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Division Spotlight
Young Members Group
The Young Members Group works to encourage and enable all young professional members to be actively involved in the efforts and endeavors of the Society at all levels (Professional Divisions, ANS Governance, Local Sections, etc.) as they transition from the role of a student to the role of a professional. It sponsors non-technical workshops and meetings that provide professional development and networking opportunities for young professionals, collaborates with other Divisions and Groups in developing technical and non-technical content for topical and national meetings, encourages its members to participate in the activities of the Groups and Divisions that are closely related to their professional interests as well as in their local sections, introduces young members to the rules and governance structure of the Society, and nominates young professionals for awards and leadership opportunities available to members.
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
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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?
D. R. Haffner, R. W. Hardie
Nuclear Technology | Volume 42 | Number 2 | February 1979 | Pages 123-132
Technical Paper | Thorium Fuel Cycle in a Breeder Economy / Fuel Cycle | doi.org/10.13182/NT79-A32142
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Nuclear nonproliferation considerations have resulted in renewed interest in the thorium fuel cycle. Reactor physics parameters of a typical 1200-MW(electric) fast breeder reactor design were compared for the cases when 233U is substituted for plutonium as a fissile fuel and when 232Th is substituted for 238U as a fertile fuel When the 238U in the blanket is replaced with 232Th, the reactor physics parameters are relatively unchanged. However, replacing 238U in the core with 232Th increases the critical mass by 11 to 15% and decreases the breeding ratio by 0.13 to 0.16. In addition, replacing the plutonium in the core with 233U decreases the critical mass by 4 to 6% and decreases the breeding ratio by 0.13 to 0.16. Both of the changes in the core make the sodium void coefficient more negative.
