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
Aug 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
October 2026
Nuclear Technology
September 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
August 2026
Latest News
Front-end nuclear fuel supply cooperation: Turning allied interdependence into strategic advantage
The global nuclear revival, which is fueled by unprecedented demand for firm, affordable, dispatchable power for artificial intelligence and data center build-out, energy security imperatives, and climate commitments, has exposed a structural reality of the Western fuel cycle: No single allied nation currently possesses the full suite of front-end capabilities. From mining through conversion, enrichment, fabrication, and the emerging deconversion and metallization steps required for reactor fuels, capability is distributed across Canada, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States (collectively, the “Sapporo Five”), as well as a small group of close partners.
M. Ishii, W. L. Chen, M. A. Grolmes
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 69 | Number 2 | February 1979 | Pages 297-318
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE79-2
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
During an unprotected undercooling accident in a liquid-metal fast breeder reactor, the motion and relocation of the molten fuel cladding can be important because of their potentially significant effect on reactivity, blockage formation, and subsequent fuel motion. The present study analyzes the cladding relocation problem based on a multichannel film flow model. The important aspects considered in the analysis are the nonuniform transverse cladding melting pattern and sodium vapor flow diversions within a subassembly. It has been shown that the motion of molten fuel cladding and subsequent blockage formations can be significantly influenced by this interconnected channel effect. Several sample calculations have been made to demonstrate these points.