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Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology
Organized to promote the advancement of knowledge in the use of nuclear science and technologies in the aerospace application. Specialized nuclear-based technologies and applications are needed to advance the state-of-the-art in aerospace design, engineering and operations to explore planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond, plus enhance the safety of air travel, especially high speed air travel. Areas of interest will include but are not limited to the creation of nuclear-based power and propulsion systems, multifunctional materials to protect humans and electronic components from atmospheric, space, and nuclear power system radiation, human factor strategies for the safety and reliable operation of nuclear power and propulsion plants by non-specialized personnel and more.
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
X-energy receives federal tax credit for TRISO fuel facility
Advanced reactor company X-energy has been awarded $148.5 million in tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act for construction of its TRISO-X fuel fabrication facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Bahman Zohuri, Patrick J. McDaniel, Cassiano R. R. De Oliveira
Nuclear Technology | Volume 192 | Number 1 | October 2015 | Pages 48-60
Technical Paper | Thermal Hydraulics | doi.org/10.13182/NT14-42
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Nuclear heated open air-Brayton cycles have been investigated both as topping cycles for combined cycle Brayton-Rankine cycles and as standalone recuperated Brayton cycles. The peak turbine inlet temperature chosen for the analysis was 933 K for a range of Generation IV molten salt reactors or lead cooled reactors. A baseline power level of 25 MW(electric) was chosen to be representative of some of the small modular reactor concepts being considered. Extensions to higher temperatures and power levels were evaluated. Thermal efficiencies in the 45% to 46% range can be achieved by both the combined cycle systems and the recuperated systems, though the combined cycle systems achieve about a 1% to 1.5% improvement over the recuperated systems.
The nuclear heated open air-Brayton systems have several advantages over current light water reactor and other Generation IV systems. The analysis demonstrates that the cycle thermal efficiencies are higher than other proposed systems. The gas turbine hardware is readily available over a broad range of power levels. And both the combined cycle and recuperated systems require significantly less circulating water for waste heat rejection than any other proposed systems.