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Division Spotlight
Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology
Organized to promote the advancement of knowledge in the use of nuclear science and technologies in the aerospace application. Specialized nuclear-based technologies and applications are needed to advance the state-of-the-art in aerospace design, engineering and operations to explore planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond, plus enhance the safety of air travel, especially high speed air travel. Areas of interest will include but are not limited to the creation of nuclear-based power and propulsion systems, multifunctional materials to protect humans and electronic components from atmospheric, space, and nuclear power system radiation, human factor strategies for the safety and reliable operation of nuclear power and propulsion plants by non-specialized personnel and more.
Meeting Spotlight
International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2025)
April 27–30, 2025
Denver, CO|The Westin Denver Downtown
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!
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Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Sam Altman steps down as Oklo board chair
Advanced nuclear company Oklo Inc. has new leadership for its board of directors as billionaire Sam Altman is stepping down from the position he has held since 2015. The move is meant to open new partnership opportunities with OpenAI, where Altman is CEO, and other artificial intelligence companies.
P. J. Foster, Z. J. Trotter, S. A. Schaufler, J. L. Clark, J. E. Klein
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 76 | Number 3 | April 2020 | Pages 262-266
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2019.1705749
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Savannah River Tritium Enterprise (SRTE) has used LaNi4.25Al0.75 (LANA75) hydride beds to store hydrogen isotopes for over two decades. A benefit of using LANA75 is that the 3He generated from tritium decay is retained in the hydride material, allowing the hydride beds to deliver high-purity product gas. A disadvantage is that the 3He accumulates in the LANA75 material over time, which forms a heel that cannot be removed under normal operating conditions. The heel traps hydrogen in the bed, slowly reducing the operational capacity of the bed as the heel grows. Eventually, the 3He begins to release from the material, preventing the delivery of high-purity product.
The hydride beds are replaced when (1) operational capacity is reduced such that it is impactive to routine operations and/or (2) product purity is not maintained due to 3He release. Prior to replacing and disposing of the beds, it is necessary to isotopically exchange the gas on the bed to recover as much tritium as possible. Isotopic exchange involves repeatedly absorbing deuterium onto the bed and desorbing hydrogen isotopes from the bed until a predetermined criterion has been met. The isotopic exchange process represents a significant additional load on routine operations both in time and in the amount of waste gas that requires further processing.
A set of beds was recently prepared for replacement. The isotopic exchange method used by SRTE is presented, along with results of the most recent isotopic exchange. Lessons learned during the recent isotopic exchange process led to modifications that reduce isotopic exchange duration and corresponding waste gas produced while increasing the amount of tritium recovered.
