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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.
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2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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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
Proving DRACO will deliver
The United States is now closer than it has been in over five decades to launching the first nuclear thermal rocket into space, thanks to DRACO—the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Orbit.
S. D. Bondarenko, I. A. Alekseev, O. A. Fedorchenko, K. A. Konoplev, Т. V. Vasyanina
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 71 | Number 4 | May 2017 | Pages 605-609
Technical Note | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2017.1290484
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Heavy water is used as a neutron moderator and coolant in nuclear power and research reactors. During operation of heavy water reactors, heavy water becomes contaminated with tritium and protium. Protium comes from various sources, such as a result of isotope exchange from constructional materials and sorbents, from the atmosphere as water vapor, and from the faulty equipment in the form of water. Tritium is produced in heavy water owing to neutron capture by deuterium atoms. Thus, heavy water reactors require facilities to keep deuterium concentrations within operating margins and remove tritium. A schematic diagram of a detritiation plant has been developed to maintain the characteristics of heavy water in the reflector of reactor. The plant is designed to address the problems related to management of heavy water at the reactor site. Protium recovery capacity of the plant is not a fixed value. It can vary widely depending on the actual leakage of light water in a heavy water reactor loop. The initial data for modeling were obtained in the course of long-term operation of EVIO pilot plant. The evaluation of the basic parameters of the installation has been done using computer models.