ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
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Division Spotlight
Operations & Power
Members focus on the dissemination of knowledge and information in the area of power reactors with particular application to the production of electric power and process heat. The division sponsors meetings on the coverage of applied nuclear science and engineering as related to power plants, non-power reactors, and other nuclear facilities. It encourages and assists with the dissemination of knowledge pertinent to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear facilities through professional staff development, information exchange, and supporting the generation of viable solutions to current issues.
Meeting Spotlight
2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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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Nuclear Science and Engineering
April 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
February 2024
Latest News
Can hydrogen be the transportation fuel in an otherwise nuclear economy?
Let’s face it: The global economy should be powered primarily by nuclear power. And it probably will by the end of this century, with a still-significant assist from renewables and hydro. Once nuclear systems are dominant, the costs come down to where gas is now; and when carbon emissions are reduced to a small portion of their present state, it will become obvious that most other sources are only good in niche settings. I mean, why use small modular reactors to load-follow when they can just produce that power instead of buffering it?
Calvin C. Burwell
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 90 | Number 4 | August 1985 | Pages 491-500
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE85-A18499
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Industrial electrification trends since the oil embargo are examined to observe continuance (or reversal) of historic trends toward the increased use of electricity per unit of physical output. The focus is on 5 of the 20 Standard Industrial Classification groups (i.e., primary metals, pulp and paper, petroleum refining, stone/clay/glass, and chemicals), which are energy intensive and which together use 75% of the energy used in manufacturing. More electricity is being used now per unit of output than was used at the time of the embargo, and the direct use of fuels has declined. Nonutility generation of electricity has also declined 40%. Electricity purchases are now equivalent to 45% of all primary energy purchased for manufacturing. Specific examples of electricity purchased in 1981 compared to 1974 in kilowatt hours per kilogram of product include: steel, 0.46 to 0.61; petroleum refining, 0.23 to 0.28; paper, 0.55 to 0.66; plastic resins, 0. 72 to 0.81; and glass, 0.43 to 0.46.