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Nuclear Criticality Safety
NCSD provides communication among nuclear criticality safety professionals through the development of standards, the evolution of training methods and materials, the presentation of technical data and procedures, and the creation of specialty publications. In these ways, the division furthers the exchange of technical information on nuclear criticality safety with the ultimate goal of promoting the safe handling of fissionable materials outside reactors.
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International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2025)
April 27–30, 2025
Denver, CO|The Westin Denver Downtown
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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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Two updated standards on criticality safety published
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recently approved two new American Nuclear Society standards covering different aspects of nuclear criticality safety (NCS).
Haihua Zhao, Per F. Peterson
Nuclear Technology | Volume 180 | Number 3 | December 2012 | Pages 422-436
Technical Paper | Special Issue on the Initial Release of MCNP6 / Thermal Hydraulics | doi.org/10.13182/NT12-A15353
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Generation IV high-temperature-reactor (HTR) systems use closed gas Brayton cycles to realize high thermal efficiency in the range of from 40% to 50% or more. The waste heat is removed through coolers by water at a substantially greater average temperature than in conventional condensing Rankine steam cycles. This paper introduces an innovative advanced multieffect distillation (AMED) design that can enable the production of substantial quantities of low-cost desalinated water using waste heat from closed gas Brayton cycles. A reference AMED design configuration, optimization models, and simplified economics analysis are presented. By using an AMED distillation system, one can fully utilize the waste heat from closed gas Brayton cycles to desalinate brackish water and seawater without affecting the cycle thermal efficiency. Analysis shows that cogeneration of electricity and desalinated water can increase net revenues for several Brayton cycles while generating large quantities of potable water. AMED combined with closed gas Brayton cycles could significantly improve the sustainability and economics of Generation IV HTRs.