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AcceleratorDrivenSubcriticalReactors

AcceleratorDrivenSubcriticalReactors
PanosBaxevanis
February22,2013
SubmittedascourseworkforPH241,StanfordUniversity,Winter2013

Introduction
The concept of an acceleratordriven subcritical
reactor (ADSR) is based on the idea of coupling a
fissionreactortoaparticle accelerator. Currently, the
production of energy from nuclear power plants
requires the use of critical reactors, in which the
numberofneutronsreleasedbyfissionisjustenough
tosustainacontrolledchainreaction.AnADSRrelies
instead on a subcritical reactor, in which more
neutrons are absorbed than generated and a self
sustainedchainreactionisnotpossible.Torunsucha
device at a constant fission (and power) level, Fig.1:ADSRschematic(Source:Wikimedia
additionalneutronsarecreatedbybombardingaheavy Commons)
metal target inside the reactor with a highenergy
protonbeamsuppliedbyanaccelerator(aprocessknownasspallation).Afractionofthereactor'senergy
outputisinturnusedtopowertheaccelerator.ThemainadvantageofanADSRisincreasedsafety,by
theoreticallyeliminatingtheriskofcriticalityaccidents.[1]However,severaltechnicalchallengesneed
tobeovercomebeforeafullyoperationalsystem could be built. Apart from the production of energy,
ADSRshavealsobeenproposedasaneffectivewaytotransmuteradioactiveisotopescontainedinthe
spentfuelofexistingreactors,thuscontributingtothesolutionoftheproblemofnuclearwastedisposal.

EnergyProduction
A potential substantial increase in the demand for nuclear energy would necessitate the adoption of a
moreefficientuseoftheworldreservesofnuclearfuel.This,inturn,wouldrequiretheuseofbreeder
reactors,whichproducethefissilefueltheyconsumebyirradiatingsuitablefertilenucleiwithneutrons.
The choice of thorium (Th232) is particularly attractive, partly because it is more abundant than the
uraniumalternative(U238).Uponcapturinganeutron,aTh232nucleusbecomesTh233.Thedecay
chainofthelatterproducesthefissileuraniumisotopeU233,whichhasfissioncharacteristicssimilarto
those of U235. Another advantage of thorium is that its irradiation produces minimal amounts of
plutoniumandothertransuranicelementssuchasneptunium,americiumandcurium.Thissubstantially
reduces proliferation risks (due to Pu239 and its use in nuclear weapons) as well as the radiological
hazardsposedbyheavyminoractinidesinthespentreactorfuel.
ThemostprominentproposalforanADSRusingthoriumfuel and optimized for energy production is
thatofCarloRubbia,whichreferredtothisconceptastheEnergyAmplifier.[2]Thisisareactorwitha
fast neutron spectrum and a subcritical core which contains thorium and an initial quantity of fissile
material,suchasplutoniumfrom a conventional light water reactor. Molten lead is chosen as coolant,
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both for its thermodynamic properties and because it does not slow down the neutrons. Apart from
extractingheatfromthecore,thecoolantalsoactsasaspallationtargetforneutronproduction.Todrive
thesystem,aprotonacceleratorwithanenergyof1GeVandabeamcurrentofabout10mAisrequired.
Toachievesuchspecifications,onecanuseacceleratorswithcirculargeometry(suchascyclotrons)or
linear accelerators (linacs). [3] Since the power output (with a nominal thermal power of about 1500
MW) is to be regulated by variations of the proton beam intensity, no control rods are necessary.
Reprocessingofthespentfuelconsistsofthoriumreplenishmentandfissionproductremoval.Theminor
actinidesarereloadedinthereactorastheirhighfissionprobabilitywithfastneutronsallowsfortheir
moreefficientincineration(i.e.destructionbyfission).

