Dear Haiko,
The process involves the generation of neutrons using an accelerator. These neutrons are applied to the nuclear waste in the hope that isotopes are generated having a shorter half-life than the original nuclear waste. The accelerator would generate neutrons having an energy for which the target isotope has a high cross-section for reaction. This might work for a few elements, but is a desperate and expensive way to get rid of radioactivity. If course, the apparatus will be activated by stray neutrons so that the process will have to be done remotely. Consequently, one problem will be solved while creating several more, which seems to be the universal approach used these days.
Regards, Ed
Haiko Lietz wrote:
Dear all,
"France and Belgium to study transmutation (...) opening the door to a new treatment for radioactive waste."
http://www.neimagazine.com/story.asp?sectioncode=132&storyCode=2026967
I think it's interesting that they're now also working on nuclear waste remediation with conventional methods. Does anybody have information about the process they use? I don't understand it from reading these words.
Best
Haiko
