying claims (in the claims, there is no explicit enumeration of those features).

(A brief description of the drawing)
Details of exemplary embodiments, including structure and operation, may be partially collected by review of the accompanying drawings, and similar reference numbers in the accompanying drawings refer to similar parts. The components in the figure are not necessarily on scale, but rather the emphasis is on illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, all illustrations are intended to convey the concept, and relative sizes, shapes, and other detailed attributes may be schematically illustrated rather than as they are or precisely.

FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view of a transmutation vessel container segmented in the axial direction. FIG. 1B illustrates a cross-sectional view of a transmutation device container segmented in the azimuth direction.

FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view of a neutron source and a single adjacent tank (neutrons originate from DT fusion). Tritium exists as a gas and deuterons are produced through laser-foil interactions within the keyhole. The keyhole is located on the incident window. FIG. 2B illustrates a single keyhole assembly.

FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of a neutron source and a single adjacent tank (neutrons originate from DT fusion). In this embodiment, deuterons are generated via a laser-foil interaction and tritium forms a solid target behind the keyhole. Neutrons are generated and deuterons interact with tritium within solid-state targets. The keyhole is located inside the neutron source tank. FIG. 3B illustrates a single keyhole assembly.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic diagram of a laser accelerator system with a main laser and a prepulse ionization chamber for neutron generation.

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram of laser generation for a laser accelerator system.

FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of a liquid phase transmutation system with laser-assisted separation and monitoring.

FIG. 7 illustrates a partial detail view of the central solution tank of the liquid phase transmutation system with laser-assisted separation and monitoring shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of an alternative embodiment of a two-step liquid phase separation and transmutation system with laser assisted separation and monitoring.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment for a 2-tank strategy (tank 1 is critical, tank 2 is subcritical) for reducing the overall neutron cost.

FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment for the process of generating synthetic fuels by chemical conversion of CO_2, where the heat to drive the reaction is generated by fission.

FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment for the process of generating synthetic fuels by chemical conversion of CO_2, where the heat to drive the reaction is generated by fission.

FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment for the process of generating synthetic fuels by chemical conversion of CO_2, where the heat to drive the reaction is generated by fission.

FIG. 13 illustrates another embodiment for the process of generating synthetic fuels by chemical conversion of CO_2, where the heat to drive the reaction is generated by fission.

It should be noted that, in general, elements of similar structure or function are represented by similar reference numbers for the purposes of illustration throughout the drawing. It should also be noted that the drawings are only intended to facilitate the description of the preferred embodiment.

(Detailed explanation)
Each of the additional features and teachings disclosed below can be utilized separately or in combination with other features and teachings and utilizes a laser-driven fusion approach for neutron generation for long-lived radioactive waste. Provided are systems and methods for facilitating transmutation of objects into short-lived radionuclides or stable nuclides.

Moreover, various features of the representatives and dependent claims may be combined in a manner that is not specifically and explicitly listed in order to provide additional useful embodiments of the present teaching. In addition, disclosure within the scope of the description and / or claims, not only for the purposes of the original disclosure, but also for the purpose of limiting the claimed subject matter, independent of the synthesis of features in the embodiments and / or claims. It is clearly noted that all the features to be made are intended to be disclosed separately and independently from each other. It is also expressly noted that the indication of any range of values, or groups of entities, discloses any possible intermediate value or intermediate entity, not only for the purposes of the original disclosure, but also for the purpose of limiting the claimed subject matter. To.

In an exemplary embodiment, the transmutation process employs a subcritical operating method that utilizes a compact device to transmutate radioactive isotopes (mainly the radioactive isotopes of minor actinides (MA)), the method being LiF-. It is carried out in a tank containing a solution of a mixture of used fuel waste components (such as fission products (FP) and MA) dissolved in a molten salt solution of BeF2 (FLiBe). Such a process is described in US Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 544,666 [Ref. 5], US Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 544,666 is incorporated herein by reference. The transmutation of MA is carried out using energy neutrons resulting from a laser-driven fusion reaction. Real-time monitoring and control of FLiBe, MA and FP contents in transmutation equipment is performed using active laser spectroscopy or laser-driven gamma-ray sources.

In the exemplary embodiments provided herein, neutrons are generated by laser-driven fusion in order to transmutate long-lived radionuclides into short-lived or non-radioactive nuclides.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the deuterium or tritium target is a laser ionized gas of approximately solid phase density. To form those targets, a prepulse laser ionizes the targets (prior to the main laser) [Ref. 7 and Ref. 8]. CAIL-accelerated heavy protons fuse with tritium or deuterium while the target remains solid-phase density.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the transmutation tank is always maintained subcritical. Subcritical actions load the neutron source and energetic neutrons are generated in a tightly coupled arrangement ((1) by irradiating a nanometer-scale foil of diamonds and deuterons with laser ions. A process known as coherent acceleration (CAIL) forms a deuterium beam, which is then accelerated into a nanometer-scale "bubble" tritium-saturated target that is synchronously and dynamically ionized by a prepulse laser. Inject the deuterium that has been removed).

