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Nuclear Criticality Safety
NCSD provides communication among nuclear criticality safety professionals through the development of standards, the evolution of training methods and materials, the presentation of technical data and procedures, and the creation of specialty publications. In these ways, the division furthers the exchange of technical information on nuclear criticality safety with the ultimate goal of promoting the safe handling of fissionable materials outside reactors.
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2024 ANS Winter Conference and Expo
November 17–21, 2024
Orlando, FL|Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
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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 new build procurement considerations
It may seem counterintuitive, but the best time to enhance the ability to support operations and maintenance for a new plant is before construction starts. This is one of many lessons learned by the currently operating nuclear fleet. As construction and startup of many nuclear facilities was completed, it quickly became evident that the ability to efficiently support operations and maintenance was limited. Most of the information necessary to establish and manage procurement of spare and replacement items, maintenance, and configuration of the facilities was unavailable and had to be gathered on a case-by-case, “on-demand” basis. Absence of necessary information and the associated challenges resulted in the need for staff augmentation and multiyear-long projects to develop equipment bills of material and maintenance programs and to perform technical evaluations for the huge quantities of spare and replacement items being requested.
Faten N. Al Zubaidi, Kyle L. Walton, Robert V. Tompson, Tushar K. Ghosh, Sudarshan K. Loyalka
Nuclear Technology | Volume 207 | Number 8 | August 2021 | Pages 1257-1269
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2020.1808394
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Measurements and data are reported for the total hemispherical emissivity of Grade 91 steel [ASTM International (ASTM) A387 Grade 91] for the temperature range of 400 K to 1048 K using ASTM standard C835-06. The surfaces studied included (1) an electric discharge machining (EDM) cut, (2) Grade 91 steel sandblasted with 320-grit-sized alumina beads, (3) EDM-cut Grade 91 steel oxidized in air, and (4) Grade 91 steel sandblasted with 320-grit-sized alumina beads and oxidized in air. The EDM-cut Grade 91 steel was oxidized at 873 K and 1023 K for 1, 3, and 5 h. The 320-grit sandblasted Grade 91 steel was oxidized at 1023 K for 5 h. Air oxidations were carried out in a three-zone furnace at fixed airflow. It appears that under some conditions, Grade 91 steel can reach the emissivities required for passive heat removal during an air ingress accident.