Ground laying proposals

The renewed interest in ADSRs originates essentially in the proposals made by Bowman [2] and Rubbia [3]. The first advocated a molten salt thermal — neutron subcritical reactor, while the second advocated a solid fuel, lead cooled fast-neutron subcritical reactor. Almost all more recent work on ADSRs elaborates on these two ‘primordial’ proposals. This is why we devote this chapter essentially to them.

12.1 Solid fuel reactors

We shall concentrate on the system proposed by Rubbia. Similar proposals have been made or are being considered in the US [136] and Japan [137].