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Division Spotlight
Young Members Group
The Young Members Group works to encourage and enable all young professional members to be actively involved in the efforts and endeavors of the Society at all levels (Professional Divisions, ANS Governance, Local Sections, etc.) as they transition from the role of a student to the role of a professional. It sponsors non-technical workshops and meetings that provide professional development and networking opportunities for young professionals, collaborates with other Divisions and Groups in developing technical and non-technical content for topical and national meetings, encourages its members to participate in the activities of the Groups and Divisions that are closely related to their professional interests as well as in their local sections, introduces young members to the rules and governance structure of the Society, and nominates young professionals for awards and leadership opportunities available to members.
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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Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2024
Nuclear Technology
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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 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. 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.”
Yasushi Tsuboi, Kazuo Arie, Nobuyuki Ueda, Tony Grenci, A. M. Yacout
Nuclear Technology | Volume 178 | Number 2 | May 2012 | Pages 201-217
Technical Paper | Small Modular Reactors / Fission Reactors | doi.org/10.13182/NT10-74
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Super-Safe, Small and Simple (4S) sodium-cooled fast reactor plant incorporates innovative design features, such as a nonrefueling reactor, passive safety, low maintenance requirements, and inherent security. Major components such as the reflector drive mechanisms, the electromagnetic pumps, and the double-wall tube steam generator have been optimized for efficient and safe operation.The nonrefueling reactor concept is made possible by incorporating a 30-yr refueling interval for the reflector-controlled metallic fuel core. Sodium-cooled, metallic-fueled fast reactors have a good conversion ratio due to fast neutron usage, thus extending the core life. Passive safety is achieved with redundant residual heat removal systems that function using only natural circulation, and a metallic core with a negative reactivity coefficient. Low maintenance requirements are achieved by simplifying the design and minimizing the use of active components, and by using electromagnetic pumps, which have no moving parts. The inherent security of the nuclear materials is significantly enhanced by the nonrefueling reactor concept and the minimal maintenance requirements. In addition, the reactor building is located below ground level, providing substantial protection against an aircraft impact and thus further enhancing the security of the design.The demonstration of key components such as the electromagnetic pumps and the steam generator is part of an ongoing testing program that has already confirmed many of the 4S engineering solutions.This paper describes the current status of design and component tests for the 4S reactor.