WasteTransmutation
Apartfromsafety,anothernotableadvantageofasubcriticalsystemisthatitcanutilizefuelwithless
thanoptimalneutronicproperties.Inparticular,aconventionalcriticalreactorlargely relies on delayed
neutrons(i.e.neutronsemittedafterafissioneventbyoneofitsfragments)forkeepingthechainreaction
under control. Compared to uranium, minor actinides emit a smaller number of delayed neutrons and
wouldthereforebeconsideredunsafeforuseintheexistingsystems.Ontheotherhand,anADSRhasa
highertolerancelevelwithrespecttothefuel'sdelayedneutronfractionandcouldbeusedforlargescale
minoractinideincineration.[1]
RelevantADSRproposals,focusingmoreonwastetransmutationandincineration,havebeenputforth
by Bowman. [4] They generally refer to a thermal subcritical reactor in which the fuel (in molten salt
form)consistsofaquantityofactinidestobeincinerated(plutoniumorheavyMAssuchasamericiumor
curium). An additional amount of solid thorium may also be used for extra neutron production. The
liquidfuelcirculatescontinuouslythroughanextractionfacilitywhichremovesthestableandshortlived
fissionproducts.Thespallationneutronsaregeneratedbydirectinga1GeVprotonbeamagainstalead
targetinsidethereactorandarethenthermalizedusingheavywaterasmoderator.Suchathermalsystem
requireslessfissilematerialtorunbutismorecomplextobuildthanafastreactor.

ChallengesCurrentDevelopments
ThemaintechnicalchallengeforADSRshastodowithdevelopingareliableacceleratorwithsufficient
power to drive the reactor (an average proton beam power of 10 MW is required for the Energy
Amplifier).Atpresent,protonacceleratorswithenergyinthe1GeVrangearelimitedtoabout1.5MW
intermsofbeampower.Forinstance,thesynchrotronfortheSpallationNeutronSourceatOakRidge
National Laboratory has a design power of 1.44 MW (at 1 GeV), though upgrades to 3 MW are
envisioned. [5] Another important figure of merit is the beam availability, which should be improved
from the current 8590% level to at least 95% if commercial ADSR operation is to be achieved. [1]
Recently,theMYRRHAprojecthassparkedrenewedinterestinpursuinganR&DprogramforADSRs.
[6]MYRRHA(MultipurposehYbridResearchReactorforHightechApplications)isafast,subcritical
systemunderdevelopmentbytheBelgianNuclearResearchCentre(SCKCEN)withEU(andpossible
international)funding.ThemainobjectiveoftheprojectistodemonstratetheADSRconceptatapower
level(100MW)whichwouldallowafutureextrapolationtoanindustrialscalereactorandalsotostudy
minor actinide transmutation techniques. The driving accelerator is a 600 MeV proton linac with an
average current of 4 mA. A LeadBismuth eutectic is used as coolant while mixed oxide (MOX) fuel
forms the core of the reactor. A critical mode is also available for reactor research and radioisotope
production.Total cost is estimated at $1.2 billion, with the facility projected to be fully operational in
2023.
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Conclusions
Acceleratordrivensubcriticalreactorsarehybridsystemsthatpromisearangeofimportantadvantages
over conventional reactors. These include increased safety (and therefore better public acceptance of
nuclearpower),lessproliferationissues,greatlyreducedradioactivewasteproductionandthepotential
tousethemfortransmutingexistingnuclearwaste.Thoughalotofadditionalresearchanddevelopment
(mainly in developing the required accelerator technologies) is necessary before this concept can be
realized,alargescaleprojectsuchasMYRRHAshowsthatthereisactiveinterestinpursuingtheideaof
anADSR.
PanosBaxevanis.Theauthorgrantspermissiontocopy,distributeanddisplaythisworkinunaltered
form, with attribution to the author, for noncommercial purposes only. All other rights, including
commercialrights,arereservedtotheauthor.

References
[1] H. Nifenecker, O. Meplan and S. David, Accelerator Driven Subcritical Reactors (Taylor and
Francis,2003).
[2] C. Rubbia et al., "Conceptual Design of a Fast Neutron Operated High Power Energy Amplifier",
EuropeanOrganizationforNuclearResearch,CERN/AT/9544,29Sep95.
[3]S.Humphries,Jr.,PrinciplesofChargedParticleAcceleration(Dover,2012).
[4] C.D. Bowman etal., "Nuclear Energy Generation and Waste Transmutation Using an Accelerator
DrivenIntenseThermalNeutronSource",Nucl.Instr.Meth.A320,336,(1992).
[5]S.D.Henderson,"SpallationNeutronSourceOperationat1MWandBeyond,"OakRidgeNational
Laboratory,September2010.
[6]H.A.Abderrahimetal.,"MYRRHAAMultiPurpose Fast Spectrum Research Reactor," Energy
ConversionandManagement63,4,(2012).

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