ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
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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
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
August 2024
Nuclear Technology
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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.
Sudip S. Dosanjh
Nuclear Technology | Volume 88 | Number 1 | October 1989 | Pages 30-46
Technical Paper | Nuclear Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34334
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
During severe light water reactor accidents like Three Mile Island Unit 2, the fuel rods can fragment and thus convert the reactor core into a large particle bed. The postdryout meltdown of such debris beds is examined. A two-dimensional model that considers the presence of oxidic (UO2 and ZrO2) as well as metallic (e.g., zirconium) constituents is developed. Key results are that (a) a dense metallic crust is created near the bottom of the bed as molten materials flow downward and freeze; (b) liquid accumulates above the blockage and if zirconium is present, the pool grows rapidly as molten zirconium dissolves both UO2 and ZrO2 particles; (c) if the melt wets the solid, a fraction of the melt flows radially outward under the action of capillary forces and freezes near the radial boundary; (d) in a non wetting system, all of the melt flows into the bottom of the bed; and (e) when zirconium and iron are in intimate contact and the zirconium metal atomic fraction is >0.33, these metals can liquefy and flow out of the bed very early in the meltdown sequence.