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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
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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Latest News
BWXT will scout potential TRISO fuel production sites in Wyoming
BWX Technologies Inc. announced today that its Advanced Technologies subsidiary has signed a cooperation agreement with the state of Wyoming to evaluate locations and requirements for siting a potential new TRISO nuclear fuel fabrication facility in the state.
L. E. Steele, G. W. Knighton, U. Potapovs
Nuclear Technology | Volume 4 | Number 4 | April 1968 | Pages 230-244
Technical Paper and Note | doi.org/10.13182/NT68-A26321
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Experimental investigations have shown that neutron radiation increases the strength and reduces the ductility of reactor vessel steels. The extent of steel embrittlement is a function of the steel, the irradiation environment (neutron energy and fluence), and the irradiation temperature. In some cases, as with the compact Army SM-1A reactor, the embrittlement may become severe enough to require modification of reactor operating procedures to avoid significant stress on the vessel when its temperature approaches the nil ductility transition temperature (NDT). While control of operating procedures met the changing NDT conditions of the SM-1A vessel for a time, continued embrittlement forced the development of another alternative, in-place heat treatment, annealing, for extending the projected operating life of the vessel. The SM-1A vessel was heat treated by raising the vessel temperature from the usual 430 to 572°F and holding it there for about one week using reactor heat from low power operation. In addition to operational procedures for minimizing the effects of neutron exposure to reactor vessel steels, design approaches used to meet this problem include specifying (based on experiment) a radiation-insensitive steel, shielding the vessel to reduce neutron exposure to a level consistent with the design lifetime of the plant, and providing for periodic in-place annealing using reactor heat.