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Division Spotlight
Radiation Protection & Shielding
The Radiation Protection and Shielding Division is developing and promoting radiation protection and shielding aspects of nuclear science and technology — including interaction of nuclear radiation with materials and biological systems, instruments and techniques for the measurement of nuclear radiation fields, and radiation shield design and evaluation.
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2024
Jan 2024
Latest Journal Issues
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.”
Thomas Fink (SCHOTT AG), Shi Qi (Chinergy Co., Ltd.), Edward L. Quinn (Technology Resources), James F. Gleason (GLSEQ, LLC)
Proceedings | Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control, and Human-Machine Interface Technolgies (NPIC&HMIT 2019) | Orlando, FL, February 9-14, 2019 | Pages 787-802
Enhanced glass-to-metal feedthroughs will be used to carry key instrumentation and control (I&C) signals in China’s high-temperature gas-cooled pebble-bed modular reactor (HTR-PM) at Shidaowan, and in SMR prototyping. Chinergy Co., Ltd and Jiamusi Electric Machine Co., Ltd will use the feedthroughs, also called electrical penetration assemblies (EPAs) at the Shidaowan twin-reactor HTR, which have undergone a specialized manufacturing process to make them far more robust than organic feedthroughs. SCHOTT EPAs are the only feedthrough that can be used in the primary loop of an HTR because organic seals cannot withstand the high temperature and pressures. Glass-to-metal seals are comprised of inorganic, non-aging material which have a virtually unlimited lifespan in high-temperature, high-radiation and high-pressure applications. This I&C technology package is being enhanced by development and testing of new mineral-insulated (MI) cable connectors and EPAs made of crystallizing glass ceramic combined with superalloys. The EPAs have a maintenance-free lifespan of up to 60 years, resulting in no outage time spent on these components and subsequently helps reduce costs associated with shutdown. They are far more robust than organic seals and provide increased safety at a lower lifetime cost. Due to this significant safety performance, the EPAs have also been chosen by BWXT for its mPower SMR. SMR requirements are very challenging but are met by the new components, which will form part of a strong I&C safety chain. Higher specification EPAs and MI cable connectors for equipment have been designed into advanced severe accident I&C instruments including advanced severe accident hydrogen and oxygen sensors that exceed the challenging requirements of both HTR and SMR applications.