Moving on to the drawings, FIGS. 1A and 1B show the container 100 of the transmutation device. FIG. 1A shows a representative case of axial and radial division of the container 100 into three container portions 100A, 100B and 100C. FIG. 1B shows a typical cross section of the container 100 in the radial and azimuth directions. The transmutation vessel 100 in this embodiment is radially subdivided into concentric cylindrical chambers or tanks 102, 104, 106, 108 and 110. The azimuthally segmented chamber 107 represents a representative chamber used for either diagnostics or additional neutron sources. By segmenting the container 100, control and localization of various parameters can be increased more easily and / or more precisely, from the various compartments to the control valve (adjusting the concentration of minor actinides). Data feedback via artificial neural networks can increase the safety of the overall transmutation device. Such precision control optimizes the burning of many minor actinides in a safe manner.

The tank or chamber 110 is a pressurized gas chamber made of deuterium or tritium gas and serves as a neutron source to ignite the self-sustaining chain reaction in the first concentric tank 108 and the second concentric tank 106. The first tank 106 and the second tank 108 contain a mixture of FLiBe molten salt and minor actinide. The third concentric tank 104 contains fission products that are transmuted to stable or short-lived nuclides. The fourth concentric tank 102 is a reflective material of graphite.

ここで、典型的に、α＝３、ｍｃ^２＝０．５１１ＭｅＶであり、ａ_０～０．５であり、他の条件に依存している。従って、最大エネルギーは、重水素に関して０．４１ＭｅＶであり、炭素イオンに関して２．５ＭｅＶである。重陽子ビーム２１６は、中性子源タンク２１０内でトリチウムと核融合し、中性子２２６を発生させる。 FIG. 2A shows a partial view of a single assembly of a transmutation device 200 with a tank 212 and a neutron source tank 210 located therein. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, an additional tank may surround the tank 212. In this embodiment, the laser pulse 214 is fired onto the mirror 220 and directed by the mirror 220 into and into the keyhole 218. For example, a plurality of individual laser pulses 214 and keyhole chambers 218, such as thousands of laser pulses and keyhole chambers, are provided. An enlarged detailed view of the individual keyhole chambers 218 is shown in FIG. 2B. The keyhole 218 is kept in vacuum. The laser pulse 214 passes through the laser window 222 and irradiates the nanometer-scale foil material 224. The nanometer-scale foil material 224 is made of deuterated diamond and has a thickness of 1 nanometer or greater, preferably about 1-10 nanometers. A physical process known as ion coherent acceleration (CAIL) [eg Ref. 9 and Ref. 24] accelerates deuterons and carbon ions from the nanometer-scale foil material 224 toward the center of the neutron source tank 210 as a deuteron beam 216. The maximum energy achieved is given by equation 1.0 [eg Ref. 10, Ref. See 11.].

Here, typically, α = 3, mc ² = 0.511 MeV, a ₀ to 0.5, and it depends on other conditions. Therefore, the maximum energy is 0.41 MeV for deuterium and 2.5 MeV for carbon ions. The deuteron beam 216 fuses with tritium in the neutron source tank 210 to generate neutron 226.

3A and 3B show alternative embodiments of neutron generation. CAIL's physical process of accelerating deuterons as the deuteron beam 216, as described above for FIGS. 2A and 2B, is still used. As depicted in FIG. 3A, a single assembly of transmutation device 200 includes a tank 212 and a neutron source tank 210 located therein. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, an additional tank may surround the tank 212. In this embodiment, as in the previous embodiment, the laser pulse 214 is emitted onto the mirror 220 and directed by the mirror 220 into and into the keyhole 218. For example, a plurality of individual laser pulses 214 and keyhole chambers 218, such as thousands of laser pulses and keyhole chambers, are provided. An enlarged detailed view of the individual keyhole chambers 218 is shown in FIG. 3B. The keyhole 218 is kept in vacuum. The laser pulse 214 passes through the laser window 222 and irradiates the nanometer-scale foil material 224. The nanometer-scale foil material 224 is made of deuterated diamond and is about 1 nanometer or thicker. The CAIL process accelerates deuteron and carbon ions from the nanometer-scale foil material 224 as a deuteron beam 216. The deuteron beam 216 is not injected into the neutron source tank 210, but is injected onto the solid titanium-tritium target 228 at the rear end of the keyhole 218, resulting in the emission of neutrons 226. The keyhole 218 is located in the incident window 211 to the neutron source tank 210 and in the neutron source tank 210. The laser pulse 214 enters the keyhole 214 through the incident window 222 and interacts with the nanometer-scale foil 224 to create a deuteron beam 216.

