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Reactor Physics
The division's objectives are to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the fundamental physical phenomena characterizing nuclear reactors and other nuclear systems. The division encourages research and disseminates information through meetings and publications. Areas of technical interest include nuclear data, particle interactions and transport, reactor and nuclear systems analysis, methods, design, validation and operating experience and standards. The Wigner Award heads the awards program.
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2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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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
Zap Energy hits 37-million-degree electron temperatures in compact fusion device
Zap Energy announced April 23 that it has reached 1-3 keV plasma electron temperatures—roughly the equivalent of 11 to 37 million degrees Celsius—using its sheared-flow-stabilized Z-pinch approach to fusion. Reaching temperatures above that of the sun’s core (which is 10 million degrees Celsius temperature) is just one hurdle required before any fusion confinement concept can realistically pursue net gain and fusion energy.
T. Parham, B. Kozioziemski, D. Atkinson, P. Baisden, L. Bertolini, K. Boehm, A. Chernov, K. Coffee, F. Coffield, R. Dylla-Spears, O. Edwards, J. Fair, M. Fedorov, J. Fry, C. Gibson, B. Haid, D. Holunga, T. Kohut, T. Lewis, T. Malsbury, E. Mapoles, J. Sater, K. Skulina, D. Trummer, C. Walters
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 69 | Number 1 | January-February 2016 | Pages 407-419
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST15-162
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A cryogenic target positioning system was designed and installed on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) target chamber. This instrument incorporates the ability to fill, form, and characterize the NIF targets with hydrogen isotopes needed for ignition experiments inside the NIF target bay then transport and position them in the target chamber. This effort brought to fruition years of research in growing and metrologizing high-quality hydrogen fuel layers and landed it in an especially demanding operations environment in the NIF facility. D-T (deuterium-tritium) layers for NIF ignition experiments have extremely tight specifications and must be grown in a very highly constrained environment: a NIF ignition target inside a cryogenic target positioner inside the NIF target bay. Exquisite control of temperature, pressure, contaminant level, and thermal uniformity are necessary throughout seed formation and layer growth to create an essentially-groove-free single crystal layer.
The team developed processes, procedures, software, and metrology techniques to form and qualify solid layers of hydrogen isotopes at a quality level and yield needed to support the National Ignition Campaign experimental program. The team has grown over 220 layers in NIF, and 52 have been shot to date.