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 Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Dec 2025
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
January 2026
Nuclear Technology
December 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
November 2025
Latest News
What’s the most difficult question you’ve been asked as a maintenance instructor?
Blye Widmar
"Where are the prints?!"
This was the final question in an onslaught of verbal feedback, comments, and critiques I received from my students back in 2019. I had two years of instructor experience and was teaching a class that had been meticulously rehearsed in preparation for an accreditation visit. I knew the training material well and transferred that knowledge effectively enough for all the students to pass the class. As we wrapped up, I asked the students how they felt about my first big system-level class, and they did not hold back.
“Why was the exam from memory when we don’t work from memory in the plant?” “Why didn’t we refer to the vendor documents?” “Why didn’t we practice more on the mock-up?” And so on.
Yingwu Jiang, Fuhao Ji, Xiaoqiu Ye, Muyi Ni
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 81 | Number 7 | October 2025 | Pages 741-754
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2025.2476855
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Thermal Cycling Absorption Process (TCAP) is gaining recognition as a promising technology for hydrogen isotope separation in future fusion reactors, owing to its low cost, strong separation efficiency, and rapid operational throughput. This process capitalizes on the temperature-dependent interaction between palladium and hydrogen isotopes, enabling separation through cyclic temperature variations. However, the intricate interplay of multiple influencing factors has hindered the determination of optimal operational conditions for maximum efficiency. To address this challenge, this study developed a conservation model incorporating mass, energy, and momentum balance equations to simulate the behavior within the separation column. The model was implemented and numerically solved using the partial differential equation module in COMSOL Multiphysics. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis of key operational parameters revealed that an optimal operating temperature of approximately 0°C, along with an increased feed ratio of up to 0.3, significantly enhances separation efficiency during the initial feed stage. Furthermore, results obtained under full reflux operational conditions indicated that improved gas transfer dynamics between the plug flow reverser and the separation column considerably boost hydrogen isotope separation. Additionally, material properties such as the porosity of the separation medium and the palladium loading ratio were found to critically influence separation performance. These dynamic simulation results offer insights for optimizing the production technique and deepening the understanding of the separation mechanism.