FIG. 4 illustrates in detail the laser-foil interaction within a single keyhole 218 as shown in FIGS. 2B and 3B. As depicted, the laser pulse 214 has already passed through the laser incident window 222 (see FIGS. 2B and 3B). For example, CAN laser [Ref. The laser pulse 214 from 12] or the like irradiates the foil 224 on the nanometer scale, resulting in CAIL mainly due to the ponderomotive force in the forward direction, which exceeds the electrostatic pull-back force of the foil 224. A longitudinal electric field (not shown) then accelerates the deuteron and carbon beam 216 into the pressurized gas chamber 210 (see, eg, FIGS. 2A and 3A). The accelerated deuterium beam 216 collides and fuses with the tritium gas in chamber 210, thereby generating energy neutrons 226, such as neutrons with an energy of about 14 MeV. The neutron 226 is isotropically emitted and the fission of the minor actinide surrounds the neutron source tank (see, eg, tank 110 in FIGS. 1A and 1B, tank 210 in FIGS. 2A and 3A) (eg, see tank 210 in FIGS. 1A and 1B). , See tanks 108 and 106 of FIGS. 1A and 1B, tanks 212 of FIGS. 2A and 3A).

In an alternative embodiment, the neutron tank 210 consists of tritium-saturated carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Prepulse lasers 230 and 232 irradiate the tank 210 with laser energy within the superthreshold ionization region, penetrate it, and saturate with tritium in order for the heavy proton beam to fuse with the ionized tritium plasma at the approximate solid phase density. Ionize CNT [Ref. 7. Ref. 8], the ionized gas of carbon and tritium is maintained at the approximate solid phase density for a short time. Lasers 230 and 232 are separate from the main laser 214 used for deuteron acceleration. The laser main pulse (accelerating deuteron) and the prepulse laser (for ionization of CNT + tritium) must be synchronized so that the deuteron beam delays the prepulse and the ionization is deuteron. Occurs just before the beam. In this synchronization scheme, the prepulse laser 230 is fired before the prepulse laser 232. This approach provides a highly efficient method for converting deuterium-tritium to fast neutrons. An exemplary number of energies for a prepulse ionized laser is estimated to be 100-300 mJ for a CNT density of 10 ²² 1 / cc, a laser spot size of ^10-7 cm ² , and an irradiation length of 100 cm.

In an alternative embodiment, a single cycle of laser acceleration [Ref. 13, Ref. 14] can also be used.

In an alternative embodiment, the gas neutron source tank 210 in FIG. 2A is replaced with deuterium gas.

In an alternative embodiment, the solid titanium-tritium target 228 in FIG. 3B is replaced with a titanium-deuterium target.

In an alternative embodiment, the solid titanium-tritium target 228 in FIG. 3B is replaced with titanium. The deuteron beam 216 interacts with the solid target of titanium 228 and remains embedded within its lattice, with subsequent deuterons within the beam 216 colliding and fusion with the already embedded deuterons. Generates neutron 226.

ここで、臨界密度は、

であり、Ｉ_０＝１．３７ １０^１８Ｗ／ｃｍ^２であり、λは、レーザー波長である［Ｒｅｆ．１６］。 In an exemplary embodiment, the prior art [Ref. Laser design parameters estimated from 15] include intensity I = 10 ¹⁷ W / cm ² , laser wavelength = 1 μm, pulse duration = 5-10 fs, beam width = 5-10 μm. The laser is linearly polarized. In addition, the thickness of the foil 224 (see FIGS. 2B, 3B, 4A and 4B) is preferably provided by formula 2.0.

Here, the critical density is

I ₀ = 1.37 10 ¹⁸ W / cm ² , and λ is the laser wavelength [Ref. 16].

Further, in an exemplary embodiment, the design parameters for the deuteron beam to be accelerated are in the range of 30-200 keV. In this range, the Coulomb collision rate is 10 times higher than the fusion rate. During a single Coulomb collision, deuterons lose, on average, 4% of their energy, i.e., energy is transferred to targets such as tritium. Therefore, the optimum deuteron energy is 200 keV, and the inventors assumed 10 Coulomb collisions before fusion took place. The cross section of DT fusion is up to 8 burns at 60 keV.

High efficiency CAN laser with high repetition rate [Ref. 12] is guided to a nanometer-scale foil target 224 (FIGS. 2B, 3B, 4A and 4B) by a set of optical elements (see, eg, mirror 220 (FIG. 2A and FIG. 3A)). The repetition rate of the intense laser pulse is 100 kHz when delivered with a high efficiency of 50%. Such lasers have been previously proposed as diagnostic systems [eg Ref. See 17.]. A typical 200 kW power is expected to deliver 10 ¹⁷ neutrons / s. Such a neutron flux is sufficient to drive a 10 MW transmutation device [eg Ref. See 17.].

Laser-driven neutron efficiencies are shown in Table 1.

FIG. 5 illustrates the details of the laser system 500 for a transmutation device. CPA [Ref. 18] Type XCAN504 [Ref. 12, Ref. 19] is OPCPA506 [Ref. 20] provides a high energy high pump pulse for. Pulses are generated by the XCAN laser, which allows for very high pump pulse repetition rates up to 100 kHz. A femtosecond pulse is generated by a femtosecond oscillator 502 that delivers more than one million pulses per second. After the oscillator, the pulse is picked up at the desired rate of up to 100 kHz before being extended to a few nanoseconds. After expansion, the pulse is amplified to a level of tens of megajoules in the cryogenic OPCPA. The amplified chirped pulse is then compressed to return to its initial value of <10 fs.

