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.
Division Spotlight
Nuclear Criticality Safety
NCSD provides communication among nuclear criticality safety professionals through the development of standards, the evolution of training methods and materials, the presentation of technical data and procedures, and the creation of specialty publications. In these ways, the division furthers the exchange of technical information on nuclear criticality safety with the ultimate goal of promoting the safe handling of fissionable materials outside reactors.
Meeting Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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
Jun 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2025
Nuclear Technology
July 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
NRC cuts fees by 50 percent for advanced reactor applicants
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has announced it has amended regulations for the licensing, inspection, special projects, and annual fees it will charge applicants and licensees for fiscal year 2025.
Mary E. Ward, John C. Lee
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 95 | Number 1 | January 1987 | Pages 47-59
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE87-A20431
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A singular perturbation method for the analysis of large power oscillations in nuclear reactors is applied to obtain phase-plane solutions of the Ergen- Weinberg model. The system equations, recast in an appropriate form, directly give a first approximation to the closed trajectory in which the system behavior is idealized as relaxation oscillations. Further approximations in the phase plane are determined using separate perturbation series on individual parts of the oscillation, with variations in the assignment of dependent and independent variables to consistently obtain convergent series. The accuracy of each order of the phase-plane solution increases with the magnitude of the power pulse in the actual physical situation. For realistic reactor conditions, both the trajectory and period of oscillation are well predicted using the first two terms of each perturbation series.