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Abstract
| The Energy Amplifier (EA) is a new concept of fission system based on a subcritical assembly sustained with the neutrons generated by proton beam impact on a heavy element (spallation). This concept, proposed by the Nobel Laureate C. Rubbia (Rubbia, 1995), has remarkable capabilities in the nuclear energy field. First, it can be used to transmute radioactive wastes with a high efficiency alleviating the requirements of the geological repositories, and, second, it provides a massive energy source with the intrinsic safety derived from the use of a subcritical system and an almost null production of long-lived radioactive wastes. EA concept principles have been successfully tested by two experiments at CERN: FEAT (Andriamonge, 1995), that proved there is a net energy gain, by comparing the energy needed by the accelerator with the generated one by fission in the subcritical system. The second experiment, TARC (Abanades, 1997; Arnould, 1999) demonstrated the capability to transmute radioactive elements. The next step for EA viability demonstration is to prove its technological feasibility by developing an R&D programme that would include the construction of a prototype to integrate all the technologies needed for the device at the minimum meaningful power. The Energy Amplifier Prototype (EAP) studied in LAESA has a 5-ring hexagonal core coupled to a 380 MeV proton cyclotron. The primary cooling system is based in liquid lead with natural convection as pumping mechanism. The secondary system has the eutectic lead/bismuth as coolant, with a primary/secondary heat exchanger located at the top of the 8 m height reactor vessel. Engineering approaches to the pantograph system to load and unload the fuel bundles and the isolation window of the coupling between accelerator and core has been studied, as well as the basic structure of the nuclear vessel, including special solutions to hold the enormous weight of the vessel structure containing the liquid lead ( approximately=2700 Tm). Manufacturing strategies of such vessel has been also defined. A general approach to the control system of the plant has been done to identify the up-to-date solutions available in the market for this type of reactor plant. Results of all these preliminary engineering studies are presented in this paper. (7 refs) . |