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
Human Factors, Instrumentation & Controls
Improving task performance, system reliability, system and personnel safety, efficiency, and effectiveness are the division's main objectives. Its major areas of interest include task design, procedures, training, instrument and control layout and placement, stress control, anthropometrics, psychological input, and motivation.
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2024
Jan 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
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 D. Lanning
Nuclear Technology | Volume 88 | Number 2 | November 1989 | Pages 139-156
Technical Paper | NSF Workshop on the Research Needs of the Next Generation Nuclear Power Technology / Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34321
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR) is modularized primarily to provide the passive safety that will prevent fuel damage over a wide spectrum of accidents. Specifically, this range of safety includes the simultaneous accidental loss of primary coolant flow, depressurization of the coolant system, and failure to trip control mechanisms. The high-temperature capability of the fuel to retain fission products provides a safe margin over this broad spectrum. The passive safety feature of the MHTGR allows elimination of active safety-related cooling components (e.g., pump and valves). The result is a savings in capital cost and an important simplification of management and operator requirements for surveillance of the reactor system. Safety is also less affected by human error. Other advantages of modularization include cost reduction and quality control by factory fabrication and possibilities for stepwise additions to a power plant to follow load growth. A new approach to licensing has been initiated as part of the MHTGR development. This concept includes a system to bridge between the integrated approach to the MHTGR design requirements and the regulatory licensing process. The projected busbar costs (mills per kilowatthour) are estimated to be competitive with coal-fired plants of the same size when two or more MHTGR modules are utilized. Designs with the passive safety features are discussed. Some incentives and impediments for deployment of the MHTGR are examined. In addition, suggestions for university research related to MHTGR are presented.