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Conference Spotlight
2025 ANS Winter Conference & Expo
November 9–12, 2025
Washington, DC|Washington Hilton
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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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Dry Ice Blasting: A Game-Changer for Safe Cleaning and Decontamination in Nuclear Power Plants
The nuclear energy industry is critical not only for meeting the world’s growing demand for electricity but also for advancing global decarbonization goals. As the sector evolves—through life extensions of existing plants, decommissioning, innovations like small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors, and new facility construction—the need for safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible maintenance and decommissioning continues to grow. Whether a plant is coming online, operating beyond its original design life, or entering decommissioning, cleanliness and operational integrity remain non-negotiable. That’s where dry ice blasting stands out—a powerful, safe cleaning method ideally suited for the high-stakes demands of nuclear environments.
L. Forman, F. A. White
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 28 | Number 1 | April 1967 | Pages 139-143
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE67-A18677
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The thermal-neutron capture cross section of 147Sm has been measured by the mass spectrometric determination of the number of 148Sm atoms formed by neutron capture. Samples of high isotopic purity were irradiated in a well-thermalized neutron spectrum for which the time-integrated neutron flux and effective neutron temperature were monitored by the burnup in 149Sm and 157Gd. A thermal-neutron capture cross section value of 75 ± 11 b was obtained from a post-irradiation 148Sm/ 147Sm ratio of 0.00025 ± 8%, at an effective neutron temperature of 127 ± 13°C.