Nuclear Science: Consideration of Accelerator Production of Tritium Requires R&D
RCED-92-154
Published: Jun 15, 1992. Publicly Released: Jul 30, 1992.
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Highlights
In response to a congressional request, GAO provided information on tritium production using an particle accelerator, focusing on the: (1) current status of the accelerator concept; and (2) extent to which the Department of Energy (DOE) has considered the accelerator concept.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Energy | The Secretary of Energy should ensure that the accelerator concept is given full consideration when the advantages and disadvantages of possible tritium production options are compared. This concept would require research and development funding to better understand the feasibility and practicality of using an accelerator to produce tritium. Any program should be structured to provide timely and sufficient information for assessing the accelerator as an option in the decision on new tritium production capacity, which DOE currently has scheduled for August 1993. Now that the urgency for new tritium production capacity has been reduced, DOE should ensure that sufficient time is allowed to study and consider the technology options and their potential benefits before a final decision is made. |
DOE has allocated $30 million for research and development to investigate the feasibility and practicality of using an accelerator to produce tritium. The information developed through this effort will allow inclusion of the accelerator as an option for the future production of tritium.
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Atomic energy defense activitiesCost effectiveness analysisNuclear engineeringNuclear physicsNuclear reactorsNuclear weaponsProduction engineeringResearch and development costsStrategic materialsTechnology transfer