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Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy
The mission of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division (NNPD) is to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology while simultaneously preventing the diversion and misuse of nuclear material and technology through appropriate safeguards and security, and promotion of nuclear nonproliferation policies. To achieve this mission, the objectives of the NNPD are to: Promote policy that discourages the proliferation of nuclear technology and material to inappropriate entities. Provide information to ANS members, the technical community at large, opinion leaders, and decision makers to improve their understanding of nuclear nonproliferation issues. Become a recognized technical resource on nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards, and security issues. Serve as the integration and coordination body for nuclear nonproliferation activities for the ANS. Work cooperatively with other ANS divisions to achieve these objective nonproliferation policies.
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2024 ANS Winter Conference and Expo
November 17–21, 2024
Orlando, FL|Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
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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New laws offer nuclear industry incentives for existing power plant uprates
This year, the U.S. nuclear industry received a much-needed economic boost that could help preserve operating nuclear power plants and incentivize upgrades that extend their lifespan and power output.
Signed into law in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act offers production tax credits (PTCs) for existing nuclear power plants and either PTCs or investment tax credits (ITCs) for new carbon-free generation. These credits could make power uprates—increasing the maximum power level at which a commercial plant may operate—a much more appealing option for utilities.
M. F. Young, L. T. Pong
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 98 | Number 1 | January 1988 | Pages 1-15
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE88-A23521
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
During a severe nuclear plant accident, molten fuel can contact water in the core region, the lower plenum, or in the cavity below the reactor vessel. The interactions that take place can vary from benign boiling to explosive vaporization. If the fuel contains a metallic component, rapid oxidation of the metal can occur during the fuel/coolant interaction (FCI). The hydrogen generated from this reaction can increase the threat to containment integrity. Experiments have been conducted with 10 to 20 kg of two kinds of thermite-generated molten fuel simulants: corium and iron-aluminum oxide. Both saturated and subcooled water were employed as coolants. Explosive and nonexplosive FCIs were observed. Up to 30% of the metal was reacted in some cases. For some of the tests, the extent of reaction appeared to depend more on the water subcooling than on the degree of fragmentation as measured by posttest sieving. Models of hydrogen generation are proposed and compared to a broad range of experiments. Predictions agree qualitatively with many of the experimental observations. A more accurate model of hydrogen generation would have to be coupled to a dynamic thermal-hydraulic calculation of the important phases of an FCI: coarse mixing, fine fragmentation, explosion propagation, and vapor expansion.