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
Isotopes & Radiation
Members are devoted to applying nuclear science and engineering technologies involving isotopes, radiation applications, and associated equipment in scientific research, development, and industrial processes. Their interests lie primarily in education, industrial uses, biology, medicine, and health physics. Division committees include Analytical Applications of Isotopes and Radiation, Biology and Medicine, Radiation Applications, Radiation Sources and Detection, and Thermal Power Sources.
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Apr 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
June 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
May 2025
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.
Magdi M. H. Ragheb, Andrew C. Klein, Charles W. Maynard
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 1 | Number 1 | January 1981 | Pages 99-119
Technical Paper | Fusion | doi.org/10.13182/FST81-A19919
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Three-dimensional Monte Carlo neutronics calculations for the last mirror-beam duct system for a laser-driven fusion power reactor conceptual design, where a three-section duct with focusing mirrors and right angle bends for the last two beam reflections is modeled. The estimate of neutron leakage flux after the second beam reflection is on the order of 1014 n/(m2⋅s). Even though less in magnitude than the flux at the end point of neutral beam injectors in tokamak designs, reported in the range of 1017 n/(m2⋅s), this still leads to a neutron dose rate of 106 remjh after the second beam bend. Since space is not at a premium as in the case of magnet shields for magnetic confinement systems, minimum-cost lead mortar or concrete can be used as shielding materials instead of other minimum-thickness costly materials. An energy leakage rate of 4.6 MW of 14-MeV neutrons per beam precludes the use of concrete behind the last mirror, suggesting the use of a secondary blanket composed of a lead acetate solution with immersed Boral (Al + B4C) sheets. Boral as a penetration shielding material is found to reduce the thermal group flux around the penetration by two to three orders of magnitude, compared to aluminum, and is recommended as a duct lining material for both inertial and magnetic fusion systems. Neutron heating rates and radiation damage parameters for the duct liner compare to those at the front face of the last mirror and first wall, and will require similar elaborate thermal-hydraulic and mechanical designs.