Patent ID: 6738446
Filing Date: 2004-05-18
Classification: G21G,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for transmuting spent fuel from a nuclear reactor, said method comprising the steps of:separating the spent fuel into components including a first component comprising at least one fissile isotope and a second component comprising at least one nonfissile, transuranic isotope; disposing said separated first and second components in a reactor; initiating a critical, self-sustaining fission reaction in said reactor to transmute at least a portion of said first component and produce a reacted first component and a reacted second component; separating said reacted first component into fractions including a transuranic fraction comprising at least one nonfissile, transuranic isotope; reintroducing said transuranic fraction into said reactor for further transmutation; positioning said reacted second component at a distance from a spallation target; and transmuting said reacted second component with neutrons from said spallation target.