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Perpetual Atomics, QSA Global produce Am fuel for nuclear space power
U.K.-based Perpetual Atomics and U.S.-based QSA Global claim to have achieved a major step forward in processing americium dioxide to fuel radioisotope power systems used in space missions. Using an industrially scalable process, the companies said they have turned americium into stable, large-scale ceramic pellets that can be directly integrated into sealed sources for radioisotope power systems, including radioisotope heater units (RHUs) and radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs).
John C. Lee
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 54 | Number 2 | June 1974 | Pages 206-214
Technical Note | doi.org/10.13182/NSE74-A23410
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Application of a θ-difference technique to the finite-difference solution of xenon-induced spatial transients has been made, which shows a substantial improvement in the accuracy of the calculated stability index and oscillation period. Virtually no correction is necessary for time-step lengths up to two hours, so an accurate simulation of experimental tests can be performed explicitly in the time domain with fairly crude time-step lengths. A simple expression was obtained for the optimum value of the parameter, θ, that can minimize the calculational error for a broad range of the core stability. The method is expected to be applicable for controlled xenon transients as well as for free-running oscillations.