|An accelerator driven system (ADS) is a neutron source created by coupling a proton accelerator, a spallation source and a sub-critical core. |
The main advantage of an ADS is its non-critical fission core, i.e. a core that cannot on its own sustain the fission chain reactions. The accelerator is the driver of the ADS system. It provides the high energy protons that are used in the spallation target to create neutrons which in their turn feed the sub-critical core.
One dominant feature of an ADS is its inherent safety: the reactor is switched off at the moment the proton beam is switched off.