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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!
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Opinion: Financing the future of clean energy—Green bonds in the nuclear sector
As evidenced by the well-attended Climate Week NYC, there is a growing awareness that nuclear energy must be incorporated into national energy strategies if net-zero goals are to be achieved. In recent years, green bonds have found solid footing in the world of energy finance. These eco-friendly issuances have evolved from supporting just wind and solar projects and are increasingly being used to power much-needed growth in the civil nuclear sector. Green bonds that have been issued over the past several years in Canada, France, Finland, and the United States are now being used to support investment in nuclear projects, from breathing new life into old reactors to in certain instances supporting nuclear new build projects. However, a question remains: Can this liquidity be deployed where and when it is needed most—to support ambitious new nuclear project buildouts?
A. Radkowsky, A. Dayan, A. Y. Temkin, L. Green
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 75 | Number 3 | September 1980 | Pages 265-274
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE80-A19058
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The optimum 235U enrichment of the uranium fuel for a once-through cycle for pressurized water reactors (PWRs) is ∼20%. Such an enrichment leads to a core design having the following major advantages in safety, economy, and uranium utilization over present standard designs. 1. There is a reduction in core volume by about a factor of 2, resulting in important savings in costs of core and pressure vessel. 2. Safety will be enhanced as a result of utilization of metallic fuel elements with much greater strength and a factor of 10 better heat conduction and less stored energy than standard ceramic fuel elements. The maximum temperature is 700°F below melting, as compared with 300°F for ceramic fuel. 3. Plutonium discharge is reduced by about a factor of 7. 4. Need for a soluble neutron-absorber control is eliminated. 5. While a detailed core design was beyond the scope of this work, a relatively simple fuel management scheme appears to be feasible which would reduce initial uranium ore requirements by ∼50% of that of standard PWRs and separative work by ∼35% reduce annual usage of uranium ore by ∼15% with a slight increase in separative work.