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Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology
Organized to promote the advancement of knowledge in the use of nuclear science and technologies in the aerospace application. Specialized nuclear-based technologies and applications are needed to advance the state-of-the-art in aerospace design, engineering and operations to explore planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond, plus enhance the safety of air travel, especially high speed air travel. Areas of interest will include but are not limited to the creation of nuclear-based power and propulsion systems, multifunctional materials to protect humans and electronic components from atmospheric, space, and nuclear power system radiation, human factor strategies for the safety and reliable operation of nuclear power and propulsion plants by non-specialized personnel and more.
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ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
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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
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.
L. H. Shao, Z. X. Li
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 81 | Number 1 | January 2025 | Pages 32-44
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2024.2327817
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Reducing the tritium inventory is one of the most important objectives in starting up a fusion reactor. To achieve this, the sponge mechanism, also known as deuterium presaturation, can be used to treat the surface of the tritium-contacting components prior to installation in the tritium recycling system. This treatment alleviates tritium from embedding in the material surface and reduces tritium retention in the reactor. Using a simplified physical model, the effect of the sponge mechanism on the minimum startup tritium inventory was simulated. Our results showed that the sponge effect can reduce the minimum startup tritium inventory by about 22%, shorten the tritium well time effectively, and extend the operational time determined by the tritium supply. Investigating the sponge mechanism is of great significance for designing a tritium recycling system.