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Division Spotlight
Nuclear Installations Safety
Devoted specifically to the safety of nuclear installations and the health and safety of the public, this division seeks a better understanding of the role of safety in the design, construction and operation of nuclear installation facilities. The division also promotes engineering and scientific technology advancement associated with the safety of such facilities.
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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Latest News
Virginia utility considers SMRs
Dominion Energy Virginia has issued a request for proposals from leading nuclear companies to study the feasibility of putting a small modular reactor at its North Anna nuclear power plant.
While the utility says it is not a commitment to build an SMR at the site, the RFP is “an important first step in evaluating the technology and the North Anna site to support Dominion Energy customers’ future energy needs consistent with the company’s most recent Integrated Resource Plan.”
S. N. Jahshan
Nuclear Technology | Volume 98 | Number 3 | June 1992 | Pages 257-276
Technical Paper | Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT92-A34658
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Cermet fuel elements, when integrated in a cylindrical core along with reflectors and safety and control components, constitute a very rugged reactor assembly capable of delivering hundreds of megawatts of power at power densities of several gigawatts per cubic metre (several megawatts per litre). The cermet fuel is a ceramic uranium oxide or uranium nitride fuel in a refractory metal matrix fuel element. The fuel element is hexagonal with a flat-to-flat dimension of 20 to 30 mm. Coolant channels of ∼l-mm diam are bored along the hexagonal fuel element. A typical cylindrical active core would have a volume of ∼6 × 10−2 m3 (420 mm in height and diameter) with the core, reflectors, control and safety elements, core support, vessel, and reentry shield cone under 2000 kg. Depending on the particular choice of materials and desired performance characteristics, this reactor can operate at an exit temperature of up to 2700 K. The broad applications of this reactor type include steady-state space platform or lunar base power sources, burst power sources—hundreds of megawatts(thermal) power on demand within 100 s for periods of minutes, and other applications. This reactor type offers easy operational control and meets all the safety requirements for launch and reentry. Land-based development and testing can be performed easily because this fuel type has a high fission product and fissile material retention capability. This reactor concept has been developed considerably in the past few decades. The physics design of the cermet fuel reactor is performed utilizing modern computers and computer codes. This design also incorporates developments in metallurgy and fuel performance, as well as new requirements in safety and performance that have been realized since the late 1960s when this concept was first pursued. The basic fuel element is upgraded and integrated in the overall core and reactor subsystem. Two specific applications are illustrated in detail, and expansion to other applications is outlined.