KR100923917B1 - Neutron generator - Google Patents

Abstract

The neutron generator includes a fusion reactor that generates neutrons by fusion from deuterium gas supplied from the outside; And a nuclear fission reactor that generates nuclear fission from the neutrons to produce a plurality of fast neutrons. The fusion reactor includes a plasma generator for generating deuterium nuclei from deuterium gas supplied from the outside; An accelerator for accelerating the deuterium nucleus generated; And tritium or deuterium, and may include a fusion target to which the accelerated deuterium nucleus collides. The neutron generator may further include a speed reducer for passing the neutron generated by the collision of the deuterium nucleus and decelerating the thermal neutron.

Deuterium, Tritium, Plasma, Neutrons, Fusion, Nuclear Fission

Description

Neutron generator

The present invention relates to a neutron generator, and more particularly to a neutron generator for generating a high speed neutron.

The present invention relates to a neutron generator having a high velocity (number of neutrons generated per unit area), and a neutron is introduced into a long-lived radionuclide with a long half-life generated after burning a nuclear fuel in a nuclear power plant. It can be used as a neutral resource for conversion extinction.

The spent fuel from nuclear power plants contains long-lived nuclides (radioactive nuclides with very long half-lives) that are harmful to the environment. In order to lower their radiation levels to levels that are harmless to the general air, they must be stored for a long time in caves or rock salts. Such a long-term storage method is a disposal method that requires a lot of costs due to the secured storage, management problems during the storage period.

Some of the scientific community is studying how to neutron and long-lived nuclides to convert long-lived nuclides into short-lived short-lived nuclides and to convert them into harmless ones in the short term. Neutral resources used at this time require high fluxes to increase the probability of nuclear reactions, and are devising a method of recharging wastes with high density of long-lived nuclides as part of the fuel by reprocessing them in existing reactors.

Unlike the method of obtaining a high linearity neutron required for long-life nuclide annihilation by charging a long-life nuclide into a nuclear reactor, the method proposed in the present invention slows down the neutron generated by deuterium + deuterium or deuterium + tritium fusion reactions. It is a way to get high-speed neutrons by causing them.

In the case of deuterium + deuterium or deuterium + tritium fusion reactions, since one neutron is generated per fusion reaction, it is relatively low flux and high energy, so the long-life nuclide is unlikely to absorb neutrons. However, if neutrons generated at this time are used as neutral resources for fission, high neutrons can be obtained since 2-3 neutrons are generated per neutron absorbed by nuclear fission.

To this end, a plasma generator for producing deuterium nuclei from deuterium gas, an accelerator for accelerating deuterium nuclei to increase energy suitable for fusion, and a deceleration device for increasing the probability of nuclear fission reaction by decelerating neutrons generated by fusion Do.

Still other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

According to the present invention, the neutron generator comprises a fusion reactor for generating neutrons by fusion from deuterium gas supplied from the outside; And a nuclear fission reactor that generates nuclear fission from the neutrons to produce a plurality of fast neutrons.

The fusion reactor includes a plasma generator for generating deuterium nuclei from deuterium gas supplied from the outside; An accelerator for accelerating the deuterium nucleus generated; And tritium or deuterium, and may include a fusion target to which the accelerated deuterium nucleus collides.

The neutron generator may further include a speed reducer for passing the neutron generated by the collision of the deuterium nucleus and decelerating the thermal neutron.

When a plurality of high flux neutron generators as shown in FIG. The short-lived nuclide thus converted has a short half-life and is therefore converted to a more stable nucleus in a shorter period of time.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying Figure 1, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail. Embodiment of the present invention may be modified in various forms, the scope of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the embodiments described below. This embodiment is provided to explain in detail the present invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the shape of each element shown in the drawings may be exaggerated to emphasize a more clear description.

The present invention is a device for generating high neutrons by nuclear fission reaction by generating neutrons by deuterium + deuterium or deuterium + tritium fusion and decelerating the generated neutrons into thermal neutrons and absorbing them into fissile materials.

A schematic view of the device of the present invention is shown in FIG. Deuterium gas (D2) is introduced into the plasma generator and separated into a deuterium nucleus, which is a cation, and a negative electron or oxygen nucleus by an induced magnetic field. Deuterium nuclei induced in one direction by the electrode plate are accelerated to the extent that fusion is possible by the Cockcroft-Walton accelerator. The accelerated deuterium nucleus hits tritium or metal targets containing deuterium, causing fusion and one neutron per fusion. The generated neutrons pass through the moderator and are decelerated into thermal neutrons with a high probability of fission, and are then absorbed by fissile materials (uranium, thorium, etc.), causing fission to generate 2-3 fast neutrons per incident neutron.

