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Conference 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!
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Powering the future: How the DOE is fueling nuclear fuel cycle research and development
As global interest in nuclear energy surges, the United States must remain at the forefront of research and development to ensure national energy security, advance nuclear technologies, and promote international cooperation on safety and nonproliferation. A crucial step in achieving this is analyzing how funding and resources are allocated to better understand how to direct future research and development. The Department of Energy has spearheaded this effort by funding hundreds of research projects across the country through the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP). This initiative has empowered dozens of universities to collaborate toward a nuclear-friendly future.
Edward P. Ficaro, David K. Wehe
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 117 | Number 3 | July 1994 | Pages 158-176
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE94-A28531
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The KENO-NR Monte Carlo code was developed to simulate the measurement of R(ω) = G*12(ω)G13(ω)/G11(ω)G23(ω), a ratio of spectral densities measured by the 252Cf source-driven noise analysis (CSDNA) method for determining subcriticality. From a direct comparison of simulated and measured R(ω), cross sections and the physical system model can be benchmarked and then used in standard criticality codes for determining keff for a multiplying system. This procedure eliminates the dependence of the CSDNA method on the point-kinetics model and allows cross-section and geometry models to be validated for noncritical configurations. For a set of uranium cylinders (93.2 wt% 235sU and 17.7-cm outer diameter) of varying height, the simulated and the measured R(ω) values in the low-frequency limit and the prompt neutron decay constant a agreed to within 10%. These results indicate that the approach of validating a simulation of the direct experimental data should lead to improved neutronic parameters for fissile systems.
