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Division Spotlight
Accelerator Applications
The division was organized to promote the advancement of knowledge of the use of particle accelerator technologies for nuclear and other applications. It focuses on production of neutrons and other particles, utilization of these particles for scientific or industrial purposes, such as the production or destruction of radionuclides significant to energy, medicine, defense or other endeavors, as well as imaging and diagnostics.
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?
Carol A. Sege, Saul Strauch, Ronald P. Omberg, Irving Spiewak
Nuclear Technology | Volume 42 | Number 2 | February 1979 | Pages 144-149
Technical Paper | Thorium Fuel Cycle in a Breeder Economy / Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT79-A32144
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
We performed a scenario evaluation that delineates the potential role of denatured uranium/ thorium-fueled reactors, including breeders, in symbiotic systems. In this study, reactors fueled with plutonium were built in secure centers, while reactors at dispersed sites were fueled with natural, lowenriched, or denatured uranium (12% 233U or 20% 235U in 238 U) The installed nuclear capacity is assumed to be 350 MW(electric) in the year 2000, with a net increase of 15 GW(electric)/yr permitted through the year 2050. The U.S. Department of Energy Division of Uranium Resources and Enrichment projected the two bounding cases of uranium recoverable at a marginal cost of $160/lb U3O8 or less used in this study. The marginal cost of $160/lb U3O8 occurs at 3 million short tons (ST) for the high-cost supply and at 6 million ST for the intermediate-cost supply. For the assumed high-cost U3O8 supply (3 million ST U3O8), thermal recycle with denatured light water reactors (LWRs) will achieve the same incremental increase in maximum achievable nuclear capacity as U/Pu recycle in LWRs [∼200 GW(electric) more than once-through cycles]. Introduction of a breeder is required for the system to achieve the projected nuclear demand [1100 GW(electric) in 2049]. For all denatured systems, including those with breeders, a significantly larger fraction of the installed capacity can be located at dispersed sites, compared with U/Pu systems. For the assumed intermediate-cost U3O8 supply (6 million ST U3O8), thermal recycle with advanced converters will permit projected nuclear demand to be met for both the Pu/U and denatured uranium-thorium cycles.