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Division Spotlight
Reactor Physics
The division's objectives are to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the fundamental physical phenomena characterizing nuclear reactors and other nuclear systems. The division encourages research and disseminates information through meetings and publications. Areas of technical interest include nuclear data, particle interactions and transport, reactor and nuclear systems analysis, methods, design, validation and operating experience and standards. The Wigner Award heads the awards program.
Meeting Spotlight
International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2025)
April 27–30, 2025
Denver, CO|The Westin Denver Downtown
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
TerraPower begins U.K. regulatory approval process
Seattle-based TerraPower signaled its interest this week in building its Natrium small modular reactor in the United Kingdom, the company announced.
TerraPower sent a letter to the U.K.’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, formally establishing its intention to enter the U.K. generic design assessment (GDA) process. This is TerraPower’s first step in deployment of its Natrium technology—a 345-MW sodium fast reactor coupled with a molten salt energy storage unit—on the international stage.
Smaeil M. Aceil, Doyle R. Edwards
Nuclear Technology | Volume 93 | Number 2 | February 1991 | Pages 123-130
Technical Paper | Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT91-A34498
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A model correlating the minimum critical power ratio (MCPR) of standardized boiling water reactors (BWRs) to a set of thermal-hydraulic variables in parameter space is developed. A statistical approach with fractional factorial sampling along with response surface methodology and orthogonal central composite design are employed. The COBRA-II computer code, after modifications to include MCPR calculation, is used to simulate the thermal hydraulics of the BWR/6. The sensitivity is obtained by differentiating a quadratic equation that represents the state of the system with respect to its constituent variables. Taking this correlation as a joint multivariable probability distribution function and using crude Monte Carlo integration techniques, the probability of boiling transition during normal operation in a standardized BWR/6 is estimated. The result agrees very well with data available in open literature.