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Division Spotlight
Thermal Hydraulics
The division provides a forum for focused technical dialogue on thermal hydraulic technology in the nuclear industry. Specifically, this will include heat transfer and fluid mechanics involved in the utilization of nuclear energy. It is intended to attract the highest quality of theoretical and experimental work to ANS, including research on basic phenomena and application to nuclear system design.
Meeting 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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Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2025
Nuclear Technology
July 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Take steps on SNF and HLW disposal
Matt Bowen
With a new administration and Congress, it is time once again to ponder what will happen—if anything—on U.S. spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste management policy over the next few years. One element of the forthcoming discussion seems clear: The executive and legislative branches are eager to talk about recycling commercial SNF. Whatever the merits of doing so, it does not obviate the need for one or more facilities for disposal of remaining long-lived radionuclides. For that reason, making progress on U.S. disposal capabilities remains urgent, lest the associated radionuclide inventories simply be left for future generations to deal with.
In March, Rick Perry, who was secretary of energy during President Trump’s first administration, observed that during his tenure at the Department of Energy it became clear to him that any plan to move SNF “required some practical consent of the receiving state and local community.”1
T. A. Gabriel, B. L. Bishop, F. W. Wiffen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 38 | Number 3 | May 1978 | Pages 427-433
Technical Paper | Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT78-A32040
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The displacement per atom and gas production rates have been calculated for a number of alloys and elements using a design neutron spectrum at the first wall of a fusion reactor. These rates can be combined for most alloys to yield the defect production rates, the parameters currently used to extrapolate available irradiation effects data to fusion reactor conditions. Calculated rates of atom displacement and hydrogen generation in stainless steels are relatively insensitive to recent changes in the nuclear data files and to neutron spectrum differences produced by slight reactor design changes. In contrast, the helium production rate is sensitive to these changes and to the exact alloy composition. Composition variation within the specification range for Type 316 stainless steel can produce variations of ±9% in the helium generation rate.