Devices and methods for transmuting materials

A device for the transmutation of fissile and non-fissile materials comprising:

• a housing;
• means for generating fast neutrons within said housing;
• a layer of fissile material positioned within said housing;
• a layer of non-fissile material positioned within said housing for fast neutron transmutation of said non-fissile material by said fast neutrons;
• a moderator positioned within said housing to thermalize said fast neutrons travelling towards said layer of fissile material to create thermalized neutrons, for thermal neutron transmutation of said fissile material;
• and
• a means for maintaining a temperature within said housing.

A method of transmutating both fissile and non-fissile materials comprising the steps of:

• providing a spallation target;
• positioning a layer of fissile material at a distance from said spallation target;
• interposing a layer of non-fissile material between said layer of fissile material and said spallation target;
• interposing a moderator between said layer of fissile material and said layer of non-fissile material;
• and thereafter
• initiating a critical self-sustaining thermal fission reaction within said layer of said fissile material to transmute at least a portion of said fissile material and to generate neutrons for transmutation of a first portion of said non-fissile material;
• and thereafter
• directing a beam of protons onto said spallation target to generate fast neutrons in response to collisions between said protons and said target, a portion of said fast neutrons for transmutation of a second portion of said non-fissile material, and residual said fast neutrons for passing through said moderator to subsequently transmute a portion of said fissile material.