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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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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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Deep Space: The new frontier of radiation controls
In commercial nuclear power, there has always been a deliberate tension between the regulator and the utility owner. The regulator fundamentally exists to protect the worker, and the utility, to make a profit. It is a win-win balance.
From the U.S. nuclear industry has emerged a brilliantly successful occupational nuclear safety record—largely the result of an ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) process that has driven exposure rates down to what only a decade ago would have been considered unthinkable. In the U.S. nuclear industry, the system has accomplished an excellent, nearly seamless process that succeeds to the benefit of both employee and utility owner.
T. Kawano, K. M. Hanson, S. Frankle, P. Talou, M. B. Chadwick, R. C. Little
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 153 | Number 1 | May 2006 | Pages 1-7
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE06-A2589
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
We present an approach to uncertainty quantification for nuclear applications that combines the covariance evaluation of differential cross-section data and the error propagation from matching a criticality experiment using a neutron-transport calculation. We have studied the reduction in uncertainty of 239Pu fission cross sections by using a one-dimensional neutron-transport calculation with the PARTISN code. The evaluation of 239Pu differential cross-section data is combined with a criticality measurement (Jezebel) using a Bayesian method. To quantify the uncertainty in such calculations, we generate a set of random samples of the cross sections, which represents the covariance matrix, and estimate the distribution of calculated quantities, such as criticality. We show that inclusion of the Jezebel data reduces uncertainties in estimating neutron multiplicity.
