Abrégé

A method and a device for treating a long half-life radioactive materials such as radioactive waste materials generated by power plants and radioactive residues of abandoned nuclear weapons, and mining processes, wherein an active core (118) includes a transition metal such as Ni, Cr, Mn, Fe, in the form of clusters nanostructures, which have a number of atoms lower than a predetermined number of atoms, so that once it is brought into contact with hydrogen and into suitable trigger conditions, a reaction with hydrogen can occur comprising a capture of H- ions, a proton generation and nuclear capture or expulsion of the latter from the nuclei of the transition metal. A second material comprising a long half-life radioactive material is arranged along with the first material in a treatment chamber (153), so that the reaction between the transition metal and hydrogen (131) causes transmutation reactions of the radioactive material. According to a first aspect of the invention (Fig. 1), the radioactive material belongs to active core (118) and is in contact with the transition metal, in particular it may be itself a further transition metal, arranged in initially existing cluster nanostructures or in cluster nanostructures that are formed during the reaction of the transition metal, which may react with hydrogen forming radioactive products whose half-life is shorter than the starting radioactive materials half-life. The radioactive materials may comprise also a material, for example 137Cs, 90Sr, that is suitable for to reacting with the protons that are produced during the reaction of the transition metals with hydrogen. According to another aspect of the invention, the radioactive material, which is suitable for reacting with the protons produced during the reaction of the transition metals with hydrogen, is arranged at a distance from the transition metal, such that the protons can reach the radioactive materials and give rise to proton-dependent transmutation reactions.

Classes IPC  ?

• G21B 3/00 - Réacteurs de fusion nucléaire à basse température, p.ex. réacteurs de fusion dite froide

Abrégé

Technical problems: to increase the energy that can be obtained and to make it possible an adjusting the power supplied according to a method and an apparatus (101) to obtain energy by nuclear reactions between hydrogen (31) and a primary material (19) of an active core (18) comprising cluster crystal nanostructures a transition metal, where the hydrogen is kept in contact in a generation chamber (53) with such clusters at a temperature of process predetermined, and wherein by an impulsive action on the primary material, is caused an orbital capture reaction of H- ions by the clusters and then of capture by the atoms of the cluster, generating thermal energy associated with the reaction heat of said reactions and removing thermal power starting from this thermal energy. Solution: Prearranging means for generating (60) of in H- ions, in order to cause a transition from a first concentrating said H- ions to a second concentrating said H- ions in said hydrogen (31) in contact with cluster active core (18), in particular by means of ionizing said hydrogen (31), The ionization can be carried out for impact of the hydrogen (31) on an electron-donor material, in particular selected between the alkaline metals and alkaline-earth and arranged near the active core (18); or supplying to the hydrogen (31) an energy vector (69) as a radiations ionising, for example of type α, β, γ, X, laser, UV, or as a beam of particles for example protons, hyperons, mesons, leptons, metal ions which, through a source or owing to reactions between a suitable for secondary material and protons coming from the transition metal during the orbital capture; or reducing the collection of thermal power for causing an increase of temperature of Active core (18).

Classes IPC  ?

• G21B 3/00 - Réacteurs de fusion nucléaire à basse température, p.ex. réacteurs de fusion dite froide

Abrégé

Technical problems: increasing and regulating the power obtained according to a method and by an apparatus based on nuclear reactions between hydrogen (31) and a primary material (19) comprising cluster nanostructures (21) of a transition metal, in which hydrogen is kept in contact with the clusters (21) within a generation chamber, at a determined process temperature, and in which a process comprising an orbital capture reaction of H- ions (35) by clusters (21) and then a capture reaction by the atoms (38) of the cluster (21) is triggered by impulsively acting on the primary material (19), thus generating an energy as a primary reaction heat (Q1). Solution: arranging a secondary material (28) such as Lithium and/or Boron and/or a transition metal as 232Th, 236U, 239U, 239Pu within a predetermined distance (L) from the clusters (21) of primary material (19), such that secondary material (28) faces primary material (19), said secondary material (28) adapted to interact with protons (35"') that are emitted by/from primary material (19) during the above process. Secondary material (28) reacts with such protons (35"') according to nuclear proton-dependent reactions releasing a secondary reaction heat (Q2) that is added to primary reaction heat (Q1). According to an aspect of the invention, a step, and a means thereto, is provided of/for regulating the heat produced, by adjusting the amount of secondary material (28) that is arranged close to and facing primary material (19).

Classes IPC  ?

• G21B 3/00 - Réacteurs de fusion nucléaire à basse température, p.ex. réacteurs de fusion dite froide