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Division Spotlight
Fusion Energy
This division promotes the development and timely introduction of fusion energy as a sustainable energy source with favorable economic, environmental, and safety attributes. The division cooperates with other organizations on common issues of multidisciplinary fusion science and technology, conducts professional meetings, and disseminates technical information in support of these goals. Members focus on the assessment and resolution of critical developmental issues for practical fusion energy applications.
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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Latest News
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.
Hermann Würz
Nuclear Technology | Volume 95 | Number 2 | August 1991 | Pages 193-206
Technical Paper | Nuclear Fuel Cycle | doi.org/10.13182/NT91-A34556
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A method for nondestructive assay of spent light water reactor fuel assemblies based on a combination of active and passive neutron counting is presented. After geometrical optimization, the Fuel Assembly Monitoring System (FAMOS) is a rather simple system. It allows the burnup, initial enrichment, type of fuel (uranium or mixed oxide), and criticality of the spent-fuel assembly to be determined. The results of a characterization program with emphasis on boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel assemblies are discussed. Burnup-dependent neutron emission data for spent BWR fuel are now available. The effect of steam void on plutonium and curium buildup is demonstrated. Because of this effect, the axial measurement position is of importance for an accurate assay. If the measurement is done at the upper part of the BWR fuel assembly, the error in burnup remains below ±2 GWd/tonne U, and the initial enrichment can be determined with an accuracy of ±15%. This still allows a clear distinction between the different enrichment regions used for BWR fuel assemblies.
