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
Operations & Power
Members focus on the dissemination of knowledge and information in the area of power reactors with particular application to the production of electric power and process heat. The division sponsors meetings on the coverage of applied nuclear science and engineering as related to power plants, non-power reactors, and other nuclear facilities. It encourages and assists with the dissemination of knowledge pertinent to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear facilities through professional staff development, information exchange, and supporting the generation of viable solutions to current issues.
Meeting Spotlight
ANS Student Conference 2025
April 3–5, 2025
Albuquerque, NM|The University of New Mexico
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
Mar 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2025
Nuclear Technology
April 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
El Salvador: Looking to nuclear
In 2022, El Salvador’s leadership decided to expand its modest, mostly hydro- and geothermal-based electricity system, which is supported by expensive imported natural gas and diesel generation. They chose to use advanced nuclear reactors, preferably fueled by thorium-based fuels, to power their civilian efforts. The choice of thorium was made to inform the world that the reactor program was for civilian purposes only, and so they chose a fuel that was plentiful, easy to source and work with, and not a proliferation risk.
Nicolas Woolstenhulme, Colby Jensen, Charles Folsom, Robert Armstrong, Junsoo Yoo, Daniel Wachs
Nuclear Technology | Volume 207 | Number 5 | May 2021 | Pages 637-652
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2020.1807280
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Design evaluations and thermal-hydraulic predictions were undertaken to compare three candidate options for loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA)–testing capabilities at the Transient Reactor Test facility (TREAT). These options included a small water capsule, a large natural circulation capsule, and a forced-convection water loop. All options were found to create reasonable approximations of radial temperature gradients in fuel specimens prior to blowdown to a secondary tank. Given its minimalist form factor, the small water capsule was predicted to perform remarkably well in mimicking the thermal response of a 20-pellet fuel rodlet during a postulated LOCA event, while sensitivity studies showed versatility in adjusting conditions for specific test phenomena priorities. The large natural circulation capsule predictions showed representative capsule pressure evolution but indicated it would likely struggle to capture the desired fuel temperature response in the blowdown transition, primarily due to nonrepresentative cooling as its tall water column was discharged. These results were compared to previous water loop evaluations that had shown a capability for representing ideal test conditions, especially for longer rodlet test specimens in small bundles, while being achievable in a self-contained form factor to facilitate test logistics. Considering the broader cost and capability spectrum needed to support fuel safety research, these efforts resulted in a recommendation to pursue the small water capsule for near-term data needs specific to high-burnup fuel fragmentation, while continuing detailed development of the water loop to address ultimate data needs.