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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?
Wayne R. Zeuch, Chung-Yi Wang
Nuclear Technology | Volume 51 | Number 3 | December 1980 | Pages 421-432
Technical Paper | Mechanics Applications to Fast Breeder Reactor Safety / Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT80-A32578
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The sodium spillage phenomenon in large liquid-metal fast breeder reactors (LMFBRs) during highly energetic hypothetical accidents has been investigated. A parametric study of the spillage process was accomplished with the ICECO code employing a control-volume method. A 1000-MW(electric) reactor, with prescribed leak paths, is modeled and analyzed during the slug impact phase. Leak paths are assumed to exist as annular penetrations in the reactor cover and as a gap at the vessel-head junction. The behavior of sodium spillage was investigated under conditions of different accident energetics, various opening cross-sectional areas, and multiple leak paths, with both stationary and moving reactor covers. Highly energetic accidents were used as the initiating events for the spillage processes described. The intent is to evaluate the range of applicability of the spillage methodology derived. It is not the intent to imply that such energetic accidents have been identified in any LMFBR safety analysis. The behavior of spillage beyond the initial transient period has also been investigated. During the transient period immediately following slug impact, it was found that spillage from annular penetrations in the reactor cover is only weakly sensitive to changes in slug velocity. The same conclusion applies to spillage from a fixed gap at the vessel-head junction. Quantity of sodium spilled during a fixed time was seen to vary proportionally with opening size. Significant sensitivity of spillage to accident energetics was seen only in cases of spillage from the vessel-head junction when the reactor cover was movable. The influence of slug impact on the motion of the reactor cover leads to the conclusion that sodium spillage is most sensitive to accident energetics inasmuch as the area of the leak path is affected. Preliminary results from sodium fire calculations indicate that spray ejection from penetrations in the reactor cover will not cause significant pressurization of the secondary containment from sodium ejected during the initial transient.
