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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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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Deep Space: The new frontier of radiation controls
In commercial nuclear power, there has always been a deliberate tension between the regulator and the utility owner. The regulator fundamentally exists to protect the worker, and the utility, to make a profit. It is a win-win balance.
From the U.S. nuclear industry has emerged a brilliantly successful occupational nuclear safety record—largely the result of an ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) process that has driven exposure rates down to what only a decade ago would have been considered unthinkable. In the U.S. nuclear industry, the system has accomplished an excellent, nearly seamless process that succeeds to the benefit of both employee and utility owner.
J. A. Conlin, D. R. Cuneo, E. L. Long, Jr., C. L. Segasser
Nuclear Technology | Volume 8 | Number 6 | June 1970 | Pages 507-515
Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT70-A28650
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Bare (U, Th)O2 fuel pellets were irradiated in a graphite structure to evaluate the potential of this type fuel for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors. The maximum fuel temperature was 1650°C at fuel pellet centers and 1370°C at fuel pellet-tographite interfaces. The experiment was terminated when fission-gas release rates increased by an order of magnitude and the radial temperature gradient from the fuel pellet centers to outer edges increased from 335 to 390°C. Postirradiation evaluation showed no evidence of chemical reaction or incompatibility between the fuel and the surrounding graphite. The graphite underwent no significant changes, but most of the fuel pellets were severely fractured. Burnup (2.4% heavy metal) was below that where the fuel swelling would be expected and optical measurements of two intact pellets showed no dimensional changes.
