ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
July 2025
Latest News
Hash Hashemian: Visionary leadership
As Dr. Hashem M. “Hash” Hashemian prepares to step into his term as President of the American Nuclear Society, he is clear that he wants to make the most of this unique moment.
A groundswell in public approval of nuclear is finding a home in growing governmental support that is backed by a tailwind of technological innovation. “Now is a good time to be in nuclear,” Hashemian said, as he explained the criticality of this moment and what he hoped to accomplish as president.
Xin-Guo Yu, Ki-Yong Choi, Chul-Hwa Song, Istvan Trosztel, Ivan Toth, Gyorgy Ezsol
Nuclear Technology | Volume 191 | Number 2 | August 2015 | Pages 136-150
Technical Paper | Reactor Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT14-55
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Pressure waves might be expected in a nuclear reactor system due to a sudden rupture of a pipe or to quick opening or closure of a system valve. Once generated, they can result in large mechanical loads on the reactor pressure vessel internal structures and pipelines, threatening their integrity. This kind of phenomenon is an important issue and a limiting accident case for nuclear power plant safety, which requires an extensive analysis to ensure plant safety. To study these phenomena, four pressure wave propagation (PWP) tests have been performed in the PMK-2 test facility in MTA-EK. In addition, the first one of the four tests has been used to assess the capability of the MARS-KS code in simulating PWP phenomena. Then, an input model representing the PMK-2 test facility was developed to simulate the tests. Herein, the MARS-KS code simulation results are compared with the test results for the first PWP test. The comparison shows that the MARS-KS code can simulate the PWP frequencies and pressure wave peaks well. After this qualified assessment, the MARS-KS code is then deployed to conduct a sensitivity analysis on the effect of the break size, break opening times, initial coolant conditions, and existence of the pressurizer on the PWP phenomena. The sensitivity analysis on the break opening times shows that the pressure wave amplitude is relevant to the break opening times and that the shorter the break opening time is, the faster the pressure depressurizes. The sensitivity analysis on the effect of the break sizes shows that the larger the break size is, the higher the pressure peak is. And, there is little effect of initial coolant pressure and temperatures and isolation of the pressurizer.