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Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy
The mission of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division (NNPD) is to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology while simultaneously preventing the diversion and misuse of nuclear material and technology through appropriate safeguards and security, and promotion of nuclear nonproliferation policies. To achieve this mission, the objectives of the NNPD are to: Promote policy that discourages the proliferation of nuclear technology and material to inappropriate entities. Provide information to ANS members, the technical community at large, opinion leaders, and decision makers to improve their understanding of nuclear nonproliferation issues. Become a recognized technical resource on nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards, and security issues. Serve as the integration and coordination body for nuclear nonproliferation activities for the ANS. Work cooperatively with other ANS divisions to achieve these objective nonproliferation policies.
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2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
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
Can hydrogen be the transportation fuel in an otherwise nuclear economy?
Let’s face it: The global economy should be powered primarily by nuclear power. And it probably will by the end of this century, with a still-significant assist from renewables and hydro. Once nuclear systems are dominant, the costs come down to where gas is now; and when carbon emissions are reduced to a small portion of their present state, it will become obvious that most other sources are only good in niche settings. I mean, why use small modular reactors to load-follow when they can just produce that power instead of buffering it?
Sang Ji Kim, Pham Nhu Viet Ha, Jae Yong Lim, Won Sik Yang
Nuclear Technology | Volume 186 | Number 3 | June 2014 | Pages 390-402
Technical Paper | Fuel Cycle and Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT13-90
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A core design study to convert a breakeven core into a transuranic (TRU) burner is performed for a 600-MW(electric)–rated metal-fueled sodium-cooled fast reactor. No change in the core and subassembly layouts is assumed, which only allows geometry variations within the fuel rods. Investigated alternatives are to use variable cladding thicknesses (VCTs), smearing fraction (SF) adjustments, and annular fuel rod concepts with a central liner of a variable diameter consisting of void, Zr, B4C, Al, etc. The VCT concept could not be employed due to a too-high clad inner wall temperature. A SF adjustment below a typical fraction of 75% leads to moderate TRU burning and a reduced sodium void worth but also to a relatively high burnup swing. Placing a central nonfuel rod with the fuel arranged in an annular ring affects the core performance and reactivity coefficients, depending on whether it is a moderator or an absorber. In general, candidate materials of high atomic numbers contribute to large positive sodium void worths but also enhanced negative expansion effects. Among the light elements, vanadium reveals a favorable performance with comparable TRU burning and a reduced sodium void worth, suggesting this material can be regarded as a substitute for sodium in the solid state.