The detailed description of the functions of each component of the high flux neutron generator shown in Fig. 1 is as follows.

1: D2 gas injection

Injection of deuterium source (D2 gas) for fusion reaction.

2: DC power

DC current is supplied to the electrode plate to transfer deuterium generated in the plasma generating tube in one direction where fusion occurs.

3: bipolar plate

It acts to repel positive deuterium nuclei generated in the positive plate plasma charged by DC power of 2.

4: negative plate

It attracts positive deuterium nuclei generated in the positive plate plasma charged by DC power of 2. With the positive plate of 3, the deuterium nucleus moves from the positive plate to the negative plate.

5: plasma

Introduced deuterium sample is separated from deuterium nucleus and electron.

6: insulation plate

Insulation between electrode plate and induction coil.

7: quartz tube

Plasma generating tube. Usually use heat resistant quartz tube

8: Induction Coil (RF Oscillator)

A device for plasmalizing the introduced deuterium gas with a strong electromagnetic impact. Consists of an induction coil to form an electromagnetic field from an alternating current of a certain frequency.

9: focusing lens

It concentrates deuterium ions transferred to one side to increase acceleration efficiency and fusion reaction rate in accelerator. The focusing method is generally used by electromagnets.

10: deuterium ion accelerator

Accelerates the deuterium nucleus focused by the left focusing electromagnet. Uses the well-known Cockcroft-Walton acceleration method.

11: fusion targets

Metal compounds containing large amounts of deuterium or tritium. Accelerated deuterium nuclei and fusion occur in the following ways:

12: neutron reflector

Neutrons generated by fusion targets usually occur isotropically. Therefore, reflecting the neutrons generated in the rear to the front to increase the efficiency of nuclear fission. Good reflection efficiency when used with water, carbon, etc.

13: neutron reducer

It acts as a slower to increase the probability of fission reactions with neutrons occurring in 11 and fissile materials (uranium or thorium) contained in 14. In general, neutrons generated by nuclear reactions are high-speed neutrons, while the probability of neutron absorption (expressed in the absorption cross-sectional area) of fissile material is high for thermal neutrons. Therefore, in order to increase the probability of fission, it is necessary to decelerate fast neutrons into thermal neutrons. As a moderator, water (H2O) or deuterium water (D2O) with good deceleration efficiency is used.

14: fission target

Targeted to fission reactions with slowed neutrons made of fissile material uranium or thorium metal. Normally, fission produces 2-3 neutrons per fission.

15: fusion neutrons

Neutrons caused by fusion at 11. Passes moderator and turns into a thermal neutron. The trajectory in the figure shows how the neutron collides with the moderator nucleus and slows down.

16: fission neutron

Fast Neutrons Caused by Nuclear Fission at 14

17: vacuum pump and deuterium recovery

The deuterium plasma is recovered via vacuum to remove unnecessary reactions with other gases and to recover and recycle the remaining deuterium without fusion reaction at 11.

Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, other forms of embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the claims set forth below are not limited to the preferred embodiments.

1 is a view schematically showing a neutron generator according to the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

1: D2 gas injection 2: DC power

3: positive electrode plate 4: negative electrode plate

5: plasma 6: insulation plate

7: quartz tube 8: induction coil (RF oscillator)

9: Focusing Lens 10: Deuterium Ion Accelerator

11 fusion target 12 neutron reflector

13: neutron decelerator 14: fission target

15: fusion neutron 16: nuclear fission neutron

17: vacuum pump and deuterium recovery

Claims (7)

A fusion reactor that generates neutrons by fusion from deuterium gas supplied from the outside; A reducer through which the neutrons pass and for decelerating the neutrons into thermal neutrons; And A nuclear fission reactor that generates nuclear fission from the thermal neutrons to produce a plurality of fast neutrons, The fusion reactor, A plasma generator generating deuterium nuclei from the deuterium gas; An accelerator for accelerating the deuterium nucleus; And A neutron generator comprising tritium or deuterium and comprising a fusion target to which the accelerated deuterium nucleus collides . delete The method of claim 1, And the nuclear fission reactor includes a nuclear fission target for absorbing the thermal neutrons and generating the fast neutrons through nuclear fission. The method of claim 3, And the nuclear fission target is uranium or thorium. The method of claim 1, And the neutron generator further comprises a neutron reflector for reflecting the isotropically generated neutrons toward the reducer. The method of claim 5, The neutron generator, characterized in that the neutron reflector is water or carbon. The method of claim 1, The reducer is a neutron generator, characterized in that water or deuterium water.

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