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Division Spotlight
Decommissioning & Environmental Sciences
The mission of the Decommissioning and Environmental Sciences (DES) Division is to promote the development and use of those skills and technologies associated with the use of nuclear energy and the optimal management and stewardship of the environment, sustainable development, decommissioning, remediation, reutilization, and long-term surveillance and maintenance of nuclear-related installations, and sites. The target audience for this effort is the membership of the Division, the Society, and the public at large.
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.
Klaas Bakker, Rudy J. M. Konings
Nuclear Technology | Volume 115 | Number 1 | July 1996 | Pages 91-99
Technical Paper | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT96-A35278
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The thermal conductivity of UO2 is an important parameter in the design of nuclear fuel assemblies. The thermal conductivity can be reduced by radiation-induced porosity, leading to increased safety risks. In the literature, an analytical equation has been suggested to describe the influence of randomly ordered ellipsoidal porosity on thermal conductivity. However, in the case where the shape and the distribution of the pores is very complex, as in irradiated nuclear fuel, this equation is less well suited. The finite element method is introduced as a computational technique to take into account the influence of complex porosity structures on the thermal conductivity. Using the combination of image analysis and the finite element method, an equation has been obtained that describes the relation between the average elongated form of the pores and the overall thermal conductivity. Both the finite element method and image analysis are tools to estimate the thermal conductivity of high-burnup nuclear fuel.
