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Division Spotlight
Materials Science & Technology
The objectives of MSTD are: promote the advancement of materials science in Nuclear Science Technology; support the multidisciplines which constitute it; encourage research by providing a forum for the presentation, exchange, and documentation of relevant information; promote the interaction and communication among its members; and recognize and reward its members for significant contributions to the field of materials science in nuclear technology.
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.
Craig Brown, Ken Hartley, Jim Hulsman
Nuclear Technology | Volume 151 | Number 2 | August 2005 | Pages 120-125
Technical Paper | Advances in Nuclear Fuel Management - Increased Enrichment/High Burnup and Light Water Reactor Fuel Cycle Optimization | doi.org/10.13182/NT05-1
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Boiling water reactors (BWRs) in the United States have transitioned over the past 30 yr from 7 × 7 and 8 × 8 fuels, 12-month cycles, and batch average burnups of 30 GWd/tonne U to 10 × 10 fuel, 18- to 24-month cycles, batch average burnups of 50 GWd/tonne U, and 5% power uprates in the 1990s. The next step for BWRs in the new millennium is 24-month cycles and extended power uprates as high as 120% power. These operating conditions lead to large reload fuel batch sizes (up to 45% of the core) that result in lower batch average discharge burnups (~45 GWd/tonne U). Parameters driving the drop in fuel burnup include enrichment limitations and the need for fuel performance improvements. The next steps to achieve better BWR fuel cycle economics and their associated benefits and implementation challenges are discussed in this paper.
