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Division Spotlight
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.
Meeting Spotlight
Conference on Nuclear Training and Education: A Biennial International Forum (CONTE 2025)
February 3–6, 2025
Amelia Island, FL|Omni Amelia Island Resort
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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Latest News
NRC issues subsequent license renewal to Monticello plant
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has renewed for a second time the operating license for Unit 1 of Minnesota’s Monticello nuclear power plant.
Steven A. Arndt, Alan Kuritzky
Nuclear Technology | Volume 173 | Number 1 | January 2011 | Pages 2-7
Technical Paper | NPIC&HMIT Special / Nuclear Plant Operations and Control | doi.org/10.13182/NT11-A11478
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
For the past several years, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and its contractors have been actively engaged in research to determine the capabilities and limitations of the state of the art of digital systems risk and reliability modeling. This program was developed to assess the capabilities of various modeling methods and to develop regulatory acceptance criteria for the use of digital system risk and reliability modeling in risk-informing digital system reviews. The program investigated both traditional and advanced modeling methods for the evaluation of digital system risk and reliability in the context of including these methods in current generation probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs). The methods investigated included traditional event tree/fault tree analysis, Markov modeling, and dynamic flow graph methodology. As part of the investigation into the capabilities of these methods, we have also reviewed the availability, capability, and practicality of the needed supporting data and analysis methods, including failure mode identification, data generation methods, and uncertainty analysis. The review indicated that for some digital systems traditional PRA modeling methods may be appropriate but that a number of potential issues exist that must be carefully evaluated in modeling these systems. Both the traditional and advanced modeling methods review found that the order of component failures can be important and that simulation either as part of the reliability model or as part of the supporting analysis is needed to determine the effects of combinations of component failures and the timing of digital system failures. Finally, the research showed that better data and models of fault-tolerant features of digital systems and software are needed to support more complete and accurate modeling of digital instrumentation and control for use in nuclear power plant PRAs.