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Division Spotlight
Nuclear Installations Safety
Devoted specifically to the safety of nuclear installations and the health and safety of the public, this division seeks a better understanding of the role of safety in the design, construction and operation of nuclear installation facilities. The division also promotes engineering and scientific technology advancement associated with the safety of such facilities.
Meeting Spotlight
2025 ANS Annual Conference
June 15–18, 2025
Chicago, IL|Chicago Marriott Downtown
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
Smarter waste strategies: Helping deliver on the promise of advanced nuclear
At COP28, held in Dubai in 2023, a clear consensus emerged: Nuclear energy must be a cornerstone of the global clean energy transition. With electricity demand projected to soar as we decarbonize not just power but also industry, transport, and heat, the case for new nuclear is compelling. More than 20 countries committed to tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050. In the United States alone, the Department of Energy forecasts that the country’s current nuclear capacity could more than triple, adding 200 GW of new nuclear to the existing 95 GW by mid-century.
Charles W. Forsberg
Nuclear Technology | Volume 131 | Number 3 | September 2000 | Pages 337-353
Technical Paper | Radioactive Waste Management and Disposal | doi.org/10.13182/NT00-A3121
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The use of depleted uranium dioxide (DUO2) particulates as fill material for repository waste packages (WPs) containing light-water reactor (LWR) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) was investigated. A repository WP would be loaded with SNF, and small DUO2 particulates (0.5 to 1.0 mm) would be added to fill the void space inside the WP - including the coolant channels inside SNF assemblies. The DUO2 fill slows release of radionuclides from the SNF by (a) creating a local chemically reducing environment that slows degradation of the SNF UO2 and (b) reducing groundwater flow through the WP. The depleted uranium (DU) fill minimizes the potential for long-term criticality in the repository by isotopic dilution of 233U and 235U. The potential for criticality is primarily determined by 235U (a) originally in the SNF and (b) from decay of 239Pu. The use of DU consumes excess DU from the production of enriched uranium. The mechanisms for improvements in repository performance with DUO2 fill are defined, but additional work is required to fully quantify the benefits and costs of such an approach.