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Division Spotlight
Human Factors, Instrumentation & Controls
Improving task performance, system reliability, system and personnel safety, efficiency, and effectiveness are the division's main objectives. Its major areas of interest include task design, procedures, training, instrument and control layout and placement, stress control, anthropometrics, psychological input, and motivation.
Meeting Spotlight
Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2024)
August 4–7, 2024
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
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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Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Taking shape: Fusion energy ecosystems built with public-private partnerships
It’s possible to describe fusion in simple terms: heat and squeeze small atoms to get abundant clean energy. But there’s nothing simple about getting fusion ready for the grid.
Private developers, national lab and university researchers, suppliers, and end users working toward that goal are developing a range of complex technologies to reach fusion temperatures and pressures, confounded by science and technology gaps linked to plasma behavior; materials, diagnostics, and electronics for extreme environments; fuel cycle sustainability; and economics.
R. Dagan, A. Jianu, G. Rimpault, A. Weisenburger, M. Schikorr
Nuclear Technology | Volume 184 | Number 2 | November 2013 | Pages 210-216
Technical Paper | Fuel Cycle and Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT13-A22316
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The effect of temperature changes and in particular those that are accompanied by strong gradients was extensively investigated for fast reactors. Subcritical systems designed for their transmutation ability are to some extent similar to critical power reactors in their subassembly structure. However, they differ in two main aspects. First, the coolant in a subcritical system is lead or lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) and not sodium, and second, the main cause for steep temperature gradients in a fast power reactor is sudden control rod insertion, or scram, whereas in subcritical systems shutdown of the accelerator and its proton beam is the main cause for temperature gradients. Furthermore, the increased probability of operational interruptions in an accelerator-driven system is largely due to the instability of the accelerator generating the proton beam.This study uses the knowledge gained from fast reactors as a preliminary reference and concentrates further on the unique features of the proposed subcritical systems.In particular, the effect of beam trips on the fuel pin integrity is evaluated as a function of the temperature gradients and the duration of the beam trips. It seems, however, that the largest hazard to the fuel pin integrity is due to the lead (or LBE) coolant. In particular, the stability of the protective oxide layer built on the clad surface with the lead coolant appears quite sensitive to sudden temperature changes. In the second part of this study, several available experimental results show that even very moderate temperature changes are sufficient to cause crack formation in the oxide layer thereby exposing the clad surface to enhanced LBE corrosion. In the worst case, complete exfoliation of the magnetite outer layer is observed. As a consequence, clad failure probability due to corrosion is considerably increased.