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Division Spotlight
Fusion Energy
This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
Meeting Spotlight
International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2025)
April 27–30, 2025
Denver, CO|The Westin Denver Downtown
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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Latest News
Argonne’s METL gears up to test more sodium fast reactor components
Argonne National Laboratory has successfully swapped out an aging cold trap in the sodium test loop called METL (Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop), the Department of Energy announced April 23. The upgrade is the first of its kind in the United States in more than 30 years, according to the DOE, and will help test components and operations for the sodium-cooled fast reactors being developed now.
Benjamin V. Robouch, Vadim I. Volosov, Aleksandr A. Ivanov, Yurii A. Tsidulko, Yurii N. Zouev, Luigi Ingrosso, Jan S. Brzosko
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 41 | Number 1 | January 2002 | Pages 44-52
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST02-A199
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A summarized update of neutronic studies on the Novosibirsk Gas Dynamic Trap (GDT) fusion material irradiation facility (FMIF) is presented. The GDT-FMIF neutron source project is based on a mirror-type machine designed to produce 1018 D-T neutrons/s over 10 yr (3 × 1026 neutrons). The proposed massive shielding, susceptible to further shield reductions and optimization, ensures proper shielding against radiation and/or heat overdeposition in accordance with project tolerances. The present shield configuration allows 3.3 m3 of irradiation space around the plasma column: 0.06 m3 receives 0.3 × 1014 thermonuclear uncollided 14-MeV nDT-neutrons/cm2s (0.5 MW/m2), and 0.7 × 1014 with collision degraded energies (~0.7 MW/m2 total), over 7 of the 8 m of intense flux axial length, the largest nontokamak availability. This allows the irradiation of large (up to 4.5 m long) life-size components (such as welds). The delivered neutron flux relative-gradients are small (< 6.3%/cm). Simulations use the 3DAMC-VINIA Monte Carlo code in its expanded version (drizzle-shower technique, two-step cascade, etc.), ENDF/B6 and EPDL nuclear data files, and a precise model of critical parts of the GDT. Results demonstrate that the GDT-FMIF is a very suitable irradiation test facility as per International Energy Agency specifications for an FMIF. With its 37.5-cm free depth of test space, GDT is the only dedicated facility suitable for a life-size blanket-tritium-breeding/extraction benchmark at a significant neutron flux level (2 MW/m2).
