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
Young Members Group
The Young Members Group works to encourage and enable all young professional members to be actively involved in the efforts and endeavors of the Society at all levels (Professional Divisions, ANS Governance, Local Sections, etc.) as they transition from the role of a student to the role of a professional. It sponsors non-technical workshops and meetings that provide professional development and networking opportunities for young professionals, collaborates with other Divisions and Groups in developing technical and non-technical content for topical and national meetings, encourages its members to participate in the activities of the Groups and Divisions that are closely related to their professional interests as well as in their local sections, introduces young members to the rules and governance structure of the Society, and nominates young professionals for awards and leadership opportunities available to members.
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
May 2024
Jan 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
June 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
The busyness of the nuclear fuel supply chain
Ken Petersenpresident@ans.org
With all that is happening in the industry these days, the nuclear fuel supply chain is still a hot topic. The Russian assault in Ukraine continues to upend the “where” and “how” of attaining nuclear fuel—and it has also motivated U.S. legislators to act.
Two years into the Russian war with Ukraine, things are different. The Inflation Reduction Act was passed in 2022, authorizing $700 million in funding to support production of high-assay low-enriched uranium in the United States. Meanwhile, the Department of Energy this January issued a $500 million request for proposals to stimulate new HALEU production. The Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024 includes $2.7 billion in funding for new uranium enrichment production. This funding was diverted from the Civil Nuclear Credits program and will only be released if there is a ban on importing Russian uranium into the United States—which could happen by the time this column is published, as legislation that bans Russian uranium has passed the House as of this writing and is headed for the Senate. Also being considered is legislation that would sanction Russian uranium. Alternatively, the Biden-Harris administration may choose to ban Russian uranium without legislation in order to obtain access to the $2.7 billion in funding.
Sebastian Brad, Mihai Vijulie, Alin Lazar, Claudia Bogdan, Oleksandr Sirosh, Catalin Brill, Aleksandr Grafov, Anișoara Oubraham, Alina Niculescu, George Bulubasa
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 80 | Number 3 | May 2024 | Pages 455-464
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2023.2236473
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In the design process of a cryogenic distillation plant for the separation of hydrogen isotopes, two main objectives, often impossible to achieve simultaneously, are taken into account: a high separation factor for different mixtures and isotope concentrations and the reduction of design, manufacturing, and operating costs with increased efficiency and safety. All this should result from the use of a method for calculating the separation efficiency, a method that will generate a conceptual design that must form the basis of the final technical design. Unfortunately, most design methods treat these plants as chemical plants, although in the case of cryogenic plants, it is not possible to readjust the new process operating parameters quickly and with great precision so that the separation efficiency and performance are not affected. There are three causes affecting the separation performance of cryogenic distillation plants, namely, nonideality of the cryogenic process, imperfection of heat exchangers, and heat losses. This paper presents our proposed solutions for increasing the efficiency of the cryogenic distillation process and discusses solutions tested in experimental campaigns with the cryogenic distillation stand developed in the Cryogenic Laboratory at ICSI Rm. Vâlcea.