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Materials Science & Technology
The objectives of MSTD are: promote the advancement of materials science in Nuclear Science Technology; support the multidisciplines which constitute it; encourage research by providing a forum for the presentation, exchange, and documentation of relevant information; promote the interaction and communication among its members; and recognize and reward its members for significant contributions to the field of materials science in nuclear technology.
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2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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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Latest News
WIPP improves utility shaft safety, begins infrastructure project
Harrison Western Shaft Sinkers (HWSS), the company drilling a new utility shaft at the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico, has retained a safety culture expert following a near-miss accident in the shaft late last year. The safety expert will conduct monthly facilitated discussions with crews working on the shaft to reinforce expectations for identifying concerns regarding unsafe circumstances, according to a recent report by the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB).
Xiaotian Li, Xiaowei Li, Li Shi, Zhengming Zhang, Shuyan He
Nuclear Technology | Volume 174 | Number 1 | April 2011 | Pages 29-40
Technical Paper | One-Phase Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT11-A11677
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The hot gas duct vessel (HGDV) is an important part of the high-temperature reactor-pebble-bed module (HTR-PM) primary loop pressure boundary system. It connects the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and steam generator pressure vessel. Because the dimensions of the HGDV are smaller than those of the other two vessels, it is often considered the weakest of the three vessels. Therefore, the safety of the HGDV has become one of the most important issues in the design of the HTR-PM. In the present paper, a comprehensive safety analysis of the HGDV in the HTR-PM was performed with an emphasis on the structural features. The designs of the HGDV and the support system of the primary loop pressure boundary are first described. A preliminary safety analysis of the HGDV, including the stress calculations and leak-before-break (LBB) analysis, is then presented. The results show that the stress levels of the HGDV under various accidents have a safety margin of at least 55.3% compared with the stress limits specified in American Society of Mechanical Engineers code, and the stress intensity factor at the postulated flaw is less than the critical stress intensity factor. The LBB analysis indicated that the leak detection system is capable of detecting leaks caused by a postulated through-thickness crack in the HGDV before it reaches the critical size. Although the preliminary analysis has proved the safety of the HGDV, the consequences of a hypothetical HGDV double-ended break accident were also studied to further investigate the safety features of the HTR-PM. Several mitigation measures were employed based on the original design. The structural integrity of the support system, the reactor internals, and the containment under double-ended break accident were evaluated. The results show that these main structures could maintain integrity under the HGDV double-ended break accident.