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Division Spotlight
Robotics & Remote Systems
The Mission of the Robotics and Remote Systems Division is to promote the development and application of immersive simulation, robotics, and remote systems for hazardous environments for the purpose of reducing hazardous exposure to individuals, reducing environmental hazards and reducing the cost of performing work.
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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Jul 2024
Jan 2024
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Vogtle-3 shuts down for valve issue
One of the new Vogtle units in Georgia was shut down unexpectedly on Monday last week for a valve issue that has since been investigated and repaired. According to multiple local news outlets, Georgia Power reported on July 17 that Unit 3 was back in service.
Southern Company spokesperson Jacob Hawkins confirmed that Vogtle-3 went off line at 9:25 p.m. local time on July 8 “due to lowering water levels in the steam generators caused by a valve issue on one of the three main feedwater pumps.”
Jorge V. Carvajal, Shawn C. Stafford, Michael D. Heibel, Paul M. Sirianni, Melissa M. Heagy, Robert W. Flammang, Nicola G. Arlia (Westinghouse), James A. Turso, Kenan Unlu (Penn State)
Proceedings | Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control, and Human-Machine Interface Technolgies (NPIC&HMIT 2019) | Orlando, FL, February 9-14, 2019 | Pages 246-257
This paper describes the development of radiation and temperature tolerant electronics capable of functioning inside an operating nuclear reactor vessel. The technology will enable every fuel assembly in a commercial reactor to be instrumented with self-powered neutron detectors (SPND) at different axial locations. Thermocouples for measuring the reactor coolant temperature may also be installed in every fuel assembly, as will an associated vacuum microelectronic (VME) wireless transmitter to continuously broadcast the signals from the SPND and/or thermocouples to a single receiving antenna inside the reactor vessel that will route the signal out of the reactor vessel. The successful development of this technology would enable key operating parameters of every fuel assembly in a commercial reactor core to be continuously monitored. The increase in reactor power distribution measurement density relative to existing densities, where roughly onethird of the fuel assemblies are instrumented, will significantly reduce the uncertainty in the measured core peaking factors. Reducing the uncertainty in the measured core peaking factors will allow the core operating power levels to be increased. This result will, in turn, allow the reactor to generate more electrical power from the same amount of fuel, operate at the same electrical output power level for longer periods before refueling with the same amount of fuel, or generate the same amount of electricity from less fuel.