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 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2026
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
February 2026
Nuclear Technology
January 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
DOE announces NEPA exclusion for advanced reactors
The Department of Energy has announced that it is establishing a categorical exclusion for the application of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures to the authorization, siting, construction, operation, reauthorization, and decommissioning of advanced nuclear reactors.
According to the DOE, this significant change, which goes into effect today, “is based on the experience of DOE and other federal agencies, current technologies, regulatory requirements, and accepted industry practice.”
I.N. Sviatoslavsky, M.E. Sawan, L.A. El-Guebaly, L.J. Wittenberg, M.L. Corradini, W.F. Vogelsang, G.L. Kulcinski
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 10 | Number 3 | November 1986 | Pages 609-614
Blanket Design and Evaluation | Proceedings of the Seveth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (Reno, Nevada, June 15–19, 1986) | doi.org/10.13182/FST86-A24810
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Recent fusion power reactor designs have shown a trend toward lower power, lower cost, higher mass utilization compact configurations with inherent safety, in order to improve the economic aspects of fusion and make them more competitive with other energy sources. Since the blanket thickness directly impacts the size and mass of the remaining reactor components, it is prudent to minimize its thickness while ensuring adequate neutronic and thermal performance. This paper describes the blanket for the MINIMARS compact tandem mirror fusion power reactor. The blanket which utilizes HT-9 ferritic steel structure, LiPb breeder, Be multiplier/moderator and He gas cooling is only 17 cm thick and is backed up by a steel reflector. Helium gas cools the blanket and reflector in series and the outlet temperature of 575°C gives a gross thermal power cycle efficiency of 42.7%.