Travelingwave reactor and condition of existence of nuclear burning soliton-like wave in neutron-multiplying media

Abstract

Physical fundamentals of traveling wave reactor are considered. We show that the condition of existence of nuclear burning soliton-like wave in a neutron-multiplying medium is determined in general by two conditions. The first condition (necessary) is determined by relationship between the equilibrium concentration and critical concentration of active (fissionable) isotope that is a consequence of the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization condition. The second condition (sufficient) is set by the so-calledWigner quantum statistics, or more accurately, by a statistics of the Gaussian simplectic ensembles with respect to the parameter that describes the squared width of burning wave front of nuclear fuel active component. © 2011 by the authors.