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The division's objectives are to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the fundamental physical phenomena characterizing nuclear reactors and other nuclear systems. The division encourages research and disseminates information through meetings and publications. Areas of technical interest include nuclear data, particle interactions and transport, reactor and nuclear systems analysis, methods, design, validation and operating experience and standards. The Wigner Award heads the awards program.
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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.”
A.C. Klein, R.A. Pawlowski, H.H. Lee
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 20 | Number 4 | December 1991 | Pages 759-766
Space Nuclear Power/Propulsion | doi.org/10.13182/FST91-A11946933
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Incore thermionic space reactor design concepts which operate at a nominal power output range of between 20 and 50 kWe are described. Details of the neutronic, thermionic, thermal, and shielding performance are presented. These moderated reactor concepts use enriched uranium dioxide fuel, zirconium hydride moderator, reinforced tungsten emitters, niobium collectors, alumina insulators, and sodium-potassium coolant in a long, single cell configuration. Due to the strong absorption of thermal neutrons by natural tungsten, and the large amount of that material within the reactor core, two options for the reactor are considered. The first uses enriched tungsten (greater than 70 weight percent W-184) emitters and only thermionic fuel elements (TFEs) in the core to achieve criticality and sufficient lifetime. The second option uses natural tungsten and driver fuel elements in addition to the TFEs in the core. An overall systems design code has been developed to model advanced incore thermionic energy conversion based nuclear reactor systems for space applications. The code modules include neutronics and core criticality, a thermionic fuel element performance module with integral thermal hydraulic calculation capability, a radiation shielding module, and a module for waste heat rejection. Coupled thermal hydraulic and thermionic performance calculations are presented. The model includes the effects of radiation and conductive heat transfer as well as electron cooling of the emitter, and the resistive lead losses on long emitter TFE concepts. Radiation shielding design and overall system heat rejection analyses are also presented.