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Nuclear Criticality Safety
NCSD provides communication among nuclear criticality safety professionals through the development of standards, the evolution of training methods and materials, the presentation of technical data and procedures, and the creation of specialty publications. In these ways, the division furthers the exchange of technical information on nuclear criticality safety with the ultimate goal of promoting the safe handling of fissionable materials outside reactors.
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Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2024)
August 4–7, 2024
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
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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
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.”
Wang Kee In
Nuclear Technology | Volume 134 | Number 2 | May 2001 | Pages 187-195
Technical Paper | Thermal Hydraulics | doi.org/10.13182/NT01-1
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A numerical study was conducted to investigate the nuclear fuel assembly coolant flow mixing that is promoted by the flow deflectors on the grid spacer. Four typical flow deflectors (split vane, side-supported vane, swirl vane, and twisted vane) were chosen for this study. A single subchannel of one grid span is modeled using the flow symmetry. The predicted axial and lateral mean flow velocities, and the turbulent kinetic energy in the subchannel for the split-vane design, are in good agreement with the experimental results.The split vane and the twisted vane generate a large cross flow between the subchannels and a skewed elliptic swirling flow in the subchannel near the grid spacer. The cross flow rapidly decreases and the swirling flow becomes dominant downstream of the spacer. The side-supported vane induces a horizontally elongated elliptic swirl in the subchannel and a secondary flow in the near downstream of the spacer. The swirl vane produces a circular swirling flow in the subchannel and a negligible cross flow. For the twisted-vane and side-supported vane designs, the change in direction of the cross flow was predicted. The average turbulent kinetic energy in the subchannel sharply increases near the spacer and rapidly decreases to a fully developed level. In summary, the numerical results showed a somewhat large difference from the experimental results near the spacer but represented the overall characteristics of coolant mixing well in a nuclear fuel bundle with the flow deflectors on the grid spacer.