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Isotopes & Radiation
Members are devoted to applying nuclear science and engineering technologies involving isotopes, radiation applications, and associated equipment in scientific research, development, and industrial processes. Their interests lie primarily in education, industrial uses, biology, medicine, and health physics. Division committees include Analytical Applications of Isotopes and Radiation, Biology and Medicine, Radiation Applications, Radiation Sources and Detection, and Thermal Power Sources.
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2025 ANS Annual Conference
June 15–18, 2025
Chicago, IL|Chicago Marriott Downtown
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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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Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
High-temperature plumbing and advanced reactors
The use of nuclear fission power and its role in impacting climate change is hotly debated. Fission advocates argue that short-term solutions would involve the rapid deployment of Gen III+ nuclear reactors, like Vogtle-3 and -4, while long-term climate change impact would rely on the creation and implementation of Gen IV reactors, “inherently safe” reactors that use passive laws of physics and chemistry rather than active controls such as valves and pumps to operate safely. While Gen IV reactors vary in many ways, one thing unites nearly all of them: the use of exotic, high-temperature coolants. These fluids, like molten salts and liquid metals, can enable reactor engineers to design much safer nuclear reactors—ultimately because the boiling point of each fluid is extremely high. Fluids that remain liquid over large temperature ranges can provide good heat transfer through many demanding conditions, all with minimal pressurization. Although the most apparent use for these fluids is advanced fission power, they have the potential to be applied to other power generation sources such as fusion, thermal storage, solar, or high-temperature process heat.1–3
R. Lässer, D.K. Murdoch, R.-D. Penzhorn
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 41 | Number 3 | May 2002 | Pages 621-625
Device, Facility, and Operation | Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Tritium Science and Technology Tsukuba, Japan November 12-16, 2001 | doi.org/10.13182/FST41-621
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The present design of the ITER mechanical forevacuum system foresees the use of Roots pumps with pumping speeds of 4200 and 1200 m3/h. Commercial Roots pumps on the market are not tritium compatible. They require one or more of the following modifications: i) replacement of elastomer O-rings by metal seals, ii) minimisation or elimination of leaks along the rotating shafts and iii) only use of tritium compatible materials. This paper presents the possible application of ferrofluidic seals to avoid gas flows between the pumping and the oil filled volumes. Tests were performed with ferrofluidic seals for different rotational shaft speeds up to 1500 rpm and for various pressure differences up to 100 kPa. The results with the ferrofluidic seal were very encouraging showing very small leak rates under Roots pump relevant conditions. To verify the performance of ferrofluidic seals under realistic conditions a tritium compatible Roots pump having a pumping speed of 250 m3/h and using ferrofluidic and metal seals is being constructed.
