Energy amplifier for nuclear energy production driven by a particle beam accelerator
OwnerCarlo Rubbiainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for producing energy from a nuclear fuel material contained in an enclosure, through a process of breeding of a fissile element from a fertile element of the fuel material via a .beta.-precursor of the fissile element and fission of the fissile element. A high energy particle beam is directed into the enclosure for interacting with heavy nuclei contained in the enclosure so as to produce high energy spallation neutrons. The neutrons thereby produced are multiplied in steady sub-critical conditions by the breeding and fission process. The breeding and fission process is carried out inside the enclosure.
Claims36
A method of producing energy from a nuclear fuel material including a fertile element, comprising the steps of:
- arranging said fuel material within an enclosure also containing heavy nuclei;
- directing a high energy particle beam into the enclosure, whereby interaction of said particle beam with said heavy nuclei contained in the enclosure produces high energy spallation neutrons;
- multiplying the neutrons produced by said directing step by a steadily sub-critical process of breeding of a fissile element from said fertile element of the fuel material via a .beta.-precursor of said fissile element and fission of the fissile element, said breeding and fission process being carried out inside the enclosure;
- and
- recovering thermal energy evolved from said sub-critical breeding and fission process.
An energy amplifier comprising:
- an enclosure for containing a fuel material including a fertile element and heavy nuclei;
- and
- means for directing a high energy particle beam into the enclosure so as to produce high energy spallation neutrons from an interaction of the particle beam with the heavy nuclei contained in the enclosure, whereby the neutrons are multiplied by an in situ, steady sub-critical process of breeding a fissile element from the fertile element of the fuel material and fission of the fissile element.
An energy production installation comprising:
- an energy amplifier, said energy amplifier comprising:
- an enclosure for containing a fuel material including a fertile element and heavy nuclei;
- and
- means for directing a high energy particle beam into the enclosure so as to produce high energy neutrons from the interaction of the particle beam with the heavy nuclei contained in the enclosure, whereby the neutrons are multiplied by an in situ, steady sub-critical process of breeding a fissile element from the fertile element of the fuel material and fission of the fissile element;
- a particle accelerator for producing the high energy particle beam directed into the enclosure;
- coolant fluid circulation means for extracting heat from the enclosure;
- and
- energy conversion means for transforming heat conveyed by the coolant fluid into a readily usable form of energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.