Are Accelerators Ready to Drive Subcritical Nuclear Reactors?

Stuart Henderson

Fermilab

A Working Group was commissioned by the Dept. of Energy to produce a White Paper assessing the readiness of particle accelerator and target technology for application in accelerator-driven subcritical nuclear reactor systems, also known as accelerator driven systems (ADS). Such systems could find application in the transmutation of nuclear waste, generation of electrical power, and in the production of fissile materials for advanced fuel cycles. The Working Group assessed the state-of-the-art in accelerator and spallation target technology and its readiness for meeting the various ADS missions. In this presentation the results of the White Paper working group will be presented, with a focus on the readiness of accelerator and target technology for ADS.