ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Reactor Physics
The division's objectives are to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the fundamental physical phenomena characterizing nuclear reactors and other nuclear systems. The division encourages research and disseminates information through meetings and publications. Areas of technical interest include nuclear data, particle interactions and transport, reactor and nuclear systems analysis, methods, design, validation and operating experience and standards. The Wigner Award heads the awards program.
Meeting Spotlight
2024 ANS Winter Conference and Expo
November 17–21, 2024
Orlando, FL|Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
Latest Magazine Issues
Nov 2024
Jul 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
December 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
November 2024
Latest News
NPR highlights Nuclear Emergency Support Team
The little-known Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST) was highlighted recently on the popular NPR show “All Things Considered” and was accompanied by an online feature.
N. S. Klimov, V. L. Podkovyrov, A. M. Zhitlukhin, A. D. Muzichenko, D. V. Kovalenko, A. B. Putrik, I. B. Kupriyanov, R. N. Giniyatulin, A. A. Gervash, V. M. Safronov
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 66 | Number 1 | July-August 2014 | Pages 118-124
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST13-759
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The beryllium (Be) plasma-facing components (PFCs) of the ITER first wall (FW) were tested in the plasma gun QSPA-Be under pulsed plasma heat loads of 0.5-ms duration relevant to those expected in ITER during transient plasma events (edge-localized modes and disruptions). The experiments were performed for different Be grades (Russian TGP-56FW and US S65-C). The measured Be melting threshold decreases from 0.5 MJm−2 down to 0.4 MJm−2 with Be initial temperature increasing in the range of 250–500 °C. Under plasma heat loads on the exposed surface below the melting point the Be PFC erosion was mainly due to melting of the plasma-facing and lateral edges of the Be tiles. Under plasma heat loads above the melting point the Be PFC erosion was mainly due to intense melt layer movement and splashing. The Be melt layer behavior at 0.5 and 1.0 MJm−2 is similar to early investigated W melt layer behavior at higher heat loads of 1.0 and 1.5 MJm−2 correspondingly. Unlike W the Be erosion rate significantly increases with initial temperature in the range of 250–500 °C. These experimental observations are supported by calculation of temperature dynamics and melt layer thickness dynamics.