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Division Spotlight
Nuclear Installations Safety
Devoted specifically to the safety of nuclear installations and the health and safety of the public, this division seeks a better understanding of the role of safety in the design, construction and operation of nuclear installation facilities. The division also promotes engineering and scientific technology advancement associated with the safety of such facilities.
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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!
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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.
Nathan Shenhav, Yakov Ben-Haim
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 88 | Number 2 | October 1984 | Pages 173-183
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE84-A28401
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Uncertainty in nondestructive elemental or isotopic assay arises from two distinct factors. Unknown spatial distribution of the assayed analyte in the matrix of the sample gives rise to spatial uncertainty. Limitation of the duration of measurement and randomness of the pulse-counting process give rise to statistical uncertainty. These two types of uncertainty occur in the assay of nuclear waste, in mineral prospecting, in in vivo radionuclide assay, and in other applications. In all cases, proper design of the assay system is essential for reliable and accurate assay. The designer of a nondestructive assay system confronts numerous design decisions. He must choose the type and number of detectors to be employed and their arrangement around the sample, the type of radiation to be measured, whether the assay is to be passive or active, and the duration of the measurement. Sometimes the designer is free to specify the shape and size of the sample or the density or composition of the matrix material. A concise, quantitative, computerizable performance criterion is described in detail, which enables the designer to choose from among the wide range of possible assay-system designs. Realistic calculations are presented to illustrate the type of information obtained from the performance criterion.