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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.
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2024 ANS Winter Conference and Expo
November 17–21, 2024
Orlando, FL|Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
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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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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.
D. H. Jones, R. P. Christman
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 12 | Number 2 | February 1962 | Pages 276-284
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE62-A26068
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The first Shippingport seed-blanket core was operated for 5530 equivalent full power hours at equilibrium xenon and samarium conditions. The comparison of physics measurements and calculations presented are those applicable to the first core containing the initial seed material. A three-dimensional diffusion theory depletion analysis indicates that this calculational model describes with reasonable accuracy the directly observed and inferred reactor parameters examined over core lifetime. The reactor parameters compared include: criticality, reactivity lifetime, xenon transient behavior, temperature coefficients, and blanket power fraction. While the primary emphasis is on the three-dimensional calculational and experimental comparisons, the results of one and two-dimensional diffusion theory depletion calculations are included to indicate their relative merit. The results indicate that such reactor parameters as excess reactivity, temperature coefficients, and blanket power fraction, may be estimated to within approximately the same accuracy by one and two-dimensional depletion models as by this particular three-dimensional model. This conclusion must be qualified by noting the crudeness employed in the three-dimensional depletion model.