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Division Spotlight
Fusion Energy
This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
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?
Mamoru Konomura, Yoshiaki Oka, Shigehiro An
Nuclear Technology | Volume 61 | Number 1 | April 1983 | Pages 7-16
Technical Paper | Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT83-A33138
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The effect of orificing on the core performance of a commercial-size heterogeneous liquid-metal fast breeder reactor was studied analytically. The thermal power output was flattened at beginning of life, and the coolant flow rate was chosen such that the maximum inner cladding temperature of a driver fuel and a blanket fuel was <620°C at both beginning of equilibrium life (BOEL) and end of equilibrium life (EOEL). The difference between reactor outlet temperatures at BOEL and EOEL was then calculated for six core configurations: one homogeneous core configuration and five heterogeneous ones. The results showed that the core outlet temperature variation due to the change of the power profile of the radial heterogeneous core configurations is similar to that of the homogeneous one, even when a single type of orificing is used in each core zone, and it will not be necessary to use the more detailed orificing in each zone of a heterogeneous core configuration. The study concludes that for the present design, especially the thermal design, of some heterogeneous core configurations, it is feasible to control the change of the reactor outlet temperature with burnup, even when a single type of orificing is used in each core zone.