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Division Spotlight
Isotopes & Radiation
Members are devoted to applying nuclear science and engineering technologies involving isotopes, radiation applications, and associated equipment in scientific research, development, and industrial processes. Their interests lie primarily in education, industrial uses, biology, medicine, and health physics. Division committees include Analytical Applications of Isotopes and Radiation, Biology and Medicine, Radiation Applications, Radiation Sources and Detection, and Thermal Power Sources.
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
Vogtle-3 shuts down for valve issue
One of the new Vogtle units in Georgia was shut down unexpectedly on Monday last week for a valve issue that has since been investigated and repaired. According to multiple local news outlets, Georgia Power reported on July 17 that Unit 3 was back in service.
Southern Company spokesperson Jacob Hawkins confirmed that Vogtle-3 went off line at 9:25 p.m. local time on July 8 “due to lowering water levels in the steam generators caused by a valve issue on one of the three main feedwater pumps.”
Eugene Shwageraus, Pavel Hejzlar, Mujid S. Kazimi
Nuclear Technology | Volume 147 | Number 1 | July 2004 | Pages 53-68
Technical Paper | Thoria-Urania NERI | doi.org/10.13182/NT04-A3514
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An assessment is made of the potential for Th-based fuel to minimize Pu and minor actinide (MA) production in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Destruction rates and residual amounts of Pu and MA in the fuel used for transmutation are examined. In particular, sensitivity of these two parameters to the fuel lattice hydrogen to heavy metal (H/HM) ratio and to the fuel composition was systematically investigated. All burnup calculations were performed using CASMO4, the fuel assembly burnup code. The results indicate that up to 1000 kg of reactor-grade Pu can be burned in Th-based fuel assemblies per gigawatt (electric) year. Up to 75% of initial Pu can be destroyed per passage through reactor core. Addition of MA to the fuel mixture degrades the burning efficiency. The theoretically achievable limit for total transuranium (TRU) destruction per passage through the core is 50%. Efficient MA and Pu destruction in Th-based fuel generally requires a higher degree of neutron moderation and, therefore, higher fuel lattice H/HM ratio than typically used in the current generation of PWRs. Reactivity coefficients evaluation demonstrated the feasibility of designing a Th-Pu-MA fueled core with negative Doppler and moderator temperature coefficients. Introduction of TRU-containing fuels to a PWR core inevitably leads to lower control material worths and smaller delayed-neutron yields than with conventional UO2 cores. Therefore, a major challenge associated with the introduction of Th-TRU fuels to PWRs will be the design of the whole core and reactor control features to ensure safe reactor operation.