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
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
Sep 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
August 2025
Latest News
Schulz Electric™ Refurbishes Critical Circulating Water Pump Motor in Only Four Days
Schulz Electric™ was contacted by a nuclear power plant in the New England region that serves a community of over 2 million homes. After five years of service, a 1500 HP, 4 kV, 24-pole circulating water pump motor (measuring approximately 7’ wide, 8’ tall, and weighing several tons) needed refurbishing while the plant was still online. To add to their concern, the power plant is located close to the ocean. The aging motor was not only approaching the end of its serviceable life, but was highly susceptible to moisture intrusion and the salt-laden air, which can build up in air passages within the motor. These environmental conditions can lead to elevated operating temperatures and corrosion developing on the rotor, stator, and shaft components. These factors combined, placed the plant at an increased risk of downtime that could have potentially led to a significant loss of revenue if they were forced into a shutdown event.
J.R. Stencel, J.D. Gilbert, O.A. Griesbach, J.M. Greco
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 14 | Number 2 | September 1988 | Pages 1047-1053
Measurement of Tritium | doi.org/10.13182/FST88-A25276
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Measurements within the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) vacuum vessel atmosphere in 1985 indicated low levels of tritium oxide (HTO). From January to July 1987 approximately 3 × 1018 D-D fusion neutrons were produced in TFTR operations. These reactions would be expected to produce a triton for each reaction or 5.4 GBq (145 milliCuries) of tritium. An HTO measurement made of the vessel on 7/10/87, five days after the last pulsing of the machine, but before the machine was let up to air, indicated an HTO level of 1 MBq m−3 (28 µCi m−3) or approximately six times the DOE concentration guide value of 185 kBq m−3 (5 µCi m−3). The ICRP 30 Derived Air Concentration (DAC) limit of 800 kBq m−3 (22 µCi m−3) will become the limit when Draft DOE Order 5480.11 is implemented. A venting program for the vessel was set up with the objective of limiting the internal dose equivalent to personnel working inside the vacuum vessel. An HTO/HT measurement indicated a 57:1 ratio. HTO was detected in Neutral Beam Injectors (NBI). Tritium concentrations were also detected in a roughing pump in oil/water mixtures within the pump reservoirs. The water to oil tritium concentration ratio was 660:1. The graphite indicated an outgassing effect during the activities within the vessel. In addition, the loose powdered graphite with its tritium absorption presented the first known contamination problem for a tokamak operation. Smearable contamination levels up to 600 Bq/100 cm2 (36,000 dpm/100 cm2) were detected inside the vacuum vessel. This paper discusses the measurements, contamination problems, and results of dealing with the first operational health physics tritium-related activity in a fusion energy research tokamak.
