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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
Conference on Nuclear Training and Education: A Biennial International Forum (CONTE 2025)
February 3–6, 2025
Amelia Island, FL|Omni Amelia Island Resort
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
Article considers incorporation of AI into nuclear power plant operations
The potential application of artificial intelligence to the operation of nuclear power plants is explored in an article published in late December in the Washington Examiner. The article, written by energy and environment reporter Callie Patteson, presents the views of a number of experts, including Yavuz Arik, a strategic energy consultant.
Joonhong Ahn, Shinichi Nakayama
Nuclear Technology | Volume 97 | Number 3 | March 1992 | Pages 323-335
Technical Paper | Radioactive Waste Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT92-A34640
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Numerical results are presented for an analysis of diffusion of237Np, a redox-sensitive radionuclide, in engineered barriers consisting of overpack and bentonite-filled buffer regions, with oxidation-reduction kinetics of neptunium with iron and dissolved oxygen. Steady-state distributions of Fe(II) and dissolved oxygen are first obtained by considering the oxidation reaction of Fe(II) with oxygen. Based on these profiles, the neptunium diffusion models for pH 6.5 and 9.0 are established. Analytical or finite element solutions are obtained for the corresponding mathematical problems. At pH 9.0, even if dissolved oxygen intrudes on the buffer region from the rock/buffer interface, the penetration of oxygen into the overpack region and to the surface of the waste solid can be avoided. Thus, less soluble, strongly sorbing Np(IV) is released from the waste solid. At pH 6.5, dissolved oxygen can reach the waste surface. Weakly sorbing, soluble Np(V) is released from the waste solid. Although the released Np(V) is reduced to Np(IV) by Fe(II) in the overpack region, the Np(IV) is quickly oxidized by Fe(III) and dissolved oxygen at the overpack-buffer interface. Neglecting the existence of dissolved oxygen and assuming that the repository is kept under a reducing environment so that only Np(IV) migrates might lead to quite an optimistic estimate of the neptunium release rate from the engineered barriers.
