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Division Spotlight
Robotics & Remote Systems
The Mission of the Robotics and Remote Systems Division is to promote the development and application of immersive simulation, robotics, and remote systems for hazardous environments for the purpose of reducing hazardous exposure to individuals, reducing environmental hazards and reducing the cost of performing work.
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!
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Latest News
NRC updating GEIS rule for new nuclear technology
The Nuclear Regulatory Agency is issuing a proposed generic environmental impact statement (GEIS) for use in reviewing applications for new nuclear reactors.
In an April 17 memo, NRC secretary Carrie Safford wrote that the commission approved NRC staff’s recommendation to publish in the Federal Register a proposed rule amending 10 CFR Part 51, “Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions.”
Bahman Zohuri, Patrick J. McDaniel, Cassiano R. R. De Oliveira
Nuclear Technology | Volume 192 | Number 1 | October 2015 | Pages 48-60
Technical Paper | Thermal Hydraulics | doi.org/10.13182/NT14-42
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Nuclear heated open air-Brayton cycles have been investigated both as topping cycles for combined cycle Brayton-Rankine cycles and as standalone recuperated Brayton cycles. The peak turbine inlet temperature chosen for the analysis was 933 K for a range of Generation IV molten salt reactors or lead cooled reactors. A baseline power level of 25 MW(electric) was chosen to be representative of some of the small modular reactor concepts being considered. Extensions to higher temperatures and power levels were evaluated. Thermal efficiencies in the 45% to 46% range can be achieved by both the combined cycle systems and the recuperated systems, though the combined cycle systems achieve about a 1% to 1.5% improvement over the recuperated systems.
The nuclear heated open air-Brayton systems have several advantages over current light water reactor and other Generation IV systems. The analysis demonstrates that the cycle thermal efficiencies are higher than other proