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Nuclear Criticality Safety
NCSD provides communication among nuclear criticality safety professionals through the development of standards, the evolution of training methods and materials, the presentation of technical data and procedures, and the creation of specialty publications. In these ways, the division furthers the exchange of technical information on nuclear criticality safety with the ultimate goal of promoting the safe handling of fissionable materials outside reactors.
Meeting Spotlight
International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2025)
April 27–30, 2025
Denver, CO|The Westin Denver 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
Argonne’s METL gears up to test more sodium fast reactor components
Argonne National Laboratory has successfully swapped out an aging cold trap in the sodium test loop called METL (Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop), the Department of Energy announced April 23. The upgrade is the first of its kind in the United States in more than 30 years, according to the DOE, and will help test components and operations for the sodium-cooled fast reactors being developed now.
L. C. Walters, J. H. Kittel
Nuclear Technology | Volume 48 | Number 3 | May 1980 | Pages 273-280
Technical Paper | Fuel | doi.org/10.13182/NT80-A32473
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The reduction in projected sodium outlet temperatures for commercial liquid-metal fast breeder reactors has renewed the interest in metal fuels. The U-Pu-Zr or Th-Pu-U-Zr metal fuel pins, sodium bonded to stainless-steel claddings, will yield high burnup along with adequate fuel-cladding compatibility. High burnup capability is assured by designing the fuel element so that interconnected porosity and flssion-gas release occur prior to fuel-cladding contact. Interconnected porosity and fission-gas release take place at about 30% fuel-volume swelling, independent of the metal fuel composition. The U-Fs/Type 316 stainless-steel-clad driver-fuel element used in the Argonne National Laboratory Experimental Breeder Reactor II is designed to take advantage of the phenomenon of interconnected porosity, and burnups in excess of 10 at.% are typically achieved prior to cladding breach. The adequate fuel-cladding compatibility, high burnup potential, superior breeding performance, and demonstrated remote refabrication have made metal fuels an attractive alternative for fast reactor design.