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Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy
The mission of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division (NNPD) is to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology while simultaneously preventing the diversion and misuse of nuclear material and technology through appropriate safeguards and security, and promotion of nuclear nonproliferation policies. To achieve this mission, the objectives of the NNPD are to: Promote policy that discourages the proliferation of nuclear technology and material to inappropriate entities. Provide information to ANS members, the technical community at large, opinion leaders, and decision makers to improve their understanding of nuclear nonproliferation issues. Become a recognized technical resource on nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards, and security issues. Serve as the integration and coordination body for nuclear nonproliferation activities for the ANS. Work cooperatively with other ANS divisions to achieve these objective nonproliferation policies.
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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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NC State celebrates 70 years of nuclear engineering education
An early picture of the research reactor building on the North Carolina State University campus. The Department of Nuclear Engineering is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its nuclear engineering curriculum in 2020–2021. Photo: North Carolina State University
The Department of Nuclear Engineering at North Carolina State University has spent the 2020–2021 academic year celebrating the 70th anniversary of its becoming the first U.S. university to establish a nuclear engineering curriculum. It started in 1950, when Clifford Beck, then of Oak Ridge, Tenn., obtained support from NC State’s dean of engineering, Harold Lampe, to build the nation’s first university nuclear reactor and, in conjunction, establish an educational curriculum dedicated to nuclear engineering.
The department, host to the 2021 ANS Virtual Student Conference, scheduled for April 8–10, now features 23 tenure/tenure-track faculty and three research faculty members. “What a journey for the first nuclear engineering curriculum in the nation,” said Kostadin Ivanov, professor and department head.
Frigyes Reisch
Nuclear Technology | Volume 172 | Number 2 | November 2010 | Pages 101-107
Technical Paper | Fission Reactors | dx.doi.org/10.13182/NT10-A10897
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Some 400 boiling water reactors (BWRs) and pressurized water reactors (PWRs) have been in operation for several decades. The presented concept, the high pressure boiling water reactor (HP-BWR), combines the best parts and omits the troublesome components of traditional BWRs and PWRs by taking into consideration the experiences gained during their operation.One of the major benefits of the HP-BWR is that safety is improved. The design utilizes gravity-operated control rods, and there is a large space for the cross-formed control rods between fuel boxes. The bottom of the reactor vessel is smooth and without penetrations. All the pipe connections to the reactor vessel are well above the top of the reactor core, and core spray is not needed. Additionally, internal circulation pumps are used.The HP-BWR concept is also environmentally friendly: Improved thermal efficiency is achieved by feeding the turbine with [approximately]340°C (15 MPa) steam instead of [approximately]285°C (7 MPa), and there is less warm water release to the recipient and less uranium consumption per produced kWh, resulting in the production of less waste.Finally, the HP-BWR is cost effective and simple, operating in direct cycle mode with no need for complicated steam generators. Moisture separators and steam dryers are placed inside the reactor vessel, and additional separators and dryers can be installed inside or outside the containment. Well-proved simple dry containment or wet containment can be used.In more than half a century, an extensive regulatory licensing experience has been built from traditional BWRs and PWRs. The HP-BWR is a developed, high-performance successor of those conventional designs. Therefore, it can be expected that licensing can be accomplished in a reasonable time.Several utilities are supporting manufacturers to study concepts for future reactors. It is likely that an application to one or more electrical power companies for financial support by a manufacturer to make a detailed feasibility study of the HP-BWR would be positively treated. This could be the next step to the implementation of the HP-BWR.