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
March 2026
Nuclear Technology
February 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
January 2026
Latest News
Fusion energy: Progress, partnerships, and the path to deployment
Over the past decade, fusion energy has moved decisively from scientific aspiration toward a credible pathway to a new energy technology. Thanks to long-term federal support, we have significantly advanced our fundamental understanding of plasma physics—the behavior of the superheated gases at the heart of fusion devices. This knowledge will enable the creation and control of fusion fuel under conditions required for future power plants. Our progress is exemplified by breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility and the Joint European Torus.
D. H. Meikrantz, J. D. Baker, G. L. Bourne, R. J. Pawelko, R. A. Anderl, D. G. Tuggle, H. R. Maltrud
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 27 | Number 2 | March 1995 | Pages 14-18
doi.org/10.13182/FST95-A11963799
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A zirconium alloy getter-based tritium monitoring and collection system has been designed, built, and subsequently operated for three years at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The system is automated to provide separation of tritium from 41Ar, collection of tritium on an hourly basis, unloading of getters for on-line tritium measurement via an ion chamber, and recollection of tritium on removable getters for daily assay in the laboratory. Three different SAES Getters alloys are employed to purify the gas stream (St 909), and separate the tritium from Ar and collect the tritium for measurement (St 727 and St 707). This system has demonstrated on-line tritium measurements as low as 20 μCi per sample with typical decontamination factors from 41Ar of 107. In addition, laboratory studies aimed at the recovery of tritium from graphitic targets have demonstrated further process applications for these getters. Prototypical gas cooled reactor targets, containing encapsulated 6Li, were irradiated at the Advanced Test Reactor at this laboratory. Samples were then heated to high temperatures to allow diffusive release of the tritium into a flowing helium stream. St 909 purifier and St 727 collector getters have been employed to demonstrate an efficient tritium recovery process.