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Nuclear Criticality Safety
NCSD provides communication among nuclear criticality safety professionals through the development of standards, the evolution of training methods and materials, the presentation of technical data and procedures, and the creation of specialty publications. In these ways, the division furthers the exchange of technical information on nuclear criticality safety with the ultimate goal of promoting the safe handling of fissionable materials outside reactors.
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2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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Latest News
Oklo to collaborate with Atomic Alchemy on isotope production
Fast reactor developer Oklo, which recently went public on the New York Stock Exchange, announced on May 13 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Atomic Alchemy to cooperate on the production of radioisotopes for medical, energy, industry, and science applications.
Wilson Cowherd, John Stillman, Leslie Foyto, Erik Wilson, Kiratadas Kutikkad, Nickie Peters, John Gahl
Nuclear Technology | Volume 207 | Number 10 | October 2021 | Pages 1538-1563
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2020.1829427
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Nonpower reactors licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission require a startup test plan as part of any facility modification to verify operability prior to resumption of operations. In order to support conversion of the University of Missouri Research Reactor from the use of highly enriched uranium to low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel, a startup test plan has been devised to measure certain reactor physics parameters for the initial all-fresh LEU core licensing documentation that will be submitted. These parameters include the approach to critical, primary coolant void coefficient of reactivity, flux trap void coefficient of reactivity, determination of flux trap sample reactivity worth, radial and axial thermal neutron flux mapping, control blade worth calibration, primary and pool coolant temperature coefficient of reactivity, and flux mapping of experimental positions. In this paper, predictions for these parameters made using the Monte Carlo N-Particle Version 5 (MCNP5) radiation transport code are reported. These predictions will support the startup tests by providing a baseline set of expectations and additional insight into the performance of the LEU core.