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
Human Factors, Instrumentation & Controls
Improving task performance, system reliability, system and personnel safety, efficiency, and effectiveness are the division's main objectives. Its major areas of interest include task design, procedures, training, instrument and control layout and placement, stress control, anthropometrics, psychological input, and motivation.
Meeting Spotlight
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Aug 2024
Jan 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
October 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
August 2024
Latest News
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.
Raymond Fox
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 6 | Number 1 | July 1959 | Pages 33-36
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE59-A25623
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A hand calculational procedure used to estimate the gamma and neutron heating in and about a homogeneous reactor core is described. It affords a good insight into the physical processes involved, can handle complex geometries, and is relatively simple to do. One of the interesting results of the gamma heating part of this calculation is the heating of high-Z materials. In an example which is used for a medium-Z element, such as molybdenum, the gamma heating is four times more per unit mass than it is for a substance such as graphite. For higher-Z materials the heating is proportionately greater. One of the interesting results of the neutron heating part of the calculation is the heating of low atomic weight materials. The heating in water from the moderation of fast neutrons, for example, is found to be three times greater than that of the gamma heating.