ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Aug 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
October 2026
Nuclear Technology
September 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
August 2026
Latest News
Center for Used Fuel Research: Building confidence in storage and transport
Used nuclear fuel storage and transportation have reached a critical juncture.
Dozens of utilities need reliable data on how used nuclear fuel performs in dry storage casks and canisters to extend regulatory licenses at sites across the United States. Likewise, the Department of Energy expects to take ownership of the used nuclear fuel—termed “spent nuclear fuel” in the laws and regulations governing its stewardship—and transfer it to one or more federal staging facilities for management and disposition.
Meanwhile, dozens of reactor companies are testing prototypes of advanced reactors and advanced reactor fuels. Eventually, regulators and industry must also verify the safety and security of storage methods for these advanced fuel types.
To help address these challenges, the DOE established the Center for Used Fuel Research (CUFR) in January 2026 for work related to the long-term storage and transport of used nuclear fuel.
Technical Session|Panel|Sponsored by THD
Monday, June 17, 2024|1:00–2:45PM PDT|Jasmine C
Session Chair:
Izabela Gutowska (OSU)
Session Organizer:
Alternate Chair:
Robert Kile (INL)
Accurate modelling and simulation tools for thermal hydraulic calculations are a key element needed to efficiently develop and deploy new advanced reactors including HTGRs. Uncertainties in modelling and simulation can have significant safety and economic implications. Well defined benchmark problems are an efficient means to quantify accuracy and identify sources of uncertainties in thermal hydraulic calculations. This panel discusses how data measured at HTTF can be leveraged and is used in the OECD HTTF TH benchmark. Experts from industry, DOE and academia will discuss the value of measured data and associated benchmarks to validate simulation codes.
Aaron Epiney
INL
Mauricio Retamales
Thanh Hua
ANL
Florent Heidet
