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 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2026
Nuclear Technology
July 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
The deadline arrives: Checking in on the Reactor Pilot Program
On May 23, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14301, “Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at the DOE,” which instructed the Department of Energy to create a Reactor Pilot Program (RPP)—a new system in which companies could pursue DOE authorization to build and test their first-of-a-kind nuclear technologies. EO 14301 set an ambitious goal for that program: three reactors achieving criticality by July 4, 2026.
M. Tomlinson, J. L. Smee, E. B. Winters, and M. C. Arneson
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 26 | Number 4 | December 1966 | Pages 547-558
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE66-A18426
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The hydrogenated terphenyl mixture HB-40, which is of interest as a reactor coolant, has been irradiated in a loop in the NRX reactor under conditions simulating those that might pertain in an organic-cooled reactor. High Boiler decomposition products were removed by distillation and the recovered coolant was recycled to attain a stationary-state composition. Irradiation temperatures ranged from 250 to 375°C. Rates of coolant consumption and properties of the partly decomposed coolant mixture were determined. These are compared with the properties of the terphenyl coolant mixture, Santowax OM, irradiated under the same conditions. Important differences were noted between the properties of the stationary-state coolant mixtures and the properties of the starting materials. The HB-40 mixture appears suitable for use as a reactor coolant at temperatures up to at least 375°C. It has the advantage of remaining liquid under all conditions of use.