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Division Spotlight
Materials Science & Technology
The objectives of MSTD are: promote the advancement of materials science in Nuclear Science Technology; support the multidisciplines which constitute it; encourage research by providing a forum for the presentation, exchange, and documentation of relevant information; promote the interaction and communication among its members; and recognize and reward its members for significant contributions to the field of materials science in nuclear technology.
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
Strong performances across the board
Craig Piercycpiercy@ans.org
Another year, another stellar performance by America’s nuclear plants. We’ve come to expect high capacity factors, and it’s a credit to the men and women of the profession. They’ve made routine something that was unimaginable not so long ago.
The decadal challenge for the nuclear enterprise now is to maintain this high level of operational excellence for the current fleet, while at the same time ushering in a new generation of technologies at scale. It will be a big job—but one that seems more and more likely with each passing day.
T. Albert Hu
Nuclear Technology | Volume 178 | Number 1 | April 2012 | Pages 39-54
Technical Paper | Safety and Technology of Nuclear Hydrogen Production, Control, and Management / Hydrogen Safety and Recombiners | doi.org/10.13182/NT12-A13546
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Hydrogen is the major flammable gas observed in the dome space of each million-gallon radioactive waste storage tank at the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Site. Semiempirical rate equations are derived to estimate hydrogen generation based on chemical reactions, radiolysis of water and organic compounds, and corrosion. The rate equations account for tank waste composition, temperature, radiation dose rate, and liquid fraction. Numerical parameters are established by the analysis of gas generation kinetic data from actual waste samples, literature data, and waste characterization and field surveillance data. The model improvement includes development of refined water radiolysis equations, accounting of total alpha radiation contribution to both water and organic radiolysis, new parameterization on the rate equations of organic thermolysis and radiolysis with extra tank waste gas generation test data, and revised corrosion rate equations. A comparison of the generation rates observed in the field with the rates calculated for 28 tanks shows agreement within a factor of 3. The model serves as a useful tool to evaluate flammable gas issues to support Hanford operations.