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Division Spotlight
Nuclear Criticality Safety
NCSD provides communication among nuclear criticality safety professionals through the development of standards, the evolution of training methods and materials, the presentation of technical data and procedures, and the creation of specialty publications. In these ways, the division furthers the exchange of technical information on nuclear criticality safety with the ultimate goal of promoting the safe handling of fissionable materials outside reactors.
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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Latest News
Constellation seeks rezone for property adjacent to Illinois plant
While no development details have been released, Constellation is asking to rezone 658.8 acres of land it owns around the Byron nuclear plant in Illinois for possible long-term use.
David Weitzel, Youho Lee (Univ of New Mexico), Michael Short (MIT), Michael Laufer (Kairos Power), Sam Sham (ANL)
Proceedings | 2018 International Congress on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants (ICAPP 2018) | Charlotte, NC, April 8-11, 2018 | Pages 1176-1182
Much progress has recently been made on Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) technology with the strategic support of the Department of Energy (DOE). However, concerns regarding the structural material’s compatibility with the salt have hampered the detailed design and evaluation of reliability and economics. Existing research also neglects fluid flow when measuring alloy dissolution. FLiBe flow affects species diffusion through the salt and in turn modifies the reaction kinetics at the alloy surface. Without a proper understanding of the flow effects on alloy dissolution, MSR performance assessments will inevitably remain imprecise.
This research entails the construction of a subscale molten salt loop to test the effects of FLiBe flow on the corrosion rate of various alloys. Our test loop will consist of a molten salt pump connected to a bimetallic composite test loop with a sample holder for the tested alloys. The salt temperature and velocity can be varied independently to replicate the varied operating conditions in the MSR and better characterize the effects of FLiBe flow on corrosion. Investigating the effects of salt flow on alloy element dissolution will advance material choice for key reactor components. These findings will enable nuclear engineers to create more detailed and accurate plant designs.