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Division Spotlight
Young Members Group
The Young Members Group works to encourage and enable all young professional members to be actively involved in the efforts and endeavors of the Society at all levels (Professional Divisions, ANS Governance, Local Sections, etc.) as they transition from the role of a student to the role of a professional. It sponsors non-technical workshops and meetings that provide professional development and networking opportunities for young professionals, collaborates with other Divisions and Groups in developing technical and non-technical content for topical and national meetings, encourages its members to participate in the activities of the Groups and Divisions that are closely related to their professional interests as well as in their local sections, introduces young members to the rules and governance structure of the Society, and nominates young professionals for awards and leadership opportunities available to members.
Meeting Spotlight
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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Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Zap Energy hits 37-million-degree electron temperatures in compact fusion device
Zap Energy announced April 23 that it has reached 1-3 keV plasma electron temperatures—roughly the equivalent of 11 to 37 million degrees Celsius—using its sheared-flow-stabilized Z-pinch approach to fusion. Reaching temperatures above that of the sun’s core (which is 10 million degrees Celsius temperature) is just one hurdle required before any fusion confinement concept can realistically pursue net gain and fusion energy.
Nicholas G. Trikouros
Nuclear Technology | Volume 178 | Number 2 | May 2012 | Pages 233-239
Technical Paper | Small Modular Reactors / Fission Reactors | doi.org/10.13182/NT12-A13562
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A great deal of interest has developed recently in the implementation of small reactors in the United States and abroad. Small reactors may offer a significant number of advantages over larger reactors. The diversity of size, design, configuration, and construction features and their planned utilization for nonelectrical power applications as well as traditional power applications pose significant challenges to the current U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulatory structure. The current structure is geared toward nontransportable, commercial, electrical power-producing, light water-cooled reactors utilizing traditional nuclear fuel designs. The NRC is currently engaged in a number of preapplication discussions concerning small reactor designs encompassing three distinctively different technologies. These are integral light water reactors, high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, and liquid metal-cooled reactors. Light water reactor technology-based power generation small reactors will fit best in the current NRC regulatory framework.In response to the anticipated licensing workload, the NRC has implemented organizational changes and has increased its focus in areas supporting the licensing of small reactors. Although the licensing of small reactors has to comply with the requirements imposed by the Atomic Energy Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, there are significant design differences among the various proposed small reactors and the currently licensed reactor designs that result in a number of issues that need to be resolved to properly comply with these statutory requirements. Given the diversity of small reactor designs, a regulatory structure that provides licensing flexibility combined with the required degree of safety assurance would be needed. This is likely to involve a risk-informed and technology-neutral regulatory approach.