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.
Division Spotlight
Materials Science & Technology
The objectives of MSTD are: promote the advancement of materials science in Nuclear Science Technology; support the multidisciplines which constitute it; encourage research by providing a forum for the presentation, exchange, and documentation of relevant information; promote the interaction and communication among its members; and recognize and reward its members for significant contributions to the field of materials science in nuclear technology.
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2024
Jan 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
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.”
Pavel Hejzlar, Mujid S. Kazimi
Nuclear Technology | Volume 160 | Number 1 | October 2007 | Pages 2-15
Technical Paper | Annular Fuel | doi.org/10.13182/NT160-2-15
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Nuclear energy technology has to evolve continuously toward two goals: reduction of the cost of power plants and increasing their safety margins. One approach that can enhance both the economics and safety performance is the adoption of new fuel geometries that increase the fuel surface-to-volume ratio in the core. This will facilitate heat transfer to coolant at lower fuel temperatures. This paper reviews the methodology applied to develop an appropriate design of an innovative internally and externally cooled annular fuel for high-power-density pressurized water reactors (PWRs). It provides an overview of key results obtained during a U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored project that addressed thermal hydraulics, reactor physics, fuel manufacturing, and fuel performance characterization. Using this fuel, it is shown that power density uprates up to 150% can be achieved in PWRs while maintaining or improving the safety margins. If this is applied to future reactors, significant economic advantages can be realized. Even when the power level is maintained close to what it is in existing power reactors, the annular fuel will greatly enhance safety and facilitate higher burnup of the fuel.