The cryogenic OPCPA preferably exhibits a very high thermal conductivity comparable to that of copper, which is necessary to dissipate the tens of kilowatts of heat load produced during the optical parametric amplification process. When the spectral bandwidth corresponds to a pulse shorter than 10 fs, the pulse can be easily extended to about 1 nanosecond and amplified to 10 mJ by optical parametric amplification. In that process, the pulse is mixed with a pump pulse of energy> 10 mJ with a duration of about 1 ns provided by the CAN system.

The transmutation laser is CPA [Ref. 18], CAN [Ref. 12, Ref. 19], OPCPA [Ref. 20, Ref. 21], and a non-linear crystal cooled at a very low temperature [Ref. 22] The four laser technologies are combined. As shown in FIG. 5, as an alternative, a thin disk amplifier [Ref. 23] can be replaced by CAN504. A laser system for a transmutation device is preferably capable of doing the following:
a. For example, delivering an intensity of about 5 × 10 ¹⁷ W / cm2 with a spot size of 5 μm, or a peak power corresponding to a ₀ = 0.5.
b. For example, to generate a pulse with a very high repetition rate in the range of <10 fs, 10 mJ, 10-100 kHz, or an average power that can reach 100 kW.

Additional features of the laser system for transmutation equipment include:
c. OPCPA is suitable for averaging power. In order to cool the non-linear crystal more efficiently and increase the thermal conductivity of the crystal, the crystal is placed on a heat sink that has been cooled to a very low temperature. As mentioned above, at very low temperatures, the thermal conductivity of crystals at or below the temperature of liquid nitrogen increases dramatically, reaching the value of thermal conductivity of copper [Ref. 22].
d. OPCPA [Ref. 20, Ref. 21] enables the generation of pulses in the 10 fs region. CAN [Ref. 12, Ref. When pumped by 19], a coherent network amplifier can probably be utilized to amplify the seed pulse to a level of 10 mJ, for example at 10-100 kHz.
e. For example, for applications that require 100 kW or more, N identical systems can be configured in parallel. However, such applications do not require the laser to be phase controlled.
f. As an alternative to the CAN system, pumping the amplifier is a thin disk laser system [Ref. 23] can be replaced.

FIG. 6 shows a laser operating system 600 for spectroscopy, active monitoring, and fission product separation purposes. Component A is a CAN laser (properly bundled), and component B is a modulator of a CAN laser (which controls laser properties such as power level, amplitude shape, period and phase, relative motion, direction, etc.). / Controller, component C is a laser beam that irradiates the solution and solvent in the central tank (see component K) for both monitoring and separation (or control of solvent chemistry). The element D is a nuclear conversion device E [Ref. 5] A solution containing a solvent containing superuranium ions (Am, Cm, Np, etc.) to be separated and nuclear-converted by (dissipating high-energy neutrons produced by fusion), wherein component F is the nucleus. Water that stops neutrons from both the fusion source (ie, the nuclear converter E) and the fission products, component G is an example of chemical separation of the laser in the central tank containing the solution. The deposits to be removed from the deposits at the bottom of the central tank (as), the component H is an unwanted precipitated element that does not have to be nuclear converted in this particular tank at this time. , Should be transferred to another tank, and again in a similar solution for further separation and nuclear conversion, component I signals of monitoring information such as FP spectra. A feedback ANN circuit and computer that registers and controls, component J is a detector for the transmitted CAN laser signal (amplification, phase and frequency, and deflection, etc.), and component K is the core in the central tank. The "thin" first wall of the central tank, which allows for almost free transmission of energy neutrons generated by either fusion or fission, component L is a sufficiently thick wall containing the entire material and neutrons. It is an outer tank with. Both the central tank K and the outer tank L are equipped with appropriate monitors for temperature, pressure, and any additional physical and chemical information in addition to CAN laser monitoring to monitor the status of the nuclear converter. Provide warnings about it and use appropriate safety devices such as real-time valves, electric switches to prevent the tank from crossing the "board" (runaway events, etc.). The component Q is a heat exchanger, and the component M converts heat into electricity.

When operation begins, the heated solution and water in the central tank K and the outer tank L are brought into that state by the motor (or perhaps by the appropriate channels in the tank or their equivalents) as desired. Can be maintained, excess heat is removed and converted into electrical (or chemical) energy by component M.

Referring to FIG. 8, the component P in the system 800 is a pipe (and a valve of the pipe that controls the flow between the tanks) connecting the separated separator tank and the transmutation device tank. Component O is the dissolved area of the separated MA injected into the transmutation tank. The residual fission product left in the component D is sent out into the storage tank component S through the pipe component R.

