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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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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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August 2025
Latest News
New coolants, new fuels: A new generation of university reactors
Here’s an easy way to make aging U.S. power reactors look relatively youthful: Compare them (average age: 43) with the nation’s university research reactors. The 25 operating today have been licensed for an average of about 58 years.
B. R. Leonard, Jr.,
Nuclear Technology | Volume 20 | Number 3 | December 1973 | Pages 161-178
Technical Paper | Reactors | doi.org/10.13182/NT73-1
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The 14-MeV neutrons from a controlled DT fusion plasma can potentially be used to produce neutron source multiplication and energy multiplication through fission in a heavy-element blanket surrounding the fusion plasma. Concepts which involve the use of fusion-produced neutrons to ultimately produce fission are generically classed as fusion-fission hybrids. The conceptual purposes of hybrids can be many and varied: to relax the fusion plasma confinement conditions to allow further development of fusion power; to breed fissile material for fission reactors; as a subcritical fission lattice which is more energetic than the pure fusion concept; and the ultimate reduction of radioactive heavy element waste to fission product. The concept of a hybrid is based on an analysis of the neutronic behavior of the blanket. The status of studies of the neutronics analyses of proposed hybrids has been reviewed. These results have been used to determine the need for further development of hybrid technology.