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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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ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
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General Kenneth Nichols and the Manhattan Project
Nichols
The Oak Ridger has published the latest in a series of articles about General Kenneth D. Nichols, the Manhattan Project, and the 1954 Atomic Energy Act. The series has been produced by Nichols’ grandniece Barbara Rogers Scollin and Oak Ridge (Tenn.) city historian David Ray Smith. Gen. Nichols (1907–2000) was the district engineer for the Manhattan Engineer District during the Manhattan Project.
As Smith and Scollin explain, Nichols “had supervision of the research and development connected with, and the design, construction, and operation of, all plants required to produce plutonium-239 and uranium-235, including the construction of the towns of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Richland, Washington. The responsibility of his position was massive as he oversaw a workforce of both military and civilian personnel of approximately 125,000; his Oak Ridge office became the center of the wartime atomic energy’s activities.”
K. Forsberg, Ning He, A. R. Massih
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 122 | Number 1 | January 1996 | Pages 142-150
Technical Note | doi.org/10.13182/NSE96-A28555
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Distribution of some important fuel rod performance parameters, internal rod pressure, and fission gas release in a boiling water reactor are studied using the quasi-Monte Carlo (QMC) probabilistic method. Rod power histories and important fabrication parameters are considered. The deterministic fuel performance code STAV6 together with a QMC pre- and postprocessor are used in the analysis. The convergence rate of the QMC method is considerably higher than the standard Monte Carlo method, which saves a substantial amount of computer time. Asymptotically, the error for QMC is proportional to 1/N, and for Monte Carlo, it is essentially proportional to 1/ where N is the number of calculations (computer runs). Principles of the QMC method are discussed, and an algorithm to generate such data is outlined.
