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
Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology
Organized to promote the advancement of knowledge in the use of nuclear science and technologies in the aerospace application. Specialized nuclear-based technologies and applications are needed to advance the state-of-the-art in aerospace design, engineering and operations to explore planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond, plus enhance the safety of air travel, especially high speed air travel. Areas of interest will include but are not limited to the creation of nuclear-based power and propulsion systems, multifunctional materials to protect humans and electronic components from atmospheric, space, and nuclear power system radiation, human factor strategies for the safety and reliable operation of nuclear power and propulsion plants by non-specialized personnel and more.
Meeting Spotlight
Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2024)
August 4–7, 2024
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
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
Jul 2024
Jan 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Vogtle-3 shuts down for valve issue
One of the new Vogtle units in Georgia was shut down unexpectedly on Monday last week for a valve issue that has since been investigated and repaired. According to multiple local news outlets, Georgia Power reported on July 17 that Unit 3 was back in service.
Southern Company spokesperson Jacob Hawkins confirmed that Vogtle-3 went off line at 9:25 p.m. local time on July 8 “due to lowering water levels in the steam generators caused by a valve issue on one of the three main feedwater pumps.”
J. E. Klein
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 41 | Number 3 | May 2002 | Pages 764-775
Hydride and Storage | Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Tritium Science and Technology Tsukuba, Japan November 12-16, 2001 | doi.org/10.13182/FST02-A22689
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Titanium was selected for evaluation as a tritium storage material. Titanium-deuterium desorption isotherm data at 550, 600, 649, 700, and 760°C are presented and were used to evaluate storage vessel design loading limits. Two prototype Hydride Storage Vessels (HSVs) containing a nominal 4400 grams of Ergenics HY-STOR 106™ titanium sponge were tested to determine activation, loading, and desorption conditions. HSV titanium activation was performed using two methods. The first was vacuum evacuation using stepped temperature holds up to 600°C. The second, and preferable method, was a dry gas purge for several hours at up to 350°C followed by heated evacuations at temperatures up to 600°C. The vessels were allowed to sit idle after activation for five days before loading to determine the quality of the activation process. HSV gas loadings were performed through the process tube inserted into the hydride at 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20 SLPM, and under conditions to simulate direct loading from a 1500 liter process tank. Temperature measurements made at various locations around the vessel showed the internal maximum temperature ranged from 500°C to 700°C and varied with loading rate. Maximum external temperatures ranged from 300°C at 5 SLPM to 400°C at 20 SLPM. Loading the HSV at 20 SLPM from the tube above the level of the hydride generated at maximum internal temperature of 800°C. HSV desorptions were done under a variety of vacuum conditions at temperatures up to 700°C. HSV desorption/gas removal was greatly reduced at temperatures below 700°C, the use of one instead of both process tubes, and the choice of vacuum pumps. Integration of mass flow data was considered a more reliable method of determining HSV gas inventory than the use of titanium isotherm data. Up to 84 vol% of the gas inventory can be removed from the HSV by desorption in 24 hours, but tritium removal by isotopic exchange will be needed for vessel disposal - even if longer evacuation times were used.