加速器驱动的次临界系统生产 <sup>233</sup>U 的可行性研究
摘要
Accelerator Driven Sub-critical System (ADS) is a technological integration of accelerator and nuclear reactor, and aims to cope with the increasing demand of radioactive nuclear waste disposal. In this paper we discuss the possibility to produce the fissile <sup>233</sup>U with ADS and estimate the required performance of accelerator and the efficiency of <sup>233</sup>U production. We propose that one should use Be as the moderator and breeder to control the neutron energy in the range of 1 keV<sup>-1</sup> MeV in order to depress the production of <sup>232</sup>U, and may further use heavy water as the moderator to improve the purity of <sup>233</sup>U. The yield <sup>233</sup>U could be burned in the thermal reactors after purification or used to be the initial loading of Thorium molten salt reactor so that the excellent properties of <sup>233</sup>U in thermal neutron environment could be properly exploited. We show that it is probable to produce the <sup>233</sup>U with ADS in view of the technological and economical aspects. Our results indicate that the fast reactor rather than slow reactor should be used if one of the main goals of ADS is to produce <sup>233</sup>U. We suggest to further study the Thorium-based reactor, the technology of <sup>233</sup>U purification and radiation-protection, etc.