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Division Spotlight
Isotopes & Radiation
Members are devoted to applying nuclear science and engineering technologies involving isotopes, radiation applications, and associated equipment in scientific research, development, and industrial processes. Their interests lie primarily in education, industrial uses, biology, medicine, and health physics. Division committees include Analytical Applications of Isotopes and Radiation, Biology and Medicine, Radiation Applications, Radiation Sources and Detection, and Thermal Power Sources.
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!
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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.
Dasheng Wang, Jin Ting, Xu Xiao, Tan Jianping, Zhang Kun, Wang Guozhen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 211 | Number 3 | March 2025 | Pages 439-451
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2024.2329833
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This study investigates the effects of the material mechanical properties heterogeneity and strength mismatch variation on crack driving forces for cracks in a dissimilar metal welded joint (DMW) of a reactor pressure vessel inlet nozzle to the safe end. Linear elastic and elastic-plastic analyses are carried out to calculate the stress intensity factor (SIF) and J-integral for cracks in the DMW. The effects of crack locations, crack depths, and strength mismatch factors on the SIF and J-integral are studied. The SIF results obtained by finite element analysis are compared with those obtained by the influence function method adopted in the nuclear power code. Results show that the effect of crack location on the SIF can be ignored. The SIFs calculated by the influence function method for cracks in the DMW are basically reasonable, although its conservatism is slightly insufficient. Moreover, with moving the crack location from the nozzle through buttering and weld metal to the safe end, the J-integral increases. The effect of the crack location and strength mismatch factors on the J-integral is essentially caused by variation of the plastic zone and the material properties of the crack front. The crack sizes affect the level of influence of the crack location and the strength mismatch factors on the J-integral. The J-integral increases with decrease of the strength mismatch factor.