http://nextbigfuture.com/2009/01/univer ... poses.html
New Device, Super X Divertor, Can Enable Compact Nuclear Fusion Tokomaks to Burn 99% of Uranium, Plutonium in Nuclear Waste.
The super X divertor reduces the flux heat and neutrons by about 3-4 times. Thus current materials are good enough for reactor walls.
Several tokomak reactor facilities are installing the Super X Divertor.
It is unclear from what I have read if this is just a non-net energy burning or if this will generate power or how long it would take to roll it out. 1 hybrid fusion/fission reactor to burn the waste from 10-15 LWR.
University of Texas, Compact Tokomak Fusion Fission Hybrid
Burns the uranium and plutonium in nuclear waste?
Why? Sheesh, used to be we recovered these from nuclear waste, because they are valuable fuel. Or bomb-making material, but we're currently overstocked with those, so fuel is plenty of incentive.
Burn the %$#@! nuclear waste!
Which, BTW, Dr. Bussard had in mind as one use for a DD Polywell ... use the neutrons to burn out waste.
Why? Sheesh, used to be we recovered these from nuclear waste, because they are valuable fuel. Or bomb-making material, but we're currently overstocked with those, so fuel is plenty of incentive.
Burn the %$#@! nuclear waste!
Which, BTW, Dr. Bussard had in mind as one use for a DD Polywell ... use the neutrons to burn out waste.
more specifics of what they are proposing
http://www.inspi.ufl.edu/global2009/pro ... s/9156.pdf
A fusion-assisted transmutation system for the destruction of transuranic nuclear waste is developed by combining a subcritical fusion–fission hybrid assembly uniquely equipped to burn the worst thermal nonfissile transuranic isotopes with a new fuel cycle that uses cheaper light water reactors for most of the transmutation. The center piece of this fuel cycle, the high power density compact fusion neutron source (100 MW, outer radius <3 m), is made possible by a new divertor with a heat-handling capacity five times that of the standard alternative. The number of hybrids needed to destroy a given amount of waste is an order of magnitude below the corresponding number of critical fast-spectrum reactors (FR) as the latter cannot fully exploit the new fuel cycle. Also, the time needed for 99% transuranic waste destruction reduces from centuries (with FR) to decades.
The subcritical FFTS (Fusion Fission Transmutation Scheme) acquires a definite advantage over the critical FR (Fast reacotor) approach because of its ability to support an innovative fuel cycle that makes the cheaper LWR do the bulk (75%) of the transuranic transmutation via deep burn in an inert matrix fuel form. This cycle is not accessible to the FR approach because the remaining marginally fissionable long term radiotoxic and biohazardous transuranics cannot be stably and safely burned in critical reactors. The fission part of the Hybrid consists of standard FR components; a sodium cooled metal fueled lattice featuring geometry similar to that of the Generation IV Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR) is proposed. The critical milestone in the development of the Hybrid lies in the realization of the CFNS as a relatively inexpensive, high source density fusion neutron source
A fusion-assisted transmutation system for the destruction of transuranic nuclear waste is developed by combining a subcritical fusion–fission hybrid assembly uniquely equipped to burn the worst thermal nonfissile transuranic isotopes with a new fuel cycle that uses cheaper light water reactors for most of the transmutation. The center piece of this fuel cycle, the high power density compact fusion neutron source (100 MW, outer radius <3 m), is made possible by a new divertor with a heat-handling capacity five times that of the standard alternative. The number of hybrids needed to destroy a given amount of waste is an order of magnitude below the corresponding number of critical fast-spectrum reactors (FR) as the latter cannot fully exploit the new fuel cycle. Also, the time needed for 99% transuranic waste destruction reduces from centuries (with FR) to decades.
The subcritical FFTS (Fusion Fission Transmutation Scheme) acquires a definite advantage over the critical FR (Fast reacotor) approach because of its ability to support an innovative fuel cycle that makes the cheaper LWR do the bulk (75%) of the transuranic transmutation via deep burn in an inert matrix fuel form. This cycle is not accessible to the FR approach because the remaining marginally fissionable long term radiotoxic and biohazardous transuranics cannot be stably and safely burned in critical reactors. The fission part of the Hybrid consists of standard FR components; a sodium cooled metal fueled lattice featuring geometry similar to that of the Generation IV Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR) is proposed. The critical milestone in the development of the Hybrid lies in the realization of the CFNS as a relatively inexpensive, high source density fusion neutron source