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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
International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2025)
April 27–30, 2025
Denver, CO|The Westin Denver Downtown
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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Apr 2025
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
TerraPower begins U.K. regulatory approval process
Seattle-based TerraPower signaled its interest this week in building its Natrium small modular reactor in the United Kingdom, the company announced.
TerraPower sent a letter to the U.K.’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, formally establishing its intention to enter the U.K. generic design assessment (GDA) process. This is TerraPower’s first step in deployment of its Natrium technology—a 345-MW sodium fast reactor coupled with a molten salt energy storage unit—on the international stage.
Mellissa Komninakis, Joseph Sinicrope, James C. Nicholson, Philip Moore, Yolanda Rodriguez, Leonel Lagos, Daniela Radu
Nuclear Technology | Volume 211 | Number 3 | March 2025 | Pages 598-606
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2024.2345945
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Safety basis calculations support the safety considerations necessary for legacy nuclear facilities as they transition from active use, through limited operations and standby modes, until final disposition is achieved. Many of the calculations are governed heavily by the coefficients presented in DOE-HDBK-3010 in the form of airborne release of radioactive material resulting from penetration of the facility per seismic activity, full facility fires, and/or explosions. The main objective of this study is to validate the original data for airborne release fractions (ARFs) for powder contaminants under impact, as determined in DOE-HDBK-3010. The limited data available for impact experiments was generated at the Rocky Flats Plant in 1987, where the median ARFs for surrogate powder contamination were 4E-4 with a bounding value of 1E-2. However, estimating the level of uncertainty was challenging in the absence of multiple measurements conducted under identical test conditions. Moreover, the uncertainty was significantly increased due to the restricted range of the test conditions.
A more modern approach has been developed for the experimental design in this study, utilizing standardized techniques and analytical instruments. An impact apparatus was employed to be able deliver repeatable impact forces up to 369 kg·cm (320 in.·lb.). Cesium chloride was used as the surrogate powder contaminant in these experiments as it is extremely soluble in water and is even more so in the acidic media used to leach/dissolve the air filters for concentration analysis using mass spectrometry The developed approach leveraged multiple international standards and historical documents in an attempt to recreate a valid testing system that can be used for future analysis and to analyze mitigation factors such as contamination fixative technologies. The current ARFs were found to be consistent with the original values in DOE-HDBK-3010, 3.47E-4 and 4E-4, respectively.