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Division Spotlight
Reactor Physics
The division's objectives are to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the fundamental physical phenomena characterizing nuclear reactors and other nuclear systems. The division encourages research and disseminates information through meetings and publications. Areas of technical interest include nuclear data, particle interactions and transport, reactor and nuclear systems analysis, methods, design, validation and operating experience and standards. The Wigner Award heads the awards program.
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!
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Latest News
Commercial nuclear innovation "new space" age
In early 2006, a start-up company launched a small rocket from a tiny island in the Pacific. It exploded, showering the island with debris. A year later, a second launch attempt sent a rocket to space but failed to make orbit, burning up in the atmosphere. Another year brought a third attempt—and a third failure. The following month, in September 2008, the company used the last of its funds to launch a fourth rocket. It reached orbit, making history as the first privately funded liquid-fueled rocket to do so.
Geoffrey R. Bull, Jason O. Oakley, Michael L. Corradini
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 193 | Number 3 | March 2019 | Pages 299-313
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2018.1514195
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The fissioning of uranium in an aqueous solution creates 99Mo, the precursor to 99mTc, but also generates large amounts of hydrogen and oxygen from the radiolysis of the water. When the dissolved gases reach a critical concentration, bubbles will form in the solution, affecting both the fission power and the heat transfer out of the solution. Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) was chosen as a surrogate for uranium sulfate salt in an aqueous solution for the experiments. A high aspect ratio tank was constructed to measure heat transfer from the solution with internal gas and heat generation. A fritted glass air injection manifold allowed the exploration of bubble characteristics and flow patterns on heat transfer from the heated pool to the cold walls. Experimental data analysis provided heat transfer coefficient values as a function of axial position, power density, and the superficial gas velocity in the pool. Results, including a recommended correlation for average heat transfer coefficients, are provided for superficial gas velocities between 0 and 0.3 cm/s and power densities of 200 and 400 W/L in pH 7 and pH 1 MgSO4 solutions.