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
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.
Meeting Spotlight
ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
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
Apr 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2025
Nuclear Technology
April 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Argonne research aims to improve nuclear fuel recycling and metal recovery
Servis
Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory are investigating a used nuclear fuel recycling technology that could lead to a scaled-down and more efficient approach to metal recovery, according to a recent news article from the lab. The research, led by Argonne radiochemist Anna Servis with funding from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E), could have an impact beyond the nuclear fuel cycle and improve other high-value metal processing, such as rare earth recovery, according to Argonne.
The research: Servis’s work is being carried out under ARPA-E’s CURIE (Converting UNF Radioisotopes Into Energy) program. The specific project—Radioisotope Capture Intensification Using Rotating Packed Bed Contactors—started in 2023 and is scheduled to end in January 2026.
A. M. Zhukeshov, Zh. M. Moldabekov, B. M. Ibraev, A. U. Amrenova, A. T. Gabdullina
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 77 | Number 5 | July 2021 | Pages 359-365
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2021.1916273
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper is devoted to discussing the technical characteristics of pulsed plasma-focus (PF) generators and their features as fusion reactors as an alternative for stationary thermonuclear installations. First, the authors present results of experimental data obtained on the Pulse Plasma Accelerator–30 (PPA-30) and dense PF-4 devices. The pulse discharge current and jumped parameters and the energy distribution along and across the axis on the 31-kJ (at 30 kV and 69 μF) PPA-30 device were determined. It is indicated that plasma already is completely ionized at the kilo-ampere range and its inductance is small. The maximum energy density of the plasma was equal to 230 J/cm2 and a macrofocusing effect was observed. Second, the emission parameters of the PF-4 device were determinate. The neutron yield was equal to about 107 imp/shot. The variation of the axial and radial neutron yield was observed. Further, the problems of neutron yield on PF devices and options for the development of a fusion reactor taking into account other technical capabilities of PF are discussed. It is proposed to develop the design of PF in such a way as to take into account the peculiarities of the interaction of particles with an electric and magnetic field. In this situation, the important indicator is not the temperature of the plasma, but the geometry of the electrode system to provide a directed flow of particles.