A Role of Accelerator-Driven Reactor to Meet Future Energy Demands

Abstract

Fissile fuel can be produced at a high rate using an accelerator-driven Pu-fueled fast reactor operated at deep subcriticality. This approach avoids encountering a shortage of Pu during a high rate of growth in the production of nuclear energy. Slightly reducing the acceleration field minimizes the tripping of the beam and the radiation dose from the accelerator. Hence, the accelerator can be operated as a highly reliable industrial machine. The usefulness of a windowless liquid jet target, which eliminates the spreading of the beam and problems of radiation damage is emphasized, in association with the small size of the target. The requirements for a proton beam accelerator for this system are discussed.