ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
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.
Meeting Spotlight
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
May 2024
Jan 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
June 2024
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Securing the advanced reactor fleet
Physical protection accounts for a significant portion of a nuclear power plant’s operational costs. As the U.S. moves toward smaller and safer advanced reactors, similar protection strategies could prove cost prohibitive. For tomorrow’s small modular reactors and microreactors, security costs must remain appropriate to the size of the reactor for economical operation.
J. Wallenius, M. Eriksson
Nuclear Technology | Volume 152 | Number 3 | December 2005 | Pages 367-381
Technical Paper | Accelerators | doi.org/10.13182/NT152-367
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
We have investigated neutronic properties of lead-bismuth-cooled accelerator-driven systems with different minor-actinide-based ceramic fuels (two composite oxides and one solid-solution nitride). Adopting a transuranic composition with 40% plutonium in the initial load, transmutation rates of higher actinides (americium and curium) equal to 265 to 285 kg/GW(thermal)yr are obtained. The smallest reactivity swing is provided by the magnesium oxide-based cercer fuel. The cercer cores, however, exhibit large coolant void worths, which is of concern in the case of gas bubble introduction into the core. Nitride and cermet cores are more stable with respect to void formation. The poorer neutron economy of the molybdenum-based cermet makes it difficult, however, to accommodate an inert matrix volume fraction exceeding 50%, a lower limit for fabricability. Higher plutonium fraction is thus required for the cermet, which would lead to lower actinide burning rates. The nitride core yields high actinide burning rates, low void worths, and acceptable reactivity losses.