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The division was organized to promote the advancement of knowledge of the use of particle accelerator technologies for nuclear and other applications. It focuses on production of neutrons and other particles, utilization of these particles for scientific or industrial purposes, such as the production or destruction of radionuclides significant to energy, medicine, defense or other endeavors, as well as imaging and diagnostics.
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2024 ANS Annual Conference
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Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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Glass strategy: Hanford’s enhanced waste glass program
The mission of the Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection (ORP) is to complete the safe cleanup of waste resulting from decades of nuclear weapons development. One of the most technologically challenging responsibilities is the safe disposition of approximately 56 million gallons of radioactive waste historically stored in 177 tanks at the Hanford Site in Washington state.
ORP has a clear incentive to reduce the overall mission duration and cost. One pathway is to develop and deploy innovative technical solutions that can advance baseline flow sheets toward higher efficiency operations while reducing identified risks without compromising safety. Vitrification is the baseline process that will convert both high-level and low-level radioactive waste at Hanford into a stable glass waste form for long-term storage and disposal.
Although vitrification is a mature technology, there are key areas where technology can further reduce operational risks, advance baseline processes to maximize waste throughput, and provide the underpinning to enhance operational flexibility; all steps in reducing mission duration and cost.
George R. Hopkins, E. T. Cheng
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 4 | Number 3 | November 1983 | Pages 528-554
Special Section Contents | Radioactivation of Fusion Structures | doi.org/10.13182/FST83-A22805
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The potential problems of radioactivation in the materials surrounding a neutron-producing fusion plasma were identified over 8 yr ago. At the same time, the use of low activation materials such as graphite, silicon carbide (SiC), and aluminum alloys was proposed for the structural material in fusion power reactors as a way to greatly reduce the major problems of radioactivity resulting from the more conventional stainless steel materials. A brief review of the current status of the reasons for low activation fusion is presented. Design studies with the low activation materials are not covered here. The consequences of low activation fusion are compared with stainless steel fusion structures and it is found that the radioactivity after reactor shutdown, as measured in curies, may be reduced by a factor of 1 000 00O. Even then, this limit is determined by impurities in the materials rather than the low activation materials themselves. Problems from decay heat with potential meltdown are reduced for aluminum and completely eliminated for SiC and graphite. Contact or hands-on maintenance may be performed in regions immediately behind the blanket that otherwise require fully remote operations. Small amounts of radioactive waste materials may be stored in surface facilities for the low activation concept. This is compared to the conventional steel systems where high-level radwaste geologic storage facilities may be required. Preliminary projected incremental costs for low activation fusion do not appear excessive but cost/benefit analyses are needed to evaluate the optimum degree of activation reduction. Low activation fusion can help assure the full potential of fusion in providing an environmentally benign energy source with a high degree of safety and public acceptance.