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Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Human Factors, Instrumentation & Controls
Improving task performance, system reliability, system and personnel safety, efficiency, and effectiveness are the division's main objectives. Its major areas of interest include task design, procedures, training, instrument and control layout and placement, stress control, anthropometrics, psychological input, and motivation.
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
Fusion Science and Technology
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?
W. Ullrich, W. Frisch
Nuclear Technology | Volume 41 | Number 2 | December 1978 | Pages 185-194
Technical Paper | Extraction of Energy From Nuclear Fuels Without Reprocessing to Separate Plutonium / Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT78-A32104
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A detailed study of anticipated transients without scram (ATWS) has been carried out in the Federal Republic of Germany based on a boiling water reactor (BWR) and a pressurized water reactor (PWR) reference plant. The study includes transient calculations as well as reliability analyses of the entire scram system (sensors, logic, actuating system). In addition, the influence of other safety related systems (pressure relief system, pump control system in a BWR) has been evaluated. During all ATWS, system pressure does not exceed 110% of design pressure. Only for short periods (several seconds) and only in small areas of the core might film boiling occur. The availability of the scram systems for both a BWR and a PWR is on the order of 10−5 per demand. From these results it is concluded that no independent second scram system is necessary. However, the detailed analysis has given an indication of where hardware measures could be taken to mitigate the transients (e.g., increase of valve capacity) or further improve the availability of the scram system.
