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Radiation Protection & Shielding
The Radiation Protection and Shielding Division is developing and promoting radiation protection and shielding aspects of nuclear science and technology — including interaction of nuclear radiation with materials and biological systems, instruments and techniques for the measurement of nuclear radiation fields, and radiation shield design and evaluation.
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ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
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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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General Kenneth Nichols and the Manhattan Project
Nichols
The Oak Ridger has published the latest in a series of articles about General Kenneth D. Nichols, the Manhattan Project, and the 1954 Atomic Energy Act. The series has been produced by Nichols’ grandniece Barbara Rogers Scollin and Oak Ridge (Tenn.) city historian David Ray Smith. Gen. Nichols (1907–2000) was the district engineer for the Manhattan Engineer District during the Manhattan Project.
As Smith and Scollin explain, Nichols “had supervision of the research and development connected with, and the design, construction, and operation of, all plants required to produce plutonium-239 and uranium-235, including the construction of the towns of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Richland, Washington. The responsibility of his position was massive as he oversaw a workforce of both military and civilian personnel of approximately 125,000; his Oak Ridge office became the center of the wartime atomic energy’s activities.”
Toru Nakatsuka, Yoshiaki Oka, Seiichi Koshizuka
Nuclear Technology | Volume 134 | Number 3 | June 2001 | Pages 221-230
Technical Paper | Thermal Hydraulics | doi.org/10.13182/NT01-A3197
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Supercritical-pressure light water-cooled reactors (SCRs) are innovative systems aimed at high efficiency and cost reduction. The once-through direct-cycle plant system is the leading system of fossil-fired power plants (FPPs). Estimates of the coolability and necessary sizes of the SCR startup systems, sequences, and required equipment for startup are investigated with reference to supercritical FPPs. There are two types of supercritical boilers. One is a constant pressure boiler, and the other is a variable pressure boiler.First, startup of the constant pressure boiler is examined. The reactor starts at a supercritical pressure. A startup bypass system consisting of a flash tank and pressure-reducing valves is required. Second, startup of the variable pressure boiler is investigated. The reactor starts at a subcritical pressure, and the pressure increases with the load. A steam-water separator and a drain tank are required for startup.The results of computer calculations show that with both constant pressure and variable pressure startup, the peak cladding temperature does not exceed the operating limit through startup, and both startup sequences are feasible. The sizes of the components required for the startup systems are assessed. To simplify the plant system and to reduce the component size, variable pressure startup with steam separators in the bypass line appears desirable.