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
Mar 2026
Jan 2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
April 2026
Nuclear Technology
February 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Swiss nuclear power and the case for long-term operation
Designed for 40 years but built to last far longer, Switzerland’s nuclear power plants have all entered long-term operation. Yet age alone says little about safety or performance. Through continuous upgrades, strict regulatory oversight, and extensive aging management, the country’s reactors are being prepared for decades of continued operation, in line with international practice.
P. N. Maya, S. P. Deshpande
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 80 | Number 6 | August 2024 | Pages 741-765
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2023.2247854
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Parameter space for spherical tokamak reactors is explored quantitatively to elucidate the main constraints for spherical tokamak design choices. Using a constant plasma current Ip search constraint, a set of four Ip scenarios (5, 10, 15, and 20 MA) is first explored in a wide parameter space. Considering modest but gradually increasing auxiliary power, a set of four machine configurations (major radius = 1.25, 1.75, 2.25, and 3.5 m) is explored next, optimizing the Ip and the bootstrap fraction. Constraints that narrow down the vast parameter space are elaborated along with critical assumptions, such as current drive efficiency, H-mode enhancement factor, nuclear shielding efficiency, and confinement scaling. Limits on the current density of the center post and how it affects the shielding are quantitatively indicated, thereby setting a lower limit on the aspect ratio.