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
Robotics & Remote Systems
The Mission of the Robotics and Remote Systems Division is to promote the development and application of immersive simulation, robotics, and remote systems for hazardous environments for the purpose of reducing hazardous exposure to individuals, reducing environmental hazards and reducing the cost of performing work.
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
Oklo completes end-to-end demonstration of advanced fuel recycling
Oklo Inc. has announced that it has completed the first end-to-end demonstration of its advanced fuel recycling process as part of an ongoing $5 million project in collaboration with Argonne and Idaho National Laboratories. Oklo’s goal: scaling up its fuel recycling capabilities to deploy a commercial-scale recycling facility that would increase advanced reactor fuel supplies and enhance fuel cost effectiveness for its planned sodium fast reactors.
Thomas D. Radcliff, William S. Johnson, J. Roger Parsons, Douglas E. Ekeroth
Nuclear Technology | Volume 106 | Number 1 | April 1994 | Pages 100-109
Technical Paper | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT94-A34952
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Formation of vortices in the lower plenum of existing nuclear power reactors has been hypothesized to cause observed localized coolant starvation, which results in a loss of thermal margin. A 1:9 scale model was built to study vortex formation and suppression in the Westinghouse AP600 advanced reactor design. Geometric similarity was maintained in the regions upstream of the reactor core. Air was used as the working fluid, and a wide range of model velocities were tested. Flow fields in the plenum were visualized with smoke injection and a tuft grid. Twin counterrotating vortices were observed. It is thought that these vortices were induced by viscous shear. The vortices were tested for sensitivity to overall reactor flow, imbalances in the individual coolant loop flows, and position of alignment keyways. Suppression of these vortices was achieved with a passive device placed in the lower plenum. The effect of this device at different axial elevations was studied.