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Conference 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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Deep Space: The new frontier of radiation controls
In commercial nuclear power, there has always been a deliberate tension between the regulator and the utility owner. The regulator fundamentally exists to protect the worker, and the utility, to make a profit. It is a win-win balance.
From the U.S. nuclear industry has emerged a brilliantly successful occupational nuclear safety record—largely the result of an ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) process that has driven exposure rates down to what only a decade ago would have been considered unthinkable. In the U.S. nuclear industry, the system has accomplished an excellent, nearly seamless process that succeeds to the benefit of both employee and utility owner.
Richard V. Demars, Charles G. Dideon, Thomas A. Thornton, James S. Tulenko, Wayne A. Pavinich, Elma Beth S. Pardue*
Nuclear Technology | Volume 62 | Number 1 | July 1983 | Pages 75-80
Technical Paper | Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT83-A33234
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Postirradiation examinations have been conducted as part of an extensive Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) program in reactor control materials performance characterization. These examinations of fixed burnable poison rods and control rods confirmed operational performance and extended the material behavior data base for irradiated absorber materials used in B&W-designed pressurized water reactors. These examinations included visual, dimensional, and destructive examinations. They were conducted at B&W’s Lynchburg Research Center hot cell facilities on Ag-In-Cd control rods, Al2O3-B4C burnable poison rods, and B4C control rods. The visual and dimensional exams revealed no discernible exterior damage on any of these components. Destructive examinations provided data on absorber swelling, gas release, and open porosity.
