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
Jul 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
Nuclear Technology
August 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
The human factor in licensing and operating the next generation of nuclear plants
As human factors specialists working at the intersection of human performance and nuclear operations, we are witnessing one of the nuclear sector’s most significant transitions in decades. The emergence of small modular reactors, microreactors, and other advanced designs is reshaping the industry’s landscape. Digital instrumentation and controls, passive safety systems, and increased automation are creating opportunities for greater safety margins and more flexible operation. These same features also fundamentally redefine what it means to “operate” a nuclear plant. Interactions among human roles, automation, and passive systems shape how people maintain awareness, exercise judgment, and intervene when necessary. These developments affect both operational realities and the regulatory foundations on which nuclear safety is built.
Technical Session
Monday, July 22, 2024|3:15–5:05PM CDT|Madison Ballroom
Session Chair:
Iole Palermo
Session Organizers:
Paul P. Wilson (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Alternate Chair:
Ethan Peterson (Massachussets Institute of Technology)
To access paper attachments, you must be logged in and registered for the meeting.
Register NowLog In
Lithium Enrichment Needs for Different Tritium Breeding Blanket Concepts
3:15–3:40PM CDT
P.W. Humrickhouse (ORNL), M.L. Gehrig (ORNL)
Paper
Coupled Neutronics and Thermal Hydraulics Simulation of Tritium Breeding and Its Transport in the ARC-Class Fusion Blanket
3:40–4:05PM CDT
Arpan Sircar (ORNL), Jin Whan Bae (ORNL), Katarzyna Borowiec (ORNL), Vittorio Badalassi (ORNL), Cami Collins (ORNL)
Tritium Speciation and Transport in Molten Salts: Insights from the BABY Experiment
4:05–4:25PM CDT
N. Goles (MIT), R. Delaporte-Mathurin (MIT), C.S. Dunn (MIT), E. Edwards (MIT), S.E. Ferry (MIT), E. Lamere (MIT), A.T. Lanzrath (MIT), R. Leccacorvi (MIT), S. Meschini (MIT), E.E. Peterson (MIT), S. Segantin (MIT), R.F. Vieira (MIT), D.G. Whyte (MIT), K.B. Woller (MIT), W. Zhou (MIT)
Neutronics Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification of LiCl-LiF Molten Salt as a Liquid Tritium Breeding Blanket
4:25–4:45PM CDT
C.S. Dunn (MIT), E.E. Peterson (MIT), B. Ebiwonjumi (MIT), S. Segantin (MIT), W. Zhou (MIT), S. Ferry (MIT), K. Woller (MIT)
Molten Salt Activation Considerations in D-T Fusion Tokamak Design
4:45–5:05PM CDT
Austin Carter (Commonwealth Fusion Systems), Caroline Sorensen Barthel (Commonwealth Fusion Systems), Ryanne Kennedy (Commonwealth Fusion Systems)