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Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology
Organized to promote the advancement of knowledge in the use of nuclear science and technologies in the aerospace application. Specialized nuclear-based technologies and applications are needed to advance the state-of-the-art in aerospace design, engineering and operations to explore planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond, plus enhance the safety of air travel, especially high speed air travel. Areas of interest will include but are not limited to the creation of nuclear-based power and propulsion systems, multifunctional materials to protect humans and electronic components from atmospheric, space, and nuclear power system radiation, human factor strategies for the safety and reliable operation of nuclear power and propulsion plants by non-specialized personnel and more.
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September 8–11, 2025
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Take steps on SNF and HLW disposal
Matt Bowen
With a new administration and Congress, it is time once again to ponder what will happen—if anything—on U.S. spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste management policy over the next few years. One element of the forthcoming discussion seems clear: The executive and legislative branches are eager to talk about recycling commercial SNF. Whatever the merits of doing so, it does not obviate the need for one or more facilities for disposal of remaining long-lived radionuclides. For that reason, making progress on U.S. disposal capabilities remains urgent, lest the associated radionuclide inventories simply be left for future generations to deal with.
In March, Rick Perry, who was secretary of energy during President Trump’s first administration, observed that during his tenure at the Department of Energy it became clear to him that any plan to move SNF “required some practical consent of the receiving state and local community.”1
Tsung-Kuang Yeh, Digby D. Macdonald
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 123 | Number 2 | June 1996 | Pages 295-304
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE96-A24191
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The DAMAGE-PREDICTOR computer code, which has the capability of simultaneously estimating the concentrations of radiolysis species, the electrochemical corrosion potential (ECP), and the crack growth rate (CGR) of a reference crack in sensitized Type 304 stainless steel, is used to evaluate the responses of the Dresden-2 and Duane Arnold boiling water reactors (BWRs) to hydrogen water chemistry (HWC). The HWC simulations for these two BWRs are carried out for feedwater hydrogen concentrations ([H2]FW) ranging from 0.0 to 2.0 parts per million (ppm). Results such as species concentrations (H2, O2, H2O2, etc.), ECP, and CGR are predicted for various components in the heat transport circuits (HTCs) of the two reactors. It is found that while 1.3 ppm of feedwater hydrogen is needed to protect part of the lower downcomer, the recirculation system, and the lower plenum in Dresden-2 from intergranular stress corrosion cracking, only 0.3 ppm is needed to achieve the same goal in Duane Arnold. However, it is also found that the ECP in many regions (core channel, core bypass, upper plenum, downcomer, etc.) in the HTCs cannot be lowered to below the critical corrosion potential of -0.23 VSHE for sensitized Type 304 stainless steels, even when [H2]FW is as high as 2.0 ppm.
