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This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
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ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
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Colin Judge: Testing structural materials in Idaho’s newest hot cell facility
Idaho National Laboratory’s newest facility—the Sample Preparation Laboratory (SPL)—sits across the road from the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF), which started operating in 1975. SPL will host the first new hot cells at INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) in 50 years, giving INL researchers and partners new flexibility to test the structural properties of irradiated materials fresh from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) or from a partner’s facility.
Materials meant to withstand extreme conditions in fission or fusion power plants must be tested under similar conditions and pushed past their breaking points so performance and limitations can be understood and improved. Once irradiated, materials samples can be cut down to size in SPL and packaged for testing in other facilities at INL or other national laboratories, commercial labs, or universities. But they can also be subjected to extreme thermal or corrosive conditions and mechanical testing right in SPL, explains Colin Judge, who, as INL’s division director for nuclear materials performance, oversees SPL and other facilities at the MFC.
SPL won’t go “hot” until January 2026, but Judge spoke with NN staff writer Susan Gallier about its capabilities as his team was moving instruments into the new facility.
C. J. Kiger, C. D. Sexton, H. M. Hashemian, R. D. O’Hagan, L. Dormann, W. Wasfy
Nuclear Technology | Volume 200 | Number 2 | November 2017 | Pages 93-105
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2017.1360716
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper reports the results of in situ cable testing performed at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in September 2016 to assess the aging condition of a number of cables as installed in the plant. Despite having been in service for over 40 years, our results found that these cables still met their qualification criteria, were in good working condition, and could continue to serve the plant for the foreseeable future. Some degradation in the cable insulation was noted but not as much as one would expect after more than 40 years of service in a nuclear power plant. Specifically, test results revealed that 10% of cables exhibited a noticeable degree of degradation, 30% were only slightly degraded, and the remaining 60% were essentially unaffected by aging. In the case of jacketed cables, which were assessed using walkdowns performed by the plant’s personnel, almost all aging and degradation were limited to the jacket material while the underlying cable insulation was largely unaffected. This is consistent with laboratory test results, which have shown that jacket material, especially Neoprene and Hypalon, degrade much faster than cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and other materials that are used for primary cable insulation.