Időpont: 2019. november 06. 14:00-16:00 óra között
Helyszín: MTA Székház, Felolvasóterem, 1051 Budapest, Széchenyi István tér 9.

A program keretében angol nyelvű előadásokat hallgathatnak meg az érdeklődők a magyar-francia-amerikai együttműködésben megvalósuló projektről, melynek során a szegedi ELI-ALPS kutatóközpont lézerrendszerének felhasználásával nukleáris hulladékok könnyebb kezelését szolgáló eljárást kívánnak kifejleszteni. A projekt indításával kapcsolatos információkat az alábbi oldalakon találhat:

https://www.kormany.hu/hu/innovacios-es-technologiai-miniszterium/hirek/a-nuklearis-hulladekok-konnyebb-kezeleset-szolgalo-eljarast-dolgoznak-ki-szegeden

https://www.kormany.hu/hu/innovacios-es-technologiai-miniszterium/hirek/palkovics-laszlo-hivatalaban-fogadta-toshiki-tajimat

https://u-szeged.hu/sztehirek/2019-aprilis/szte-vezette-projekt?objectParentFolderId=25254

Novel concept for the transmutation of minor actinides in nuclear waste using laser based neutron source

Toshiki Tajima
Norman Rostoker Professor of Physics and Astronomy
University of California, Irvine
Chief Science Officer, TAE Technologies, Irvine, CA

One of the main challenges the world faces in the 21th century is the need to drastically reduce emissions of greenhouse gases while at the same time offer increased energy access and thereby economic opportunity to billions of people. Although a number of low-carbon technologies are available without using nuclear technologies the price tag to reach the deep decarbonization targets by 2050 is so high that it may seriously endanger the realization of those targets. One of the key issues that have to be solved to keep nuclear technology a viable option is handling of nuclear waste. Even if one assumes that nuclear technology will not be used in the future the disposition of the existing waste is one of the most pressing, and potentially costly environmental problems for the 21st century. There is growing consensus among experts that the optimum strategy to handle nuclear waste is to separate (partition) of the various components of spent fuel (i.e. uranium, plutonium, minor actinides, fission products etc.) and subsequently transmutate the radiotoxic material. The feasibility of the P&T strategy has been demonstrated already using neutrons generated by reactors or accelerators but the cost of those neutron sources is prohibitive for practical purposes. Recent developments in laser acceleration of particles, on the other hand, have opened up new vistas to develop laser based neutron sources. A novel concept of transmuting the radiotoxic components of nuclear waste has been proposed by T. Tajima, A. Necas, G. Mourou, S. Gales, and M. Leroy. This transmutation scheme utilizes laser driven acceleration and realtime laser monitoring of the transmutation process. The main goal is transmutation of long-lived minor actinides into short-lived radioactive nuclides or stable nuclides. The transmutator runs in a subcritical regime in a liquid phase, transparent solution of dissolved transuranic elements in a molten salt eutectic LiF-BeF2, which may be contained in a variety of appropriate chambers. Neutrons to initiate the process will be produced in a two step process. First, by irradiating a nanometric foil with high-power, short (few cycle) laser pulses accelerated deuterium beam is generated using the Coherent Acceleration of Ions by Laser (CAIL) scheme. In the second step the accelerated deuterium beams are directed into a tritium/deuterium saturated target to induce DT or DD fusion which results in the generation of 14 MeV neutrons. These neutrons are injected in the molten salt chamber to trigger the transmutation process. In addition to the subcritical operation a number passive safety features (the negative fuel coefficient, passive frozen plugs on the bottom etc.) are offered by the design to result in an inherently safe operation.


Demonstration and experimental study of high yield generation of fusion neutrons with ultrashort laser pulses and their application for transmutation of minor actinides

Gabor Szabo, Professor of Physics
Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged
Karoly Osvay, Associate Professor, Director
Institute for Applications of High Intensity Lasers in Nuclear Physics, University of Szeged

Based on recent developments in laser acceleration of ions, a novel concept for the transmutation of radioactive nuclear waste has been suggested by T. Tajima, A. Necas, G. Mourou, S. Gales, and M. Leroy. The Hungarian government has decided to support this innovative approach as a pilot project of national priority, and awarded three and a half billion forints funding for three years. The main goal of the project is the demonstration and experimental study of high yield generation of fusion neutrons with ultrashort laser pulses. Furthermore, advanced aspects of utilization of such neutrons for transmutation of transuranic minor actinide (Np, Am, Cm) elements in nuclear waste (spent fuel) will be investigated along with biomedical and material science applications of the neutron source. The most critical parts of the laser-based neutron generation experiments are planned to be executed at the ELI-ALPS laser facility in Szeged. The project is coordinated by the University of Szeged (USZ). To ensure the successful execution of the project a number of national and international collaboration partners will be involved. As a first step USZ, Ecole Politechnique, and TriAlphaEnergy (Irvine) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to express their mutual intention for collaboration.

Discussion - questions and answers

Osvay Károly alőadása itt érhető el.