Referring to FIG. 7, in system 700, the central tank K contains a solution D of transuranium extracted from the original spent fuel liquefied with a suitable solution (such as acid). At this stage of the process, the inventors assume that U and Pu have already been extracted from solution D by a known process (such as PUREX). Therefore, solution D may contain other elements such as fission products (FPs such as Cs, Sr, I, Zr, Tc). As with transuranium, these elements can tend to absorb neutrons, but they do not necessarily multiply neutrons. Therefore, the FP needs to be removed from the solution D in the central tank K, such as by a chemical reaction and laser chemistry, with the help of CAN laser A and other chemical means. If those elements are precipitated by additional chemicals and / or by chemical excitation from a CAN laser, the components of the precipitated chemicals are the components of this central tank K for the treatment of such elements such as fission products. Can be removed from to another tank.

After the separation process is complete, the transuranium (mainly Am, Cm, Np) is irradiated with neutrons from the transmutation device E. All of them are radioactive isotopes because their transuraniums can have different isotopes, but they exceed uranium in their atomic number. Either the neutrons from the transmutation device E or the neutrons generated from the fission of superuranium contribute to the transmutation of superuranium when the neutrons are absorbed by the nuclei of superuranium.

Moving on to FIG. 8, the transmutation device and the laser monitor and separator system 800 include two separate tanks, dividing the transmutation and transmutation process into two different tanks. For example, the separator (with a laser monitor attached) is on the right side, while the transmutation device is on the left side. The two systems are connected by transmission pipes and valves (component P), which transmutes the precipitated (or separated) transuranium (MA) from the separator tank on the right to the transmutation device on the left. Used for transmission into the tank. The new carrier liquid (component O) preferably contains only TA (or predominantly it) and no longer contains fission products separated in the right separator tank. Separation is accomplished either by conventional chemical methods that act to excite (eg) MA intraatomic electrons for the purpose of chemical separation or by a laser (based on a CAN laser). The central tank D on the left side mainly has MA solution (or MA solution only). The element excluded from the liquid mainly contains FP transported into the storage tank (component S) in the pipe (component R). Such FPs can be aggregated in the solidifying material for burial treatment [Ref. 22 and Ref. 23].

When fission occurs due to neutron capture by transuranium, high energy yields from fission are typically expected (for example, in the range of 200 MeV per fission). On the other hand, the neutron energy of fusion does not exceed 15 MeV. Both fusion neutrons and fission events in the central tank bring heat into the tank. The solution generally mixes heat by convection (either by itself or by an externally driven motor (if required)). The heat transport device and extraction device to be extracted, that is, the component M, removes the heat generated in the central tank and converts it into electrical energy. For monitoring and control purposes, by controlling valves and other knobs, and by providing feedback to tank parameters by CAN operation, those processes are physical (temperature, pressure, etc. of the solution in the tank) and chemical. It needs to be monitored in real time from both targets (such as the chemical states of various molecules, atoms, and ions in solution through CAN laser monitoring).

A typical nuclear reactor produces the following spent fuel nuclear waste per ton of uranium producing a power of 50 GWd [Ref. 22 and Ref. 23]. The nuclear waste in this operation is about 2.5 kg of transuranium (Np, Am, Cm) and about 50 kg of fission products. An amount of 2.5 kg of MA (minor actinide, or transuranium) is about 100 mol, which is approximately 6 × 1025 MA atoms. This spans approximately 7 × 1020 MA atoms per second and approximately 1021 MA atoms per second. If absorption of one photon (eV) is required for each MA atom to excite each atom with a laser, this translates into a laser power of about 1 kW. Let η be the efficiency of excitation of MA atom by one photon of laser. At this time, the power P of the laser to be absorbed by all the MA atoms in the above amount per second is
P ~ (1 / η) kW
Is.

In the case of η to 0.01, P is about 100 kW. This amount is not small. On the other hand, efficient and large fluence CAN laser technology [Ref. 12] is incorporated and it is within the reach of the technology. In a typical chemical induction, the inventors assume that the laser can be close to either a cw or a very long pulse, thereby maximizing the efficiency and fluence of the fiber laser. The frequency of the fiber laser needs to be tuned to a specific value (perhaps prior to operation) in order to satisfy the appropriate resonance, or specific frequency.

Further exemplary embodiments include, for example, cancer medical applications (eg, boron-neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and radioisotope generation, etc.), structural integrity testing of buildings, bridges, materials science and chip testing, oil. Highly efficient neutron generation methods are available for fields and processes that require neutrons with an energy of up to 14 MeV, such as stratification.

The first embodiment for two additional embodiments ((1) a 2-tank strategy for reducing the overall neutron cost (tank 1 is critical, tank 2 is subcritical), and (2) CO_2. A second embodiment for a more environmentally friendly carbon-negative transmutation device (heat generated by fission to drive the reaction is generated by fission) through the generation of synthetic fuels by chemical conversion of the above is presented. ..

