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Division Spotlight
Mathematics & Computation
Division members promote the advancement of mathematical and computational methods for solving problems arising in all disciplines encompassed by the Society. They place particular emphasis on numerical techniques for efficient computer applications to aid in the dissemination, integration, and proper use of computer codes, including preparation of computational benchmark and development of standards for computing practices, and to encourage the development on new computer codes and broaden their use.
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?
C. C. Stone, J. A. Ford, F. E. Tippets, J. S. McDonald, G. Grant, J. L. Epstein
Nuclear Technology | Volume 55 | Number 1 | October 1981 | Pages 60-87
Technical Paper | Materials Performance in Nuclear Steam Generator / Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT81-A32832
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The development of sodium-heated steam generators remains a technical challenge after nearly 30 years of design, development, and testing experience in the U.S. Selection of materials, design configurations, and operating conditions have been pursued with the objective of minimizing costs, improving operating efficiencies, and providing increased assurance that high reliability and positive separation of sodium and water can be maintained throughout the operational life of a commercial reactor facility. The early development and operational history of steam generators included the use of both ferritic and austenitic steels, single and double-wall tube construction, straight tubes and tubes with thermal expansion compensation, and once-through and recirculation type of designs. This early work provided the basis for selection of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP) concept in the early 1970s and has since been followed by an active program of steam generator development, with a major effort devoted to determination of material properties as related to structure design and environmental compatibility. A full size CRBRP unit is planned to be tested for verification of the hockey stick design concept. The approach in the U.S. program has gone beyond development, construction, and testing of the CRBRP steam generators to include development of alternate designs for future liquid-metal fast breeder reactor plants. These alternatives include a scaled-up version of the CRBRP hockey stick design, a single-wall helical-coil design, and a doublewall straight-tube design. A program consisting of the design, fabrication, and testing of 70-MW(thermal) prototype models of both the double-wall straight-tube and the single-wall helical-coil concepts is currently under way