Open AccessEvaluation of the characteristics of a hybrid power nuclear mini-reactor fueled by super-heavy elements
Author(s) -
В. С. Окунев
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
iop conference series. materials science and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1757-899X
pISSN - 1757-8981
DOI - 10.1088/1757-899x/1100/1/012001
Subject(s) - nuclide , nuclear engineering , nuclear physics , fission , neutron , isotope , spent nuclear fuel , neutron cross section , nuclear fission , delayed neutron , physics , isotopes of uranium , neutron source , neutron flux , neutron temperature , engineering
The concept of a hybrid mini-reactor capable of operating in the mode of a nuclear fission reactor (on fast neurons), in the mode of a radionuclide source and simultaneously in both modes is considered. It is proposed to use the most long-lived isotopes of the 114th, 126th, and possibly 120th elements as fuel for such a mini-reactor. Such nuclides have not yet been obtained in laboratories around the world. The neutron effective cross sections and macroscopic cross sections for the nuclei of super-heavy elements are estimated. A simple and effective mathematical model of the neutron-physical calculation of a mini-reactor with fuel based on super-heavy nuclei is proposed. The model is based on the one-group diffusion approximation. The uncertainties of the cross sections are so great that the use of more accurate and high-precision calculation models can hardly be justified. The results of neutron-physical calculations of a mini-reactor with fuel based on the longest-lived isotopes of the 114th and 126th elements are presented. The critical mass of a ball (without a reflector) made from 114 Fl will be 1.492 kg; the critical radius will be less than 2.48 cm. (For element 342 126 1.474 kg and less than 2.33 cm respectively.)