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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
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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Latest News
Senate committee hears from energy secretary nominee Chris Wright
Wright
Chris Wright, president-elect Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Energy, spent hours today fielding questions from members of the U.S. Senate’s committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
During the hearing, Wright—who’s spent most of his career in fossil fuels—made comments in support of nuclear energy and efforts to expand domestic generation in the near future. Asked what actions he would take as energy secretary to improve the development and deployment of SMRs, Wright said: “It’s a big challenge, and I’m new to government, so I can’t list off the five levers I can pull. But (I’ve been in discussions) about how to make it easier to research, to invest, to build things. The DOE has land at some of its facilities that can be helpful in this regard.”
Charles F. Karlson
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 121 | Number 1 | September 1995 | Pages 57-66
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE95-A24129
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A method for the generation of in-core constants from the SIMULATE-3 advanced reactor analysis code is presented. This method builds on prior work at the Southern California Edison Company for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and is now applied to the Combustion Engineering System 80 units at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS). Power-to-signal ratios, assembly coupling coefficients, pin peaking factors, and Fourier Series analysis are shown to reproduce the SIMULATE-3 solution extremely well. Correction of SIMULATE-3 calculated in-core detector fluxes and cross sections for rhodium shielding and homogeneous-to-heterogeneous geometries are discussed. Calculated and measured detector signals are compared to confirm the ability to calculate the rhodium reaction rates needed for the power-to-signal ratio and are found to be within 2%.Core maximum power peaking factors and a radial assembly power distribution for PVNGS Unit 3 cycle 5 show excellent agreement with differences <2% in maximum power locations. This work is the basis for future improved reactor surveillance methods, with the realization of significant thermal margin gains from reduced uncertainties in the core protection system.