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Fusion Energy
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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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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Latest News
Japanese researchers test detection devices at West Valley
Two research scientists from Japan’s Kyoto University and Kochi University of Technology visited the West Valley Demonstration Project in western New York state earlier this fall to test their novel radiation detectors, the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management announced on November 19.
Mathieu N. Dupont, Matthew D. Eklund, Peter F. Caracappa, Wei Ji
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 197 | Number 11 | November 2023 | Pages 2884-2901
Regular Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2023.2172307
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
As part of efforts to develop coupled multiphysics experiments for the benchmark of modern multiphysics reactor simulators, a low-power and open-pool type of light water reactor at the Walthousen Reactor Critical Facility (RCF) was reconfigured with additional equipment, and its neutronic characteristics were fully surveyed. A water loop system was designed and installed to pass through the central region of the reactor core, making the central region overmoderated. The overmoderation would lead to a positive temperature reactivity feedback in the modified reactor configuration. This phenomenon is observed when the system temperature is between 10.69°C and 28.70°C. The inversion point of the isothermal reactivity coefficient is at 28.70°C ± 1.07°C. At this temperature, competition between the negative and positive thermal effects on reactivity compensate each other, and the isothermal reactivity coefficient becomes negative at temperatures higher than the inversion point. This paper presents the experimental determination of the isothermal reactivity and reactivity coefficient at different temperatures as well as the inversion point in the modified RCF reactor configuration. To obtain the best-quality results possible, special attention is given to the choice and adaptation of all the available methods for data postprocessing of experiment measurements. Neutron flux denoising is performed with multivariate wavelet transforms and principal component analysis. The Inverse Kinetics Method is applied to derive reactivity from the neutron flux measurements. To provide accurate and high-fidelity experiment benchmark data for modern code validation, in-depth experimental uncertainty quantification is developed. The results of the experiments show the mixed effects of system temperature on reactor reactivity due to the combined effects of Doppler broadening in the fuel, S(α,β) thermal scattering physics, and change in water density and can be used to validate previously developed cross-section interpolation models in the low-temperature range and positive isothermal reactivity coefficient conditions.