ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
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
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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Nuclear Science and Engineering
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Latest News
Four million nuclear jobs by 2050: Who will do them?
Industry leaders from around the globe met this month to discuss the talent development that will be necessary for the long-term success of the nuclear industry.
The International Conference on Nuclear Knowledge Management and Human Resources Development, hosted by the International Atomic Energy Agency, was held in Vienna earlier this month. Discussed there was the agency’s forecast for nuclear capacity to more than double—or hopefully triple—by 2050 and the requirement of more than four million professionals to support the industry.
David A. Petti
Nuclear Technology | Volume 84 | Number 2 | February 1989 | Pages 128-151
Technical Paper | Nuclear Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34183
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Silver-indium-cadmium (Ag-In-Cd) control rod behavior in severe reactor accidents is examined with a goal of improving the methodology used to estimate reactor accident source terms. Control rod behavior in both in-pile and out-of-pile experiments is reviewed. A mechanistic model named VAPOR is developed that calculates the downward relocation and simultaneous vaporization behavior of the Ag-In-Cd alloy expected after control rod failure in a severe reactor accident. VAPOR is used to predict the release of silver, indium, and cadmium vapors expected in the Power Burst Facility (PBF) severe fuel damage (SFD) 1-4 experiment. In addition, a sensitivity study is performed to examine the effects of system pressure and flow rate on control rod vapor release. Although cadmium is found to be the most volatile constituent of the alloy, all of the calculations predict that the rapid relocation of the alloy down to cooler portions of the core results in a limited release for all three control rod alloy vapors. Results of the control rod and aerosol behavior in PBF test SFD 1-4 are presented. VAPOR calculations are found to compare much better with the control rod material release in test SFD 1-4 than empirical models that do not consider relocation of the alloy away from the hotter portions of the core. The timing and magnitude of control rod material release and the potential for control rod aerosol/fission product interactions during the early phase of a severe accident are dependent on the system pressure. A better understanding of control rod material behavior during the later in-vessel phase of the accident is needed to define more accurately both the magnitude of the aerosol source and the initial composition of molten material exiting the vessel in the event of lower vessel head failure.