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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
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Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
July 2025
Latest News
Hash Hashemian: Visionary leadership
As Dr. Hashem M. “Hash” Hashemian prepares to step into his term as President of the American Nuclear Society, he is clear that he wants to make the most of this unique moment.
A groundswell in public approval of nuclear is finding a home in growing governmental support that is backed by a tailwind of technological innovation. “Now is a good time to be in nuclear,” Hashemian said, as he explained the criticality of this moment and what he hoped to accomplish as president.
A. C. Uggenti, G. F. Nallo, A. Carpignano, N. Pedroni, R. Zanino
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 78 | Number 3 | April 2022 | Pages 186-198
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2021.1984720
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A preliminary but systematic safety analysis of a liquid metal divertor (LMD) for the EU DEMO performed by means of the Functional Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FFMEA) is presented. This methodology is suitable for the analysis of the LMD, which is undergoing preconceptual design. In fact, the FFMEA compensates for the lack of detailed design information by postulating the loss of a system function, rather than a specific component failure.
The implementation of the FFMEA led to a better understanding of the safety and operational issues associated with the system and to the identification of a list of postulated initiating events (PIEs), i.e., the most challenging conditions for the plant. The PIEs, together with their possible consequences, represent an input for future quantitative safety analyses. Due to the early design stage of the LMD and the iterative nature of the methodology, this list will evolve alongside the design detail and with improvements in the understanding of phenomena driving reactor behavior.
The study highlighted some safety-relevant issues, e.g., those related to materials compatibility and system modularity, to be addressed in the perspective of a safety-driven design evolution.