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Human Factors, Instrumentation & Controls
Improving task performance, system reliability, system and personnel safety, efficiency, and effectiveness are the division's main objectives. Its major areas of interest include task design, procedures, training, instrument and control layout and placement, stress control, anthropometrics, psychological input, and motivation.
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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
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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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INL’s new innovation incubator could link start-ups with an industry sponsor
Idaho National Laboratory is looking for a sponsor to invest $5 million–$10 million in a privately funded innovation incubator to support seed-stage start-ups working in nuclear energy, integrated energy systems, cybersecurity, or advanced materials. For their investment, the sponsor gets access to what INL calls “a turnkey source of cutting-edge American innovation.” Not only are technologies supported by the program “substantially de-risked” by going through technical review and development at a national laboratory, but the arrangement “adds credibility, goodwill, and visibility to the private sector sponsor’s investments,” according to INL.
Hassan S. Basha, Michael P. Manahan, Sr.
Nuclear Technology | Volume 100 | Number 1 | October 1992 | Pages 79-96
Technical Paper | Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT92-A34755
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Three multigroup neutron cross-section libraries are used in synthesized three-dimensional discrete ordinates transport analyses to investigate their similarities, differences, and results for pressurized water reactor (PWR) pressure vessel surveillance dosimetry and shielding applications. The accurate determination of the neutron energy spectra and key exposure parameters, such as the integrated fast flux and total displacement per atom (dpa) within the pressure vessel wall, is very important for surveillance capsule analysis, pressure vessel embrittlement calculations, pressure-temperature curve calculations, and plant life extension planning. The accuracy of any radiation transport analysis depends in part on the cross-section library used to model the various materials. The calculated-to-experimental (C/E) ratios and the calculated reaction rates of several fast reactions are compared for the BUGLE-80, SAILOR, and ELXSIR cross-section libraries at the 97-deg surveillance capsule of the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station Unit 2 (SONGS-2) and at the 90- and 97-deg (C/E ratios only) cavity dosimetry locations for another PWR (referred to as Reactor X). Additionally, the displacement per atom per second attenuation through the pressure vessel wall is compared with that of the integrated fast neutron flux (E>1.0MeV) and with the attenuation functions given in U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regulatory Guide 1.99, Revisions 1 and 2. Finally, the pressure vessel wall exposure sensitivity to fast neutrons due to vessel eccentricity and the buildup of 239Pu in the core region are also reported. The C/E ratios calculated using ELXSIR with the updated iron cross sections for SONGS-2 are fairly close to unity compared with those calculated using the other two cross-section libraries. The Reactor X C/E ratios are close to unity using the BUGLE-80 and SAILOR libraries and much higher than unity (∼1.7) for ELXSIR with the updated iron cross sections at two cavity dosimetry locations (90 and 97 deg). The large C/E ratio is believed to be caused by vessel eccentricity. The ELXSIR cross-section library with the updated iron cross sections also produced much higher calculated reaction rates for both reactors. The fast flux (E>1.0 MeV) through the pressure vessel wall increases by 17% when the SONGS-2 core and core barrel are moved 1.27 cm closer to the pressure vessel wall to simulate vessel eccentricity. The fast flux also increases by as much as 10% for SONGS-2 and 15% for Reactor X when a mixed fission spectrum (plutonium and uranium) is used to model the neutron source in the core region. Finally, the two attenuation functions (fast flux and dpa) given in Regulatory Guide 1.99, Revisions 1 and 2, differed from the plantspecific calculation for both SONGS-2 and Reactor X.
