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
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
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!
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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.
L. Begrambekov, A. Gordeev, Y. Ma, G. Vayakis, P. Shigin, Ya Sadovsky, A. Zakharov, M. Walsh
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 76 | Number 1 | January 2020 | Pages 1-12
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2019.1589206
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
High-quality tungsten coating deposition on sintered aluminum nitride ceramic substrates (both of thin flat chips and structural boxes) was realized using an adapted plasma-aided coating deposition rig. The tungsten coating produced using this technique and the accompanying apparatus setup are of high-purity, strong adhesion, and controlled three-dimensional uniformity (<20% thickness variations). The coating also exhibits well-structured and smooth (Ra < 1.0 µm) microscopic surface landscape with densely clustered tungsten granulations. The coated samples were tested under load conditions expected during ITER operation, including thermal cycling and superheated (up to 500°C) steam. Exposure to thermal cycles and hot steam made no apparent changes to the coating’s microscopic structure with no sign of cracks, blistering, or exfoliation seen under electron microscopy. These successes validated the microwave shield design for the ITER high-frequency magnetic sensor, which is based on this concept, and laid a solid foundation for the production of this component in the forthcoming procurement phase. Besides, a failure test was conducted for the tungsten coating in the temperature range of 500°C to 1500°C. Surface smoothing, pores, delamination, and mass loss in substrate were observed when temperature exceeded 1000°C, possibly due to the evaporation of aluminum atoms. These findings unveiled the changes of tungsten coating properties under extreme conditions that are of both academic and practical values.