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Division Spotlight
Thermal Hydraulics
The division provides a forum for focused technical dialogue on thermal hydraulic technology in the nuclear industry. Specifically, this will include heat transfer and fluid mechanics involved in the utilization of nuclear energy. It is intended to attract the highest quality of theoretical and experimental work to ANS, including research on basic phenomena and application to nuclear system design.
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!
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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.”
Ralph W. Moir, Joseph D. Lee, R. Carroll Maninger, William S. Neef, Jr., Albert E. Sherwood, David H. Berwald, Jackson H. DeVan, Jungchung Jung
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 8 | Number 1 | July 1985 | Pages 133-148
Technical Paper | Blanket Comparison and Selection Study | doi.org/10.13182/FST85-A24678
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The concept described for the blanket surrounding a fusion reaction chamber is based on the use of molten fluoride salts to convert fusion energy into electricity and to breed the tritium fuel for the fusion power plant. Helium cools the first-wall and the blanket internals, which consist of a bed of beryllium balls in which neutrons are multiplied. The neutrons are used to breed tritium and also to release extra energy in exothermic nuclear reactions. Tritium is bred in the molten Flibe salt (LiF + BeF2) that flows slowly (∼0.1 m/s) in steel tubes and is removed from the salt and the helium by processing both streams. Because the solubility of tritium in Flibe salt is so low, there is a strong driving force for tritium permeation. A 10-µm-thick tungsten permeation barrier, deposited by chemical vapor deposition on the salt-carrying tubes, is proposed for preventing excessive tritium permeation into the helium stream. A 1-mm-thick aluminum jacket on the steel steam generator tubes is proposed to prevent excessive tritium permeation into the steam system. Flibe salt has safety advantages with respect to large accidents in that it will not react with air or water, in contrast to liquid lithium. For the first time, a method is proposed for recycling solid material in fusion blankets. To accomplish this, beryllium pebbles were chosen because the pebbles can be loaded into the blanket after manufacturing and, to accommodate radiation-induced swelling, can be moved periodically by flowing. Once the balls have reached their radiation damage lifetime, they can be removed from the blanket for refabrication and recycle.