A Research Program Nuclear Energy Conversion

Track I: Power GenerationIncludes audio file (21 min.)Direct conversion of nuclear energy to electricity has been a challenging problem since the inception of the generation of electricity from nuclear reactions. The development of wide bandgap, p-n junctions in materials such as diamond, gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, and silicon carbide is at the heart of this research. A p-n junction in materials with band-gaps greater than 3 eV can be used in nuclear energy conversion in multiple ways. For example, for direct conversion of the kinetic energy of particles from the decay of radioisotopes, a diamond p-n junction has some unique advantages. It is less susceptible to radiation damage than SiC, GaN, and AlN because, at high temperatures, it can self-anneal point defects caused by radiation damage. A method which eliminates the radiation damage problem is a Two-Step Photon Intermediate Direct Energy Conversion (PIDEC) method that uses the efficient generation of photons from the interaction of particulate radiation with fluorescer media. The photons are then transported to wide band-gap photovoltaic cells where electrical current is generated. PIDEC holds the promise of 40% energy conversion efficiency in a single cycle. PIDEC can be applied both to large power generation systems and to small scale nuclear batteries based on radioisotopes (Radioisotope Energy Conversion System-RECS). Students and faculty have built a test stand for the PIDEC and RECS concepts which tests the physics of fluorescence production from the interaction of radiation with various fluorescer media, the transport of photons, radiation shielding methods, photovoltaic conversion with wide band-gap photovoltaic cells, and conversion efficiencies. The technology is licensed to a Missouri company (US Semiconductor, Independence MO) and is helping to facilitate economic development in the State of Missouri

Neutron and gamma ray spectroscopic detection system

The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office's mission is to improve the nation's ability to detect unauthorized nuclear importation, and the office was allocated $1.2 billion to accomplish its goal. The office has invested heavily in advanced spectroscopic portals, but these have turned out to have very low detection efficiencies despite the fact that they cost nearly$400,000 a piece. However, the office continues to search for new technologies that adequately detect neutrons. This invention, developed at this premier nuclear engineering school with the largest research reactor in the country, proposes a novel solution for neutron detection. Diamond based detection systems are becoming popular with the technological advances in CVD diamond film growth technologies. Within the past ten years, diamond film purities have reached levels that allow undoped diamond plates to be used as an intrinsic semiconductor. With this, several charged particle and ultra-violet detection systems have been developed, along with a few neutron detection systems. Neutron detection utilizing diamond use neutron absorption into carbon for fast neutron detection. However, the cross section for this detection mechanism is small and so these detection systems are limited in their active detection volume. If the volume of the diamond detection medium were increased, then this detection mechanism would become advantageous. Even more so, the elastic scattering cross section of neutrons from diamond is higher than that of neutron absorption and does not have a 5.7 MeV threshold. Therefore, by increasing the diamond detection volume, another avenue of detection and spectroscopic determination of neutron sources becomes available. There are two ways of doing this, through advancing the CVD growth technology limitations, or through innovation. Here, a plate combination mechanism is proposed that allows the increase in the active detection volume while maintaining all other characteristics of single diamond plates. Potential Areas of Applications: * Homeland Security (sea ports, airports, border crossings) * Nuclear reactor design and managemen

Storing hydrogen, by enhancing diamond powder properties with CaF2 and KF for use in fuel cells

Abstract only availableWhaaaat!!!!!!!!! Hydrogen as a fuel? Yes just like you read it, hydrogen is becoming the best alternative to change our economical dependence on fossil fuels. Today fossil fuels are the main source of energy in the world, covering over 80% of these needs, and most of this fuel is used in transportation systems. Hydrogen covers about 75% of matter in the universe, being by far one of the most abundant elements; it is also a very simple atom that consists of an electron and proton. Since hydrogen can easily provide energy; a technology called fuel cells has been developed. A fuel cell is like a battery that instead of using electricity to recharge itself, it uses hydrogen. In the fuel cell industry, one of the main problems is storing hydrogen in a safe way and extracting it economically. Gaseous hydrogen requires high pressures which could be very dangerous in case of a collision. The success of hydrogen use depends largely on the development of an efficient storage and release method. In an effort to develop a better hydrogen storage system for fuel cells technology this research investigates the use of 99% pure diamond powder for storing hydrogen. Mixing this powder with a calcium fluoride and potassium fluoride compound in its solid form and treating the surface of the powder with hydrogen plasma, modifies the surface of the diamond. After some filtration through distilled water and drying, the modified diamond is treated with hydrogen. We expect hydrogen to be attracted to the diamond powder surface in higher quantities due to the CaF2 and KF treatment. Due to the large surface area of diamond nanopowder and the electronegative terminal bonds of the fluorine particles on the structure's surface, to the method shows promise in storing high densities of hydrogen.Louis Stokes Missouri Alliance for Minority Participatio

Model of two-picometer deuteron clusters for LENR supported by laser emission of nuclear reactions products

Results about nuclear reactions of deuterons in 2 pm distance was specified in support of the experiments for LENR based on an evaluation of results of Prelas et al. were a Coulomb screening by a factor 13 was derived. These results were especially fitting the later results of ultrahigh density clusters fulfilling conditions of Bose-Einstein condensation where the conditions of surface states with swimming electron layers appeared to be of advantage. These results are now supported by recent measurement of emission of nuclear reaction products from the states of clusters within the voids in crystals (Schottky defects). An evaluation of these developments is presented for comparison about ongoing experimental results of LENR with the measurements of large amounts of neutrons from nuclear reactions in the LENR sources. These results are supported by the detailed quantum mechanical evaluation of the Coulomb screening computations which arrived at the same values as the phenomenological evaluations of the measurements of Prelas et al.

