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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.
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2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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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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Securing the advanced reactor fleet
Physical protection accounts for a significant portion of a nuclear power plant’s operational costs. As the U.S. moves toward smaller and safer advanced reactors, similar protection strategies could prove cost prohibitive. For tomorrow’s small modular reactors and microreactors, security costs must remain appropriate to the size of the reactor for economical operation.
Zeyun Wu, Won Sik Yang, Shanbin Shi, Mamoru Ishii
Nuclear Technology | Volume 193 | Number 3 | March 2016 | Pages 364-374
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NT15-58
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper presents the core design and performance characteristics of the Novel Modular Reactor (NMR-50), a 50-MW(electric) small modular reactor. NMR-50 is a boiling water reactor with natural-circulation cooling and two layers of passive safety systems that enable the reactor to withstand prolonged station blackout and loss of ultimate heat sink accidents. The main goal in the core design is to achieve a long-life core (~10 years) without refueling for deployment in remote sites. Through assembly design studies with the CASMO-4 lattice code and coupled neutronics and thermal-hydraulic core analyses with the PARCS and RELAP5 codes, a preliminary NMR-50 core design has been developed to meet the 10-year cycle length with an average fuel enrichment of 4.75 wt% and a maximum enrichment of 5.0 wt%. The calculated fuel temperature coefficient and coolant void coefficient provide adequate negative reactivity feedbacks. The maximum fuel linear power density throughout the 10-year burn cycle is 18.7 kW/m, and the minimum critical power ratio is 2.07, both of which meet the selected design limits with significant margins. Preliminary safety analyses using the RELAP5 code show that the core will remain covered during the entire transient procedure of two design-basis loss-of-coolant accidents. These results indicate that the targeted 10-year cycle length is achievable while satisfying the operation and safety-related design criteria with sufficient margins.