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This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
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ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
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Molten salt research is focus of ANS local section presentation
The American Nuclear Society’s Chicago–Great Lakes Local Section hosted a presentation on February 27 on developments at the molten salt research reactor at Abilene Christian University’s Nuclear Energy Experimental Testing (NEXT) Lab.
A recording of the presentation is available on the ANS website.
P. F. Nichols, J. R. Worden, F. C. Engesser, R. E. Heineman
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 15 | Number 3 | March 1963 | Pages 233-244
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE63-A26434
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A series of experimental measurements has been made on the Experimental Gas Cooled Reactor (EGCR) lattice in the Physical Constants Test Reactor (PCTR). The measurements provide a broad basis for normalization of reactor calculations for lattices of this type. The fuel assembly is a cluster of seven uranium oxide rods, enriched in the U235 isotope and clad with stainless steel. The fuel is spaced on an eight-inch square pitch in a graphite moderator. Values of the lattice parameters k∝ , f, p, and e have been obtained for 1.8% enrichment of the uranium oxide fuel. The values of k∝ and f have also been obtained for 2.6% enrichment fuel. The techniques of using the PCTR have been extended so that supercell measurements may be made. The values of the strength of a boron carbide control rod and a stainless steel loop tube have been obtained in this way. The strength of such an inhomogeneous poison in the lattice is expressed as the difference in the supercell multiplication factor k∝ with and without the poison in the supercell. This difference is the same quantity which is obtained in the usual reactor cell calculation. The fuel temperature coefficient of for this cluster has also been measured between 50 and 500°C. The coefficient obtained is temperature dependent. The more important of the lattice parameters for the 1.8% enriched fuel are = 1.146 ± 0.004,f = 0.809 ± 0.005, p28 = 0.824 ± 0.006, ∈ = 1.019 ± 0.002, Δk (control rod -16 cell supercell) = -0.157 ± 0.012, Δk (empty loop tube -9 cell supercell) = -0.117 ± 0.011, and (l/k∞)(dk∞/dT) = -(0.68 ± 0.05) X 10-3T-1/2(oK)-1 For the 2.6% enriched fuel, results are k∞ = 1.256 ± 0.009 and f = 0.845 ± 0.006.