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Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology
Organized to promote the advancement of knowledge in the use of nuclear science and technologies in the aerospace application. Specialized nuclear-based technologies and applications are needed to advance the state-of-the-art in aerospace design, engineering and operations to explore planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond, plus enhance the safety of air travel, especially high speed air travel. Areas of interest will include but are not limited to the creation of nuclear-based power and propulsion systems, multifunctional materials to protect humans and electronic components from atmospheric, space, and nuclear power system radiation, human factor strategies for the safety and reliable operation of nuclear power and propulsion plants by non-specialized personnel and more.
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International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2025)
April 27–30, 2025
Denver, CO|The Westin Denver Downtown
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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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TerraPower begins U.K. regulatory approval process
Seattle-based TerraPower signaled its interest this week in building its Natrium small modular reactor in the United Kingdom, the company announced.
TerraPower sent a letter to the U.K.’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, formally establishing its intention to enter the U.K. generic design assessment (GDA) process. This is TerraPower’s first step in deployment of its Natrium technology—a 345-MW sodium fast reactor coupled with a molten salt energy storage unit—on the international stage.
Robert C. Doerner, Theodore H. Bauer,Charles L. Fink, William F. Murphy, Arthur E. Wright
Nuclear Technology | Volume 58 | Number 3 | September 1982 | Pages 465-482
Technical Paper | Nuclear Fuel | doi.org/10.13182/NT82-A32981
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Received September 28, 1981 Accepted for Publication February 26, 1982 Issues related to the potential for a large-scale sodium vapor explosion in a carbide-fueled liquid-metal fast breeder reactor accident were addressed in the AX1 test in the Transient Reactor Test Facility. Test design and operating conditions were selected to meet the spontaneous nucleation temperature criterion for an energetic, explosive molten fuel-sodium interaction. Although that criterion appears to have been achieved, thermal and mechanical analyses of the test data indicate that the interaction was not especially energetic. Comparison to similar tests on oxide fuel indicates that, under the particular test conditions employed, the conversion of thermal energy to mechanical work is similar for the two fuel types. Transient bulk fuel motion was extensive, with axial fuel motion generally coinciding in time and space with the ejection of the coolant from the original fuel region. Posttest examination of the hardware revealed that nearly all of the fuel had mixed on a microscopic scale with the stainless steel cladding. Relative proportions of iron, chromium, and nickel in the mixture varied widely. The melting point of the mixture was apparently much lower than that of stainless steel.