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Division Spotlight
Fusion Energy
This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
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
Proving DRACO will deliver
The United States is now closer than it has been in over five decades to launching the first nuclear thermal rocket into space, thanks to DRACO—the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Orbit.
G. Rimpault, Ph. Darde, F. Mellier, R. Dagan, M. Schikorr, A. Weisenburger, D. Maes, V. Sobolev, B. Arien, D. Lamberts, D. De Bruyn, A. C. Mueller, J. L. Biarrotte
Nuclear Technology | Volume 184 | Number 2 | November 2013 | Pages 249-260
Technical Paper | Accelerators | doi.org/10.13182/NT12-75
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The development of accelerator-driven systems (ADSs) is motivated by the potential of these machines to reduce the volume and the radiotoxicity of accumulated nuclear waste, more particularly that of minor actinides currently generated by the operation of existing pressurized water reactors. The reduction of both volume and radiotoxicity of nuclear waste is achieved by transmutation and fission of minor actinides into less-active isotopes or shorter-lived by-products.Various technical challenges exist regarding designing reliable and efficient ADSs. The key points are very much linked to the design of the spallation module, the assurance that reactivity remains below criticality under any circumstances, and the accelerator reliability.This paper addresses the latter two challenges imposed on the accelerator in order to assure safe and reliable ADS operation. It discusses the possibility of performing online absolute reactivity measurements and the limits in the number of allowable accelerator beam trips, which might impede plant integrity and/or plant efficiency.