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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.
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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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Can hydrogen be the transportation fuel in an otherwise nuclear economy?
Let’s face it: The global economy should be powered primarily by nuclear power. And it probably will by the end of this century, with a still-significant assist from renewables and hydro. Once nuclear systems are dominant, the costs come down to where gas is now; and when carbon emissions are reduced to a small portion of their present state, it will become obvious that most other sources are only good in niche settings. I mean, why use small modular reactors to load-follow when they can just produce that power instead of buffering it?
Mujid S. Kazimi
Nuclear Technology | Volume 160 | Number 1 | October 2007 | Page 1
Technical Paper | Annular Fuel | doi.org/10.13182/NT160-1-1
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This special issue of Nuclear Technology is devoted to evaluation of a new fuel design for the pressurized water reactor (PWR). It has a potential to increase the safety margin and power density of this most widely deployed type of power reactor. The idea is simple and involves increasing the surface-to-volume ratio of the fuel by adopting an annular geometry with internal and external cooling of the fuel. Undertaken with support from the initial phase of the Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI) of the U.S. Department of Energy, the idea has undergone a thorough examination by researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with industrial support from Westinghouse, Gamma Engineering, AREVA, and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. This dedicated issue provides an inclusive technical review and economic assessment of the project in nine technical papers from the project team members. Hence, conclusions of this research have been documented in one archival location, which we hope will be of value to the technical community.The United States led the world in the development of the PWR, and this technology won over many countries, including some that began the nuclear energy era with focus on other concepts. Today the world appears ready for another phase of expansion in nuclear energy, which likely will be based in large part on PWR technology. While many aspects of the primary coolant system and even the containment design have been revamped in the recently developed Generation III reactors, the fuel has been left in its original form. Yet, it is the fuel performance that controls the power that can be extracted from the core and the response to transients, in other words, the economics and safety of the power plant. Therefore, the PWR fuel deserves a much more thorough examination for innovations that enable improved performance of nuclear energy in the next few decades.The annular fuel development for PWRs is an example of near-term research and development effort that has essentially been abandoned by both the U.S. government and industry. The U.S. government had decided that the PWR technology was mature and should not be given more development funding; the industry had decided that to change the fuel implies starting a new learning curve to ensure high degree of reliability, and until very recently had no intention of covering the cost of going after such fundamental changes in nuclear technology. Well, the market for nuclear has now expanded, and the investment in changes in the fuel that can bring about increased safety or economics can no longer be cast aside because of limited potential return on investment. Hopefully, fuel vendors and users will benefit from the extensive work documented in this issue.