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Isotopes & Radiation
Members are devoted to applying nuclear science and engineering technologies involving isotopes, radiation applications, and associated equipment in scientific research, development, and industrial processes. Their interests lie primarily in education, industrial uses, biology, medicine, and health physics. Division committees include Analytical Applications of Isotopes and Radiation, Biology and Medicine, Radiation Applications, Radiation Sources and Detection, and Thermal Power Sources.
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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!
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Latest News
Penn State and Westinghouse make eVinci microreactor plan official
Penn State and Westinghouse Electric Company are working together to site a new research reactor on Penn State’s University Park, Pa., campus: Westinghouse’s eVinci, a HALEU TRISO-fueled sodium heat-pipe reactor. Penn State has announced that it submitted a letter of intent to host and operate an eVinci reactor to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on February 28 and plans to engage with the NRC on specific siting decisions. Penn State already boasts the Breazeale reactor, which began operating in 1955 as the first licensed research reactor at a university in the United States. At 70, the Breazeale reactor is still in operation.
Frederick G. Hammitt, Evan C. Kovacic, Frederick J. Leitz
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 7 | Number 4 | April 1960 | Pages 327-335
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE60-A25726
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The problems that might result from the release of fission gases in mobile fuel fast reactors are considered for two types of mobile fuel systems; namely, a molten alloy fuel system of the type to be used in the Los Alamos Molten Plutonium Reactor Experiment and a paste fuel system of the type being developed by the Atomic Power Development Associates, Inc. It is shown that the volume of fission gases generated in fast reactors operating at high-power density would supersaturate such fuel systems in minutes or less. An examination of the physical conditions in the reactor core and an evaluation of the phenomena responsible for bubble formation result in the conclusions that neither fuel system will sustain a significant degree of supersaturation and that bubble formation will most likely occur at a solid-liquid interface rather than in the bulk of the liquid. The effects of bubble formation in each system are considered, and these are seen to involve partial blanketing of the heat transfer surfaces, overheating of the fuel—particularly of the paste fuel, equilibrium dilution of the fuel with significant loss in reactivity, sudden displacement of the fuel with subsequent rapid changes in reactivity, and blocking of narrow fuel ligaments and orifices. Preliminary experiments, using supersaturated solutions of carbon dioxide in water and in water-glass bead beds are reported, which verify some of the analyses which are made regarding the location of bubble formation and the growth of bubbles. The flow characteristics of pastes in tubes and the behavior of gas bubbles in such flow systems are discussed in the light of experiments which were conducted using a simulant system of air/glass beads/water.