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Division Spotlight
Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy
The mission of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division (NNPD) is to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology while simultaneously preventing the diversion and misuse of nuclear material and technology through appropriate safeguards and security, and promotion of nuclear nonproliferation policies. To achieve this mission, the objectives of the NNPD are to: Promote policy that discourages the proliferation of nuclear technology and material to inappropriate entities. Provide information to ANS members, the technical community at large, opinion leaders, and decision makers to improve their understanding of nuclear nonproliferation issues. Become a recognized technical resource on nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards, and security issues. Serve as the integration and coordination body for nuclear nonproliferation activities for the ANS. Work cooperatively with other ANS divisions to achieve these objective nonproliferation policies.
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
Reboot: Nuclear needs a success . . . anywhere
The media have gleefully resurrected the language of a past nuclear renaissance. Beyond the hype and PR, many people in the nuclear community are taking a more measured view of conditions that could lead to new construction: data center demand, the proliferation of new reactor designs and start-ups, and the sudden ascendance of nuclear energy as the power source everyone wants—or wants to talk about.
Once built, large nuclear reactors can provide clean power for at least 80 years—outlasting 10 to 20 presidential administrations. Smaller reactors can provide heat and power outputs tailored to an end user’s needs. With all the new attention, are we any closer to getting past persistent supply chain and workforce issues and building these new plants? And what will the election of Donald Trump to a second term as president mean for nuclear?
As usual, there are more questions than answers, and most come down to money. Several developers are engaging with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or have already applied for a license, certification, or permit. But designs without paying customers won’t get built. So where are the customers, and what will it take for them to commit?
Mohamed A. Abdou, Layton J. Wittenberg, Charles W. Maynard
Nuclear Technology | Volume 26 | Number 4 | August 1975 | Pages 400-419
Technical Paper | Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT75-A24441
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Developing a controlled thermonuclear reactor blanket that minimizes lithium and tritium inventories is feasible. The tritium inventory is minimized by keeping the lithium inventory to a minimum and utilization of a lithium-bearing compound with low retention for tritium and an efficient tritium extraction system. The lithium inventory is minimized by employing a thin layer of 6Li operating in a soft neutron spectrum obtained by slowing down the deuterium-tritium (DT) neutrons in beryllium. Material properties and performance such as tritium retention, irradiation characteristics, and chemical compatibility of possible lithium-bearing materials and beryllium compounds have been evaluated. The blanket of the conceptual fusion reactor UWMAK-II uses stainless steel for first wall and structure, helium coolant, lithium aluminate enriched to 90% 6Li for tritium breeding, metallic beryllium for neutron multiplication and moderation, and graphite for reflection and additional neutron moderation. A breeding ratio of 1.18 and nuclear heating of 18 MeV per DT neutron are obtained. The lithium inventory is only 4 × 104 kg (40 Mg). The steady -state inventory of tritium in the breeder is only 40 g, which is more than two orders of magnitude lower than that in blankets using lithium for cooling and neutron moderation as well as tritium breeding. Tritium leakage to the steam is kept to ∼1 Ci/day by oxidation of the tritium in the helium coolant and absorption by a molecular sieve dessicant. Plant reliability is improved and accidental tritium and energy release are minimized in the type of blankets examined in this study.