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
Radiation Protection & Shielding
The Radiation Protection and Shielding Division is developing and promoting radiation protection and shielding aspects of nuclear science and technology — including interaction of nuclear radiation with materials and biological systems, instruments and techniques for the measurement of nuclear radiation fields, and radiation shield design and evaluation.
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!
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Jul 2024
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
ARPA-E announces $40 million to develop transmutation technologies for UNF
The Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) announced $40 million in funding to develop cutting-edge technologies to enable the transmutation of used nuclear fuel into less-radioactive substances. According to ARPA-E, the new initiative addresses one of the agency’s core goals as outlined by Congress: to provide transformative solutions to improve the management, cleanup, and disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.
W. Van Snyder
Nuclear Technology | Volume 209 | Number 11 | November 2023 | Pages 1840-1858
Note | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2023.2205551
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In April 1961, Atomic Power Development Associates (APDA) produced the “Summary of the APDA Fuel Development Programs.” Chapter XVII described a paste fuel concept. The report noted that there are “advantages inherent in a mobile-fueled reactor.” Patent number 3,169,117, entitled “Nuclear Reactor Paste Fuel Composition,” was issued on May 9, 1961. In May 1964, Argonne National Laboratory produced the “Catalog of Nuclear Reactor Concepts.” The chapter concerning paste fuels concluded: “The few paste-fuel concepts developed to date and the present early stages of such developments show that considerably more work probably will be required before the paste-fuel concept can be considered for commercial development.” This monograph enlarges upon and quantifies the APDA concept, which appears not to have been pursued. Additional passive safety concepts that might also eliminate the need for control assemblies are described. Several important consequences of continuously processed fuel that are not discussed in the APDA report are described in this paper, in particular, that the “iodine pit” startup control instability can be eliminated.