Page 28 - Demo

IX. Addendum
Neutron irradiation is used to effectively transmute and incinerate TRU separated from the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and dissolved in a molten salt. After sufficient period of cooling of the SNF the 2-tank strategy (a pair of interconnected tanks) is deployed for the transmutation and incineration. In the 1st tank the separated plutonium and the minor actinides are irradiated by neutrons in a critical () transmutator reducing plutonium and converting some neptunium and americium into curium. The minor actinides, now with higher concentration of curium, are separated and fed into the 2nd tank running as a sub-critical () transmutator driven by externally laser-generated fusion neutrons.
Fusion neutrons are produced in the intimately coupled arrangement: (1) By irradiating a nanometric foil to form deuterium beam using Coherent Acceleration of Ions by Laser (CAIL), and (2) Accelerated deuterium (D) beams are injected into a tritium (T)-saturated target where a DT fusion neutrons are produced. Neutrons interacting with TRU can either be captured (creation of another TRU) or cause fission with overall reduction of radiotoxicity. Fission is followed by the generation of fission products (FP) with the FPs to be removed by chemical separation online and the remaining TRU injected back as a part of refueling. Refueling is also accomplished with the original fuel composition (Pu+MA from reactor) or an advanced refueling with optimized ratios of Pu, Am, Np and Cm to enable efficient and safe operation.
Safety is underwritten by: (1) transparent molten salt, (2) laser and gamma monitoring, (3) subcritical operation, and (4) artificial intelligence (AI) feedback. Molten salt volume increases with increased heat, thus lengthening the fission mean free path of neutrons and averting a runaway event; this constitutes a passive safety. Laser monitoring is achieved by a