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
Jun 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2026
Nuclear Technology
July 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Launching into tomorrow: NRIC guides new era of research and deployment
In June 2025, the Department of Energy announced the Reactor Pilot Program, an authorization pathway that allowed reactor developers to partner with the DOE to get first-of-a-kind (FOAK) reactors built and tested. Soon after, the DOE rolled out a complementary Fuel Line Pilot Program, which aimed to fast-track fuel projects. In all, 20 projects were accepted into the new programs.
Joseph A. Christensen, R. A. Borrelli
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 196 | Number 1 | January 2022 | Pages 98-108
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2021.1940066
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Algorithms used to generate Monte Carlo input decks and to analyze the output over a range of uranium mass, water volume, and particle size in a regular lattice are described. The algorithms produce input decks for both homogeneous and heterogeneous, regular-lattice systems of 20% enriched uranium metal and water and then analyze the results to determine the minimum critical mass over a range of input mass and particle size. The output is presented and analyzed for a 20% enriched uranium metal and water system, and comparisons to existing technical reports and safety guides are discussed. Two particular existing recommendations are tested and compared with new results: the boundary between a homogeneous system and a heterogeneous system, and the recommended margins of safety that can be applied to account for the effects of heterogeneity.