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Division Spotlight
Operations & Power
Members focus on the dissemination of knowledge and information in the area of power reactors with particular application to the production of electric power and process heat. The division sponsors meetings on the coverage of applied nuclear science and engineering as related to power plants, non-power reactors, and other nuclear facilities. It encourages and assists with the dissemination of knowledge pertinent to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear facilities through professional staff development, information exchange, and supporting the generation of viable solutions to current issues.
Meeting Spotlight
Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2024)
August 4–7, 2024
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
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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Jul 2024
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Vogtle-3 shuts down for valve issue
One of the new Vogtle units in Georgia was shut down unexpectedly on Monday last week for a valve issue that has since been investigated and repaired. According to multiple local news outlets, Georgia Power reported on July 17 that Unit 3 was back in service.
Southern Company spokesperson Jacob Hawkins confirmed that Vogtle-3 went off line at 9:25 p.m. local time on July 8 “due to lowering water levels in the steam generators caused by a valve issue on one of the three main feedwater pumps.”
David H. Meikrantz, Troy G. Garn, Jack D. Law, Lawrence L. Macaluso
Nuclear Technology | Volume 173 | Number 3 | March 2011 | Pages 289-299
Technical Paper | Chemical Reprocessing | doi.org/10.13182/NT11-A11662
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Advanced designs of nuclear fuel recycling and radioactive waste treatment plants are expected to include more ambitious goals for solvent extraction-based separations, including higher separation efficiency, high-level-waste minimization, and a greater focus on continuous processes to minimize cost and footprint. Therefore, annular centrifugal contactors (ACCs) are destined to play a more important role for such future processing schemes. Previous efforts defined and characterized the performance of commercial 5-cm, model V-02; and 12.5-cm, model V-05, single-stage ACCs in a nonradioactive environment. The next logical step, the design and initial evaluation of remote-capable, pilot-scale ACCs for use in a "hot" or radioactive environment has been completed. This work continues the development of remote designs for ACCs that can process the large throughputs needed for future nuclear fuel recycling and radioactive waste treatment plants. Novel designs were developed for the remote interconnection of contactor units, clean-in-place (CIP) and drain connections, and a new solids removal collection chamber. A three-stage, 12.5-cm-diam rotor module has been constructed and is being evaluated for use in highly radioactive environments. This prototype assembly employs three standard CINC V-05 CIP units modified for remote service and replacement via new methods of connection for solution inlets, outlets, drain, and CIP. Hydraulic testing and functional checks were successfully conducted, and then the prototype was evaluated for remote handling and maintenance. Removal and replacement of the center position V-05R contactor in the three-stage assembly was demonstrated using an overhead rail mounted PaR manipulator. Initial evaluation indicates a viable new design for interconnecting and cleaning individual stages while retaining the benefits of commercially reliable ACC equipment. Replacement of a single stage via remote manipulators and tools is estimated to take [approximately]30 min, perhaps fast enough to support a contactor change without loss of process steady-state equilibrium. The design presented in this work is scalable to commercial ACC models from V-05 to V-20 with total throughput rates ranging from 20 to 650 l/min.