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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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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Deep Space: The new frontier of radiation controls
In commercial nuclear power, there has always been a deliberate tension between the regulator and the utility owner. The regulator fundamentally exists to protect the worker, and the utility, to make a profit. It is a win-win balance.
From the U.S. nuclear industry has emerged a brilliantly successful occupational nuclear safety record—largely the result of an ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) process that has driven exposure rates down to what only a decade ago would have been considered unthinkable. In the U.S. nuclear industry, the system has accomplished an excellent, nearly seamless process that succeeds to the benefit of both employee and utility owner.
Cristian Contescu, Ann Campbell, Timothy Burchell, Nidia Gallego, A. L. Qualls (ORNL)
Proceedings | 2018 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2018) | Charlotte, NC, April 8-11, 2018 | Pages 1168-1175
Since the successful completion of Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, nuclear and material scientists continue to expand their knowledge on materials and conditions that would ensure safe and efficient operation of high temperature reactors with molten salt coolant. Carbon materials will be present in the reactor core as graphite moderators and reflectors in liquid-fuel molten salt reactor, MSR, and also as fuel matrix carbons in the fuel pebbles of thermal fluoride high temperature reactors (FHR). This paper summarizes the knowledge progress on carbon and graphite materials for molten-salt reactors starting from the lessons learned after the MSRE up to the newly revived interest for MSR in the last decade. Some unsolved items and knowledge gaps which require more research are emphasized.