A Research Program on Very High Temperature Reactors

Track I: Power GenerationIncludes audio file (27 min.)Prismatic and pebble bed very high-temperature reactors (VHTRs) are very attractive both from a thermodynamic efficiency viewpoint and hydrogen-production capability. This project addresses numerous challenges associated with the fuel cycle, materials, and complex fluid dynamics and heat transfer. The objectives of the project are to: i. Conduct physical experiments for fission product transport phenomena in the overcoating and compact structural graphite and transport through TRISO coating layers; ii. Develop improved sorption measurement techniques to measure the accumulation of condensable radionuclides (“plateout”) in the VHTR primary coolant circuit and obtain representative data; iii. Develop advanced computations of charged, radioactive dust (aerosol) transport in the VHTR coolant circuit and confinement by exploring direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) techniques for deposition and resuspension and conduct experiments to verify computational predictions; iv. Develop a program to measure emissivity for various VHTR component materials, both bare and oxidized, and obtain extensive data; v. Develop an experimental program to characterize gas, fission product, and particle flows in the complex geometries of pebble bed modular reactors (PBMRs) and help improve computational approaches and computer programs through experimental understandings. This project is leading to research training of about a dozen Ph D students at the participating universities. Upon graduation, these students will be able to contribute even more effectively to the future challenges in the global deployment of nuclear power generation and hydrogen technologies. We will discuss the VHTR technology and research challenges. We also describe progress on the project by the three Consortium participants

Nuclear-pumped lasers

This book focuses on Nuclear-Pumped Laser (NPL) technology and provides the reader with a fundamental understanding of NPLs, a review of research in the field, and exploration of large scale NPL system design and applications. Early chapters look at the fundamental properties of lasers, nuclear-pumping and nuclear reactions that may be used as drivers for nuclear-pumped lasers. The book goes on to explore the efficient transport of energy from the ionizing radiation to the laser medium and then the operational characteristics of existing nuclear-pumped lasers. Models based on Mathematica, explanations and a tutorial all assist the reader’s understanding of this technology. Later chapters consider the integration of the various systems involved in NPLs and the ways in which they can be used, including beyond the military agenda. As readers will discover, there are significant humanitarian applications for high energy/power lasers, such as deflecting asteroids, space propulsion, power transmission and mining. This book will appeal to graduate students and scholars across diverse disciplines, including nuclear engineering, laser physics, quantum electronics, gaseous electronics, optics, photonics, space systems engineering, materials, thermodynamics, chemistry and physics

Corrosive Resistant Diamond Coatings for the Acid Based Thermo-Chemical Hydrogen Cycles

This project was designed to test diamond, diamond-like and related materials in environments that are expected in thermochemical cycles. Our goals were to build a High Temperature Corrosion Resistance (HTCR) test stand and begin testing the corrosive properties of barious materials in a high temperature acidic environment in the first year. Overall, we planned to test 54 samples each of diamond and diamond-like films (of 1 cm x 1 cm area). In addition we use a corrosion acceleration method by treating the samples at a temperature much larger than the expected operating temperature. Half of the samples will be treated with boron using the FEDOA process

Nuclear Pumping of the Atomic Carbon Laser

127 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1980.Experiments which led to the discovery of five new nuclear pumped laser systems and the kinetic modeling of one of these systems were accomplished in this study. (Energy was derived from the n(,th) + 10(,B) (--->) (alpha) + ('7)Li + 2.35 MeV reaction). The five systems oscillated upon the same transition of atomic carbon: C(3p ('1)P(,1))(--->)C(3s ('1)P(,1) ) + 1.454 (mu)m. However, the systems utilized 5 types of mixtures to achieve lasing; He + CO, He + CO(,2), Ne + CO, Ne + CO(,2), and Ar + CO(,2).Several unique features were evident in the atomic carbon nuclear pumped laser (NPL) systems. First, the systems required an extremely low power deposition in comparison to their electrically pumped laser (EPLs) counterpart: He + CO, CO(,2) - NPL (TURN)1.0 W/cm('3), EPL (TURN)90 W/cm('3)-, Ne + CO, CO(,2) - NPL (TURN)9.0 W/cm('3), EPL (TURN)900 W/cm('3). Secondly, the Ar + CO(,2) system oscillated with the nuclear pumping source but had not oscillated with the electrical pumping source. Finally, delays between the laser signal and the excitation pulse (i.e., thermal neutron pulse from the U of Ill TRIGA reactor) of up to 5 ms were observed.The delays were evident only in mixtures which required multiple stops to populate the upper laser level (ULL). Since the main method of transferring energy to the carbon donor species (e.g., CO and CO(,2)) in the NPL is through the rare gas metastable, the delay was observed only in mixtures where the metastable energy was insufficient to dissociate the carbon donor and directly populate the ULL (He + CO(,2), Ne + CO, Ne + CO(,2) and Ar + CO(,2)).A theoretical and experimental program was undertaken to demonstrate the cause of the delays observed in the He + CO(,2) system. It was found that recombination was not a dominant mechanism by observing both cascading transitions to the ULL and the laser. Thus a direct method of populating the ULL, such as that shown to be dominant in the atomic carbon EPL with mixtures of He + CO in previous studies, occurs:He* + CO (--->) C(3p ('1)P(,1)) + 0 + HeThe delay in He + CO(,2) mixtures was determined to be caused by a series of slow processes and long lived states which eventually lead to the production of CO:He* + CO(,2) (--->) CO* + He + 0CO(,2)('+) + e + HeCO(,2)('+) + e (--->) CO* + OCO* + M (--->) CO + M + (DELTA)EU of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD