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Division Spotlight
Reactor Physics
The division's objectives are to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the fundamental physical phenomena characterizing nuclear reactors and other nuclear systems. The division encourages research and disseminates information through meetings and publications. Areas of technical interest include nuclear data, particle interactions and transport, reactor and nuclear systems analysis, methods, design, validation and operating experience and standards. The Wigner Award heads the awards program.
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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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.
Derek G. Boase, Tjalle T. Vandergraaf
Nuclear Technology | Volume 32 | Number 1 | January 1977 | Pages 60-71
Technical Paper | Materials in Waste Storage / Radioactive Waste | doi.org/10.13182/NT77-A31738
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Concrete canisters for interim dry storage of spent, irradiated Canadian Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) fuel are being developed by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. The canisters are designed to contain fuel safely for periods of 50 to 100 yr in carbon steel baskets sealed inside a steel- and lead-lined concrete shield. A demonstration program at the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Establishment is utilizing four instrumented canisters to establish the canister structural integrity when exposed to the thermal stresses generated by the decay heat of the stored fuel. A review of other potential materials problems identified three areas of concern: corrosion of the fuel basket and canister lining, fuel sheath oxidation, and UO2 oxidation. Preliminary analysis suggests that the first of these will be minimized by the migration of moisture to the outside of the canister under the influence of the temperature gradient, and the second is predicted to be insignificant for periods up to 100 yr. The third area was less well understood, and a detailed experimental study was therefore undertaken. Initial canister designs conceived the use of air-filled fuel baskets, with UO2 fuel temperatures initially in the 200 to 300°C range. Oxidation of the UO2 in defected fuel could cause contamination of the baskets and complicate subsequent fuel retrieval. The rates and mechanism of UO2 oxidation have been studied using powders, sintered pellets, and intentionally defected fuel elements. The oxidation in fuel elements proceeds by the formation of U3O8, swelling and splitting of the sheath and exposure of more fuel, and the release of finely powdered U3O8. Some data are given for the oxidation rates of irradiated fuel elements together with the approximate times required to oxidize a single fuel pin. In the present demonstration canisters, the possibility of oxidation of the fuel has been eliminated by storing it in helium-filled baskets.
