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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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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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Latest News
ARPA-E announces $40 million to develop transmutation technologies for UNF
The Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) announced $40 million in funding to develop cutting-edge technologies to enable the transmutation of used nuclear fuel into less-radioactive substances. According to ARPA-E, the new initiative addresses one of the agency’s core goals as outlined by Congress: to provide transformative solutions to improve the management, cleanup, and disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.
Pavel Vladimirov, Dmitry Bachurin, Vladimir Borodin, Vladimir Chakin, Maria Ganchenkova, Alexander Fedorov, Michael Klimenkov, Igor Kupriyanov, Anton Moeslang, Masaru Nakamichi, Tamaki Shibayama, Sander Van Til, Milan Zmitko
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 66 | Number 1 | July-August 2014 | Pages 28-37
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST13-776
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Beryllium is a promising functional material for several breeder system concepts to be tested within the experimental fusion reactor ITER and, later, implemented in the first commercial demonstration fusion power plant DEMO. For these applications its resistance to neutron irradiation and the detrimental effects of radiogenic gases (helium and tritium) is crucial for fusion reactor safety, subsequent waste management and material recycling. A reliable prediction of beryllium behavior under fusion irradiation conditions requires both dedicated experiments and advanced modeling. Characterization of the reference and alternative beryllium pebble grades was performed in terms of their microstructure and tritium release properties. The results are discussed with respect to their application in fusion blanket systems. The outcomes from the HIDOBE-01 post irradiation experiment (PIE) are discussed to highlight several interesting features manifested by beryllium irradiation at fusion relevant temperatures. Titanium beryllide is presently developed as a possible substitute for beryllium pebbles as it shows better oxidation resistance, higher melting temperature and tritium release efficiency. Pebbles consisting predominantly of Be12Ti phase were successfully fabricated at Rokkasho, Japan. Recent advances in modeling provide new insights on the production of point defects and the behavior of helium and hydrogen impurities in beryllium, improving understanding of the mechanisms of primary damage production, hydrogen's effect on the size and the shape of gas bubbles, and tritium removal from the pebbles. The relevance of the experimental and modeling results on irradiated beryllium for the design of a fusion demonstration reactor is evaluated, and recommendations for future R&D programs are proposed.