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.
Division Spotlight
Nuclear Criticality Safety
NCSD provides communication among nuclear criticality safety professionals through the development of standards, the evolution of training methods and materials, the presentation of technical data and procedures, and the creation of specialty publications. In these ways, the division furthers the exchange of technical information on nuclear criticality safety with the ultimate goal of promoting the safe handling of fissionable materials outside reactors.
Meeting Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Standards Program
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Jun 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2025
Nuclear Technology
July 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Hinkley Point C gets over $6 billion in financing from Apollo
U.S.-based private capital group Apollo Global has committed £4.5 billion ($6.13 billion) in financing to EDF Energy, primarily to support the U.K.’s Hinkley Point C station. The move addresses funding needs left unmet since China General Nuclear Power Corporation—which originally planned to pay for one-third of the project—exited in 2023 amid U.K. government efforts to reduce Chinese involvement.
Richard E. Siemon, W. Thomas Armstrong, Daniel C. Barnes, R. Richard Bartsch, Robert E. Chrien, James C. Cochrane, Waheed N. Hugrass, Ralph W. Kewish, Jr., Phillip L. Klingner, H. Ralph Lewis, Rulon K. Linford, Kenneth F. McKenna, Richard D. Milroy, Donald J. Rej, James L. Schwarzmeier, Charles E. Seyler, Eugene G. Sherwood, Ross L. Spencer, Michel Tuszewski
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 9 | Number 1 | January 1986 | Pages 13-37
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST86-A24698
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The FRX-C device is a large field-reversed theta pinch experiment with linear dimensions twice those of its FRX-A and FRX-B predecessors. It is used to form field-reversed configurations (FRCs), which are high-beta, highly prolate compact toroids. The FRX-C has demonstrated an R2 scaling for particle confinement in FRCs, indicating particles are lost by diffusive processes. Particle losses were also observed to dominate the energy balance. When weak quadrupole fields were applied to stabilize the n = 2 rotational mode, FRC lifetimes >300 µs were observed. Detailed studies of the FRC equilibrium were performed using multichord and holographic interferometry. Measurements of electron temperature by Thomson scattering showed a flat profile and substantial losses through the electron channel. The loss rate of the internal poloidal flux of the FRC was observed to be anomalous and to scale less strongly with temperature than predicted from classical resistivity. Following a modification to the device, FRCs were translated from the theta-pinch coil into a direct current (dc) solenoid and metallic vacuum chamber. The translation process was observed to be in reasonable agreement with adiabatic theory. The FRCs were translated and trapped in a dc solenoid without active auxiliary coils. Trapping was aided by the inelastic reflection of FRCs off a magnetic mirror. Measurements of the radiated power from translating FRCs indicated that radiation is a small component in the power balance; thus it appears that electron thermal conduction is more important. The particle confinement of an FRC is expected to improve as s, which measures the number of local ion gyroradii between the field null and the separatrix, increases. A regime of increased susceptibility to magnetohydrodynamic modes, notably the internal tilt, however, has recently been predicted to have a threshold in s of 3 to 4. To address these issues, as well as the issues of electron energy loss and poloidal flux loss, a three-stage experiment has been proposed that is predicted to reach s of ~7. The FRX-D device will consist of separate formation, heating, and confinement regions. Plasma translation permits separation of these functions in a manner thought to be desirable for a fusion reactor.