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Young Members Group
The Young Members Group works to encourage and enable all young professional members to be actively involved in the efforts and endeavors of the Society at all levels (Professional Divisions, ANS Governance, Local Sections, etc.) as they transition from the role of a student to the role of a professional. It sponsors non-technical workshops and meetings that provide professional development and networking opportunities for young professionals, collaborates with other Divisions and Groups in developing technical and non-technical content for topical and national meetings, encourages its members to participate in the activities of the Groups and Divisions that are closely related to their professional interests as well as in their local sections, introduces young members to the rules and governance structure of the Society, and nominates young professionals for awards and leadership opportunities available to members.
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Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2024)
August 4–7, 2024
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
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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Latest News
BWXT will scout potential TRISO fuel production sites in Wyoming
BWX Technologies Inc. announced today that its Advanced Technologies subsidiary has signed a cooperation agreement with the state of Wyoming to evaluate locations and requirements for siting a potential new TRISO nuclear fuel fabrication facility in the state.
Wolfgang Dienst, Peter Hofmann, Deborah K. Kerwin-Peck
Nuclear Technology | Volume 65 | Number 1 | April 1984 | Pages 109-124
Technical Paper | Postaccident Debris Cooling / Nuclear Fuel | doi.org/10.13182/NT84-A33378
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The chemical interaction between solid and liquid Zircaloy-4 and solid UO2 was examined in the temperature region 1000 to 2000°C in argon. The solid/ solid reaction experiments were performed with short light water reactor fuel rod sections with an external pressure of 1 to 80 bar. The annealing times varied between 60 and 9000 s. The reaction experiments with liquid Zircaloy were performed in UO2 crucibles between 1800 and 2000°C. In addition, the wetting behavior between liquid Zircaloy and UO2 was also examined. The extent of the chemical interaction below the melting point of Zircaloy depends decisively on the solid/solid contact between fuel and cladding. If good contact exists, Zircaloy reduces UO2 to form oxygen-stabilized α-Zr(O) and metallic uranium. The uranium reacts with zirconium to form a (U,Zr) alloy, which lies between two α-Zr(O) layers. The UO2/Zircaloy-4 reaction obeys a parabolic rate law. The rate-determining step in the reaction is the diffusion of oxyen into Zircaloy. The growth of the different reaction zones can be represented in an Arrhenius diagram. The extent of the reaction between liquid Zircaloy and UO2 depends on the wetting behavior. A Zircaloy melt rich in oxygen wets UO2 better than a melt poor in oxygen. Molten Zircaloy containing little or no oxygen reacts with UO2 to form a homogeneous (U,Zr,O) melt. As the oxygen content of the melt increases, solid (U,Zr)O2-x particles precipitate. The technical significance of these out-of-pile UO2/Zircaloy reaction experiments is that Zircaloy cladding can be oxidized by UO2 fuel as quickly as by steam, and that UO2, far below its melting point, can be “liquefied” by molten Zircaloy. As a consequence, release of fission gas and volatile fission products is enhanced.