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Division Spotlight
Reactor Physics
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.
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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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.”
M. D. Carter, F. W. Baity, Jr., G. C. Barber, R. H. Goulding, Y. Mori, D. O. Sparks, K. F. White, E. F. Jaeger, F.R. Chang-Díaz, J. P. Squire
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 43 | Number 1 | January 2003 | Pages 125-129
Propulsion | doi.org/10.13182/FST03-A11963578
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The ability to obtain high plasma densities with high fractional ionization using readily available, low-cost components makes the helicon a candidate plasma source for many applications, including plasma rocket propulsion, fusion component testing, and materials processing. However, operation of a helicon can be a sensitive function of the magnetic field strength and geometry as well as the driving frequency, especially when using light feedstock gases such as hydrogen or helium. In this paper, we compare results from a coupled radio frequency (RF) and transport model with experiments in the axially inhomogeneous Mini-Radio Frequency Test Facility (Mini-RFTF). Experimental observations of the radial shape of the density profile can be quantitatively reproduced by iteratively converging a high-resolution RF calculation including the RF parallel electric field with a transport model using reasonable choices for the transport parameters. The experimentally observed transition into the high density helicon mode is observed in the model, appearing as a nonlinear synergism between radial diffusion, the RF coupling to parallel electric fields that damp near the plasma edge, and propagation of helicon waves that collisionally damp near the axis of the device. Power deposition from various electric field components indicates that inductive coupling and absorption in the edge region can reduce the efficiency for high-density operation. These findings can be used to optimize helicon discharges for use in Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) designs, and estimates for the helicon power required to perform ion cyclotron heating experiments in the Mini-RFTF are given.