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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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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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Latest News
U.S. nuclear fuel recycling takes two steps forward
Late last week saw two announcements from companies working to recycle used nuclear fuel on a commercial scale, providing welcome news to anyone hoping to see the United States move to unlock the hidden potential of the more than 94,000 metric tons of spent fuel stored at power plant sites around the country.
M. P. Mauldin, E. Giraldez, J. S. Jaquez, C. H. Shearer, Jr., R. B. Stephens, D. M. Woodhouse
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 51 | Number 4 | May 2007 | Pages 626-630
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST07-A1454
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The fast ignition concept is a proposed method to reach fusion by two separate processes. The task of the first process is the compression of fuel and the second is the ignition of the compressed fuel by a rapid and directed energy deposition. One delivery method of this energy can be in the form of focused proton beams and this type of fast ignition target will be discussed. The target designs consisted of gold and plastic cones with a curved proton-generating surface (aluminum) within the cone and very close to the tip. The challenges of the given target specifications led to a new cone design consisting of a cone base and cone tip made in two pieces with the proton generating surface sandwiched between. The fabrication of these targets consisted of several steps and processes that included making PAMS shell mandrels, sputter coating deposition, electroplating, precision machining, chemical etching, and target assembly.