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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!
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Mar 2025
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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.
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.