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Division Spotlight
Robotics & Remote Systems
The Mission of the Robotics and Remote Systems Division is to promote the development and application of immersive simulation, robotics, and remote systems for hazardous environments for the purpose of reducing hazardous exposure to individuals, reducing environmental hazards and reducing the cost of performing work.
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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Nuclear Science and Engineering
February 2025
Nuclear Technology
January 2025
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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?
R. C. Erdmann, E. C. Gritton, M. J. Ozeroff
Nuclear Technology | Volume 22 | Number 2 | May 1974 | Pages 229-236
Technical Paper | Ocean—Nuclear Energy | doi.org/10.13182/NT74-A31405
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The results of this study show that lightweight radioisotope heat sources can be considered for use undersea with little shielding necessary for electronics packages in close proximity to the heat source. Acceptable integrated electronic dose levels of 107 rad for gamma irradiation and 104 rep for neutron bombardment were obtained for extended mission times for the three isotopes considered. It is unnecessary to shield the isotope 210Po for electronic protection. However, use would be restricted because of its short half-life and this isotope could present special heat management problems not encountered with either 60Co or 244Cm. For 244Cm and 60Co it was found that the shield around the electronics package becomes important due to the strong back scattering effect of neutrons and gammas from the surrounding seawater. The 244Cm heat source appears to require less shielding to electronics level and would therefore take up less volume in the undersea system than the 60 Co heat source. Recovery of an isotope-powered undersea electronics package must be done remotely. It will be necessary to provide shielding to protect personnel engaged in the retrieval of the package (and also in the initial launching) and this vehicle cask will also have to provide for auxiliary cooling of the radioisotope heating source.