In the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 9, the transmutation device 900 comprises a set of two interconnected tanks, referred to as tank 1 and tank 2. Tanks 1 and 2, substantially similar to the tanks depicted in FIGS. 2A and 3A, may include a tank containing a material to be transmuted and a neutron source tank positioned therein. As depicted in 1A and FIG. 1B, those tanks may be surrounded by additional concentric tanks. Preferably, the tank 1 contains a mixture of Pu and a minor actinide (MA) containing neptunium, americium, and curium (Np, Am, Cm), whereas the tank 2 contains a mixture of only the minor actinide (MA). Contains. Tank 1 is critical ( _keff = 1) and therefore tank 1 does not require external neutrons. In addition, tank 1 is fueled using spent nuclear fuel (Pu and MA) after chemical removal of fission products. Tank 1 utilizes fast neutrons (non-decelerated fission neutrons with energy> 1 MeV plus fusion neutrons) for transmutation of minor actinides (MA) and plutonium (Pu), but with a concentration of curium (Cm). Is raised. Alternatively, a small amount of neutrons may be injected into the tank 1 to initiate the Pu annihilation process.

Now, the minor actinides (MA) in tank 1 with higher concentrations of curium (Cm) can be separated and fed into tank 2. As described above, the connected tank 2 operates in parallel with burning the minor actinide (MA), and the increased concentration of curium (Cm) is subcritical ( _keff <1). It is in operation. This process aims to safely and smoothly burn the entire spent nuclear fuel of transuranium (not just MA) while reducing the number of neutrons that need to do so by a factor of about 100x. Provide a policy.

In a further embodiment, tank 1 and tank 2 are monitored in real time by laser and gamma rays. Wide band or scanning lasers are used to monitor the elemental composition of tanks 1 and 2 using laser-induced fluorescence and scattering. Gamma-ray monitoring can be either active or passive. Passive gamma-ray monitoring utilizes gamma-rays generated from nuclear decay or transition. Active gamma-ray monitoring utilizes an external gamma-ray beam with energies above a few MeV and relies on nuclear resonant fluorescence. Both active and passive monitoring provide information about the isotopic composition of the transmutation fuel. Information from laser and gamma ray monitoring is collected and fed into a computer equipped with logic, which logic is by adjusting the refueling of tank 1 or by adjusting the MA concentration in tank 2. It is suitable for predicting and / or controlling the future state of transmutation equipment. To enable detailed laser and gamma ray monitoring, the fuel in tanks 1 and 2 is dissolved in the molten salt to allow light propagation. Real-time monitoring is an essential part of active safety and efficiency of the nuclear reactor as a whole, but detailed knowledge of transmutation configuration can be used to determine control rod positions, refueling, and fission product extraction. decide. Passive features include molten salt and dump tanks, where the molten salt expands with increasing temperature, thus shutting down the nuclear reactor, and the dump tank is separated from the nuclear reactor by a freeze plug (freeze plug). Any anomalous temperature spikes melt the plug and gravity causes the entire transmutation inventory to flow into a dump tank made of neutron absorbers).

In a further embodiment, the walls of tank 1 and tank 2 are made of a carbon-based material such as diamond. To protect the wall from chemical erosion and corrosion, the salt adjacent to the wall (facing the molten salt) is allowed to solidify and prevent direct contact of the molten salt with the wall.

In a further embodiment, the embodiments of the transmutation apparatus described above can be applied to carbon dioxide reduction methods and processes, their use as a cooling material to be carbon negative as a whole, and the generation of synthetic fuels. However, it is suggested. In the following exemplary embodiment, the synthetic fuel (CH ₄ -methane) requires 200-400 ° C. and the presence of catalysts such as Ni, Cu, Ru, etc. CO ₂ + 4H ₂ → CH ₄ + 2H ₂ O reaction. Can be generated via (Sabatier reaction). CO ₂ can be extracted from the atmosphere, the sea, or by directly capturing CO ₂ from sources such as automobiles, homes, chimneys and smokesticks. The operating temperature range of the molten salt nuclear converter is 250-1200 ° C, so ideally it should be in a state to continuously supply the required temperature required to drive the Sabatier reaction and produce methane. It provides an efficient route to stabilize and reduce CO ₂ concentrations in the atmosphere and sea.

Referring to FIG. 10, a partial view of the synthetic fuel generation system 1000 is shown, in which the synthetic fuel generation system 1000 includes a container 1005 for a nuclear converter, a secondary loop pipe 1001, a molten salt + TRU flow direction 1002, Includes a heat exchanger 1003 and a tank 1004 for the Sabatier reaction. In this exemplary embodiment, the heat transfer fluid in the pipe of the heat exchanger is CO2 used directly in the tank 1004. In the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the heat exchange pipe of the heat exchanger 2003 of the synthetic fuel generation system 2000 is a closed independent system and the transfer fluid can be replaced with a molten salt. A synthetic fuel generation system 2000 is shown, wherein the synthetic fuel generation system 2000 includes a container 2005 for a nuclear converter, a secondary loop pipe 2001, a molten salt + TRU flow direction 2002, a heat exchanger 2003, and the like. Includes tank 2004 for Sabatier reaction.

