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
Operations & Power
Members focus on the dissemination of knowledge and information in the area of power reactors with particular application to the production of electric power and process heat. The division sponsors meetings on the coverage of applied nuclear science and engineering as related to power plants, non-power reactors, and other nuclear facilities. It encourages and assists with the dissemination of knowledge pertinent to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear facilities through professional staff development, information exchange, and supporting the generation of viable solutions to current issues.
Meeting Spotlight
Conference on Nuclear Training and Education: A Biennial International Forum (CONTE 2025)
February 3–6, 2025
Amelia Island, FL|Omni Amelia Island Resort
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
Dec 2024
Jul 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
January 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Christmas Night
Twas the night before Christmas when all through the houseNo electrons were flowing through even my mouse.
All devices were plugged in by the chimney with careWith the hope that St. Nikola Tesla would share.
K. A. Murray, J. J. Corugedo, N. J. Hoffman
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 8 | Number 1 | July 1985 | Pages 1901-1906
Inertial Confinement Fusion Reactor | Proceedings of the Sixth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (San Francisco, California, March 3-7, 1985) | doi.org/10.13182/FST85-A40039
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Two different primary coolants, Li and 83Pb-17Li, have been examined for use in Pulse*Star, a pool-type inertial confinement fusion reactor, and a balance-of-plant design has been generated for each coolant. The use of 83Pb-17Li eliminates concern about the large amount of stored chemical energy found in pure Li fusion reactors. A secondary loop was not included in the 83Pb-17Li coolant design because of the relative nonreactivity of lead-lithium. The design utilizing Li as a primary coolant includes a sodium secondary loop to prevent direct contact between irradiated Li and high-pressure water in the case of a steam generator leak. The secondary loop requires additional piping, pumps, heat exchanger area, and steam generator buildings. These additional costs are mitigated by the low pumping power requirement of Li compared with that of high-density 83Pb-17Li. A cost analysis revealed that the additional costs of the Li coolant design are only slightly greater ($13.5 million) than the cost savings due to the lower pumping power. Preliminary studies indicate that tritium containment will be more costly for the 83Pb-17Li coolant design than for the one involving pure Li because the insolubility of tritium in 83Pb-17Li creates large driving forces for tritium leakage into the surrounding plant. The tradeoff between the two safety concerns of chemical stability in the case of 83Pb-17Li and practicable tritium containment in the case of pure Li needs to be investigated.