ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Human Factors, Instrumentation & Controls
Improving task performance, system reliability, system and personnel safety, efficiency, and effectiveness are the division's main objectives. Its major areas of interest include task design, procedures, training, instrument and control layout and placement, stress control, anthropometrics, psychological input, and motivation.
Meeting Spotlight
2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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
Apr 2024
Jan 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
June 2024
Nuclear Technology
May 2024
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
NRC wants input on Hermes 2 test reactor construction permit
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking input on its draft environmental assessment and draft finding of no significant impact for Kairos Power’s application to build the Hermes 2 test reactor facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
M. Todosow, H. Ludewig, H. Takahashi, J. Powell
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 20 | Number 4 | December 1991 | Pages 678-682
Accelerator/Reactor Waste Transmutation | doi.org/10.13182/FST91-A11946918
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An initial assessment of several actinide/LLFP burner concepts based on the Particle Bed Reactor (PBR) is described. Core configurations consisting of 72-85 Pu fuelled “driver,” and ~42 actinide loaded “target” PBR fuel elements in a low temperature D2O, or beryllium carbide moderator/reflector are examined. Direct cooling of the HTGR BISO/TRISO type particles by radial flow of pressurized helium gas through the fuel bed allows high power densities (~5 MW/l), and high flux levels (~1.0E16 n/cm2-sec). As a result, up to ~50 % of the actinides in the target elements are burned in a postulated 20 day cycle.
The PBR based actinide burner concept possesses a number of safety and economic benefits relative to other reactor based transmutation approaches. These include a low inventory of radionuclides (~5% of that in a commercial LWR), and high integrity, coated fuel particles which can withstand extremely high temperatures, while still retaining virtually all fission products. This ensures large thermal margins under normal operating conditions, and minimizes the potential source term in postulated accidents. In addition, the pressure tube design and the possibility of on-line refueling offer further potential safety and economic advantages.