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
Education, Training & Workforce Development
The Education, Training & Workforce Development Division provides communication among the academic, industrial, and governmental communities through the exchange of views and information on matters related to education, training and workforce development in nuclear and radiological science, engineering, and technology. Industry leaders, education and training professionals, and interested students work together through Society-sponsored meetings and publications, to enrich their professional development, to educate the general public, and to advance nuclear and radiological science and engineering.
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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Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
ARPA-E announces $40 million to develop transmutation technologies for UNF
The Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) announced $40 million in funding to develop cutting-edge technologies to enable the transmutation of used nuclear fuel into less-radioactive substances. According to ARPA-E, the new initiative addresses one of the agency’s core goals as outlined by Congress: to provide transformative solutions to improve the management, cleanup, and disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.
Sang Ji Kim, Pham Nhu Viet Ha, Jae Yong Lim, Won Sik Yang
Nuclear Technology | Volume 186 | Number 3 | June 2014 | Pages 390-402
Technical Paper | Fuel Cycle and Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT13-90
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A core design study to convert a breakeven core into a transuranic (TRU) burner is performed for a 600-MW(electric)–rated metal-fueled sodium-cooled fast reactor. No change in the core and subassembly layouts is assumed, which only allows geometry variations within the fuel rods. Investigated alternatives are to use variable cladding thicknesses (VCTs), smearing fraction (SF) adjustments, and annular fuel rod concepts with a central liner of a variable diameter consisting of void, Zr, B4C, Al, etc. The VCT concept could not be employed due to a too-high clad inner wall temperature. A SF adjustment below a typical fraction of 75% leads to moderate TRU burning and a reduced sodium void worth but also to a relatively high burnup swing. Placing a central nonfuel rod with the fuel arranged in an annular ring affects the core performance and reactivity coefficients, depending on whether it is a moderator or an absorber. In general, candidate materials of high atomic numbers contribute to large positive sodium void worths but also enhanced negative expansion effects. Among the light elements, vanadium reveals a favorable performance with comparable TRU burning and a reduced sodium void worth, suggesting this material can be regarded as a substitute for sodium in the solid state.