In a further alternative embodiment, FIG. 12 shows a partial view of the synthetic fuel generation system 3000, wherein the synthetic fuel generation system 3000 includes a nuclear converter 3005, a heat exchanger 3001, and a fluid flow direction 3002. Has a tank 3003 for the Sabatier reaction. In this exemplary embodiment, the reactant CO ₂ from the Sabatier reaction is the transfer fluid. In an alternative embodiment, FIG. 13 shows loop 4001 of the heat exchanger of the synthetic fuel generation system 4000, for example, as a closed independent loop with a heat transfer fluid that is a molten salt. A synthetic fuel generation system 4000 is shown, which includes a nuclear converter 4005, a heat exchanger 4001, a fluid flow direction 4002, and a tank 4003 for the Sabatier reaction.

In an additional embodiment, the ionizing radiation generated in the transmutation apparatus and retained by the molten salt is utilized as an energy source of 1-10 s eV, allowing various chemical reactions. An energy source of 1-10 eV allows, for example, the production of ammonia and the conversion of CO_2 + CH_4 → CH_3 COOH.

Processing circuits for use in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure may include one or more computers, processors, microprocessors, controllers, and / or microcontrollers, each of which may be a separate chip. , Or can be distributed among (part of) many different chips. The processing circuit for use in conjunction with the embodiments of the present disclosure may include a digital signal processor, which is within the hardware and / or software of the processing circuit for use in conjunction with the embodiments of the present disclosure. Can be implemented in. In some embodiments, the DSP is a separate semiconductor chip. Processing circuits for use in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure may be communicably coupled with other components of the figures herein. Processing circuits for use in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure may execute software instructions stored in memory, where the processing circuits take many different actions and are shown in the figures herein. Causes control of other components.

Processing circuits for use in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure may also implement other software and / or hardware routines. For example, the processing circuit for use in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure may be interface connected to a communication circuit, providing analog-to-digital conversion, encoding and decoding, other digital signal processing, and provision to the communication circuit. It may perform other functions that facilitate the conversion of audio, video and data signals to a suitable format (eg, in-phase or quadrature) for the communication circuit to transmit the RF signal wirelessly over the link. Can cause.

Communication circuits for use in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as one or more chips and / or components (eg, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, and / or other communication circuits) and they. Wireless communication on the link under the appropriate protocol (eg Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, Bluetooth Low Energy, Near Field Communication (NFC), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Proprietary Protocol, etc.) To carry out. One or more other antennas may be included with the communication circuit as much as needed to operate using various protocols and circuits. In some embodiments, the communication circuit for use in conjunction with the embodiments of the present disclosure may share an antenna for transmission on the link. The processing circuit for use in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure to receive the wireless transmission and perform the reverse functions required to convert it to digital data, audio and video is also interfaced with the communication circuit. Can be done. The RF communication circuit may include a transmitter and receiver (eg, integrated as a transceiver) and associated encoder logic. The reader is not only a communication circuit and interface for wired communication (eg, USB port), but also a circuit for determining the geographic location of the reader device (eg, Global Positioning System (GPS) hardware). Can also be included.

The processing circuit for use in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure runs the operating system and any software application residing on the reader device to process, transmit and receive video and graphics. It may also be adapted to perform those other functions that are not related to the processing of the communication. Any number of applications (also known as "user interface applications") can be run at any time by a processing circuit on a dedicated or mobile phone reader device, one or more related to the area of diabetes monitoring. The application may be included in addition to other widely used applications (eg, smartphone apps that are not relevant to such areas, such as email, calendar, weather, sports, games, etc.).

The memory for use in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure may be shared by one or more of the various functional units present within the reader device, or two or more of them. It can be distributed among (eg, as separate memory residing in different chips). Memory can also be a separate chip in itself. The memory can be non-temporary and can be volatile memory (eg, RAM, etc.) and / or non-volatile memory (eg, ROM, flash memory, F-RAM, etc.).

Computer programming instructions for performing an operation in accordance with the described subject matter may be described in any combination of one or more programming languages, one or more programming languages being an object-oriented programming language (Java). Includes Trademarks), JavaScript®, Smalltalk, C ++, C #, Transact-SQL, XML, PHP, etc.) and previous procedural programming languages (such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages). .. Program instructions may be executed entirely on the user's computing device (eg, a reader) or partially on the user's computing device. For example, in the example where the identified frequency is uploaded to a remote location for processing, can the program instructions reside partially on the user's computing device and partially on the remote computing device? , Or it can reside entirely on a remote computing device or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computing device may be connected to the user's computing device through any type of network, or the connection may be made to an external computer.

Various aspects of this subject are described below in the review of the embodiments described so far and / or in the addendum to them, with an emphasis on the interrelationships and compatibility of the following embodiments. In other words, the emphasis is on the fact that each feature of the embodiment can be combined with each and every other feature, unless otherwise explicitly stated or logically impossible.

