ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
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Division Spotlight
Operations & Power
Members focus on the dissemination of knowledge and information in the area of power reactors with particular application to the production of electric power and process heat. The division sponsors meetings on the coverage of applied nuclear science and engineering as related to power plants, non-power reactors, and other nuclear facilities. It encourages and assists with the dissemination of knowledge pertinent to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear facilities through professional staff development, information exchange, and supporting the generation of viable solutions to current issues.
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.
Ronald F. Kulak
Nuclear Technology | Volume 51 | Number 3 | December 1980 | Pages 414-420
Technical Paper | Mechanics Applications to Fast Breeder Reactor Safety / Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT80-A32577
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper assesses the structural dynamics of the deck structure and the resulting loading on the deck supports of a pool-type liquid-metal fast breeder reactor during a hypothetical core disruptive accident. During this hypothetical accident. the sodium above the core is considered to be propelled upward until it impacts against the deck structure. This hydrodynamic loading could produce structural damage and sodium leak paths. The deck is a three-dimensional composite structure of beams, plates, and concrete fill. It is supported at its outer periphery by the surrounding concrete foundation. The deck provides top closure of the main tank and support for the intermediate heat exchangers, primary pumps, rotating plugs, and primary and secondary tanks. A finite element model is used to study the deck dynamics during slug impact. The structural stiffening effect of the concrete fill is assessed, and results are given for deck displacement and velocity histories and deck support column reaction forces.