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Division Spotlight
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.
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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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?
J. E. Till, E. S. Bomar, L. E. Morse, V. J. Tennery
Nuclear Technology | Volume 37 | Number 3 | March 1978 | Pages 328-339
Technical paper | Fuel | doi.org/10.13182/NT78-A31998
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A radiological assessment was performed for a reprocessing plant handling advanced liquid-metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) fuels, and the results were compared with those for reference oxide fuel. Candidate advanced fuels analyzed included l(U,Pu)Cl and f(U,Pu)Nj with selected concentrations of i5N. Core neutronics and designs appropriate to advanced-fueled LMFBRs were used with the ORIGEN computer code to calculate compositions of spent core and blanket fuel equivalent to 50 GW-yr of electrical energy generation. Confinement factors, specific to each radionuclide released to the atmosphere at the reprocessing plant, were used to calculate source terms describing the emission of radionuclides. Radiological impact within a 80-km radius of the facility was determined with the AIRDOS-II computer code, while the dose to the world population from 14C released at the reprocessing plant was estimated with a multicompartment global carbon cycling model. For carbide fuel, the calculated dose commitment to the total body of the maximally exposed individual was ∼2.8 mrem. Corresponding dose commitments when nitride fuels were substituted ranged between 59 and 3.4 mrem, as the 14N content in fuel was varied from 99.64%, the natural abundance of 14N, to zero (i.e., 100% enrichment with 15N), respectively. Dose commitment to the world population from l4C produced in nitride fuel made with natural nitrogen may prohibit use of this fuel from an environmental standpoint. However, a combination of ,SN enrichment in the fuel and confinement of at least part of the 14C at the reprocessing plant can significantly reduce both the amount of 14C ultimately released to the atmosphere and the global impact from 14C. It was concluded that no major differences exist in the radiological impact when carbide fuel is substituted for oxide fuel at the reprocessing plant. The use of nitride fuel may, however, require substantial enrichment with 15N or significant improvement in effluent treatment techniques proposed for 14 C retention.