According to embodiments, a nuclear converter system for nuclear conversion of long-lived radioactive ultrauranium waste comprises a neutron source tank, multiple prepulse lasers, multiple concentric tanks, a laser system, and multiple keyholes. The neutron source tank contains the neutron source in it, the neutron source is equipped with multiple carbon nanotubes (CNTs) saturated with tritium, and the multiple prepulse lasers neutron source the laser energy in the superthreshold ionization region. Multiple concentric tanks configured to irradiate and penetrate the tank, ionize CNTs and tritiums, and maintain carbon and tritium ionized gases at approximately solid phase densities for a predetermined period of time. Located around a neutron source tank and equipped with one or more mixtures of long-lived radioactive ultrauranium waste dissolved in FLiBe salts, the laser system axially directs multiple laser pulses into the neutron source. Directed to propagate to, multiple keyholes are oriented to receive multiple laser pulses axially, each of the multiple keyholes contains multiple foils of dehydrogenating material. After irradiation of the foil material with one of the laser pulses, the foil material produces multiple heavy proton ions that can be accelerated as an ion beam towards the center of the neutron source tank and is heavy. The proton beam fuses with the ionized tritium plasma at near solid phase density.

In embodiments, the foil material comprises a deuterated diamond-like material, wherein the plurality of ions include deuterated protons and carbon ions.

In embodiments, the plurality of ions are accelerated by accelerating the coherent acceleration (CAIL) of the ions.

In embodiments, the foil material is one nanometer or thicker.

In embodiments, the pulses from the laser and the plurality of prepulse lasers are synchronized to allow the deuteron beam to delay the ionization of tritium.

In embodiments, the plurality of prepulse lasers comprises a first set of prepulse lasers and a second set of prepulse lasers.

In embodiments, the first set of prepulse lasers is configured to fire prior to the second set of prepulse lasers.

In an embodiment, the laser system comprises a plurality of mirrors, the plurality of mirrors oriented to direct the individual laser pulses of the plurality of laser pulses to the individual keyholes of the plurality of keyholes and into the keyholes. Has been done.

In the embodiment, the plurality of concentric tanks are partitioned.

In the embodiment, the plurality of concentric tanks are axially partitioned.

In the embodiment, the plurality of concentric tanks are divided in the azimuth direction.

In an embodiment, the plurality of compartmentalized tanks are located around a neutron source, with a first concentric tank containing a first mixture of long-lived radioactive superuranium waste dissolved in FLIBe salt, and a first. A second concentric tank, located around one concentric tank, with a second mixture of long-lived radioactive ultrauranium waste dissolved in FLIBe salt, and a second concentric tank, located around the second concentric tank, FLiBe. A third concentric tank with a third mixture of long-lived radioactive ultrauranium waste dissolved in salt, and one of the water or water and neutron reflection boundaries located around the third concentric tank. Provide with a fourth concentric tank.

In the embodiment, the segmented first, second, third and fourth concentric tanks are axially partitioned.

In the embodiment, the segmented first, second, third and fourth concentric tanks are segmented in the azimuth direction.

In embodiments, the laser system comprises one of a CAN laser or a thin slab amplifier.

In embodiments, the laser system further comprises an OPCPA coupled to a CAN laser or thin slab amplifier and an oscillator coupled to the OPCPA.

In the embodiment, the OPCPA is cooled to a very low temperature.

In embodiments, the plurality of concentric tanks form a first set of tanks and the transmutation system is with Pu and a minor actinide (MA) containing neptunium, americium, and curium (Np, Am, Cm). Further comprises a second set of tanks containing the mixture of.

In embodiments, the second set of tanks is configured to operate at criticality.

In embodiments, one wall of the first set of tanks or the second set of tanks is made of a carbon-based material.

In embodiments, the carbon-based material is diamond.

All features, elements, components, functions, and steps described for any of the embodiments provided herein can and are freely combined with those from any other embodiment. It should be noted that it is intended to be a substitute. If a feature, element, component, function, or step is described for only one embodiment, the feature, element, component, function, or step is unless otherwise stated otherwise. It should be understood that it can be used in conjunction with any other embodiment described herein. Accordingly, this paragraph is a claim that combines features, elements, components, functions, and steps from different embodiments, or features, elements, components, functions, and steps from one embodiment in another. It serves as a prior rationale and written support for the occasional introduction of the substituted claims (even if the statements below are not explicitly stated and such combinations or substitutions are possible in certain cases). Has that role). It is clearly acknowledged that any possible combination and explicit enumeration of substitutions (especially if each and every such combination and substitution allowance is immediately recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art) is an undue burden. ing.

As long as the embodiments disclosed herein include, or operate with, memory, storage, and / or computer-readable media, memory, storage, and / or computer-readable media. It is non-temporary. Thus, as long as memory, storage, and / or computer-readable media are covered by one or more claims, memory, storage, and / or computer-readable media are non-temporary only.

As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a" ("a," "an") and "that" ("the") clearly indicate the other. Except for cases, it includes plural referents.

Although embodiments have room for acceptance of various modifications and alternatives, specific examples thereof are shown in the drawings and are described in detail herein. However, those embodiments should not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, and conversely, those embodiments should cover all variants, equivalents, and alternatives that fall into the spirit of the present disclosure. It should be understood that there is. Further, not only can any feature, function, step, or element of the embodiment be listed or added to the claims, but also the invention by a feature, function, step, or element that is not within the scope. There may also be negative limitations that define the scope of the claims.

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