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Fusion Energy
This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
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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.”
Goodluck I. Ofoegbu, Scott Painter, Rui Chen, Randall W. Fedors, David A. Ferrill
Nuclear Technology | Volume 134 | Number 3 | June 2001 | Pages 241-262
Technical Paper | Radioactive Waste Management and Disposal | doi.org/10.13182/NT01-A3199
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The percolation flux through the unsaturated zone at the proposed Yucca Mountain repository for high-level nuclear waste can potentially affect (a) the occurrence and magnitude of water influx into the emplacement drifts, (b) the onset and rates of waste-package corrosion, (c) the mobilization of waste into aqueous states, and (d) the transport of radionuclides to the saturated zone. The magnitude and spatial and temporal variations of percolation flux depend on the infiltration rate but may be significantly influenced by (a) lateral diversion of flow at stratigraphic interfaces between nonwelded and welded tuffs above the repository horizon, (b) focusing of flow within or near steeply dipping fault zones, and (c) lateral diversion of flow within thermal-mechanical altered zones. Results from numerical modeling are presented to argue that (a) areas of the repository located close to and on the up-dip side of faults that intersect the Paintbrush nonwelded Tuff (PTn) would experience elevated percolation flux, irrespective of whether the faults act as flow barriers or conduits; (b) mechanical response of the rock mass to waste-generated heat will likely cause the development of laterally discontinuous zones characterized by dilation of horizontal fractures and net dilation or closure of vertical fractures; (c) areas of the repository located on the downstream side of the thermal-mechanical altered zones would experience elevated percolation flux; and (d) repository areas subjected to elevated percolation flux would experience faster rewetting of dryout zones and, thus, longer periods of wetness and elevated humidity. These results indicate that models used to predict the occurrence and magnitudes of water influx into emplacement drifts and the variations of relative humidity within the drifts need to consider the location of the drifts relative to faults that intersect the PTn and the development, geometry, and hydrological characteristics of thermal-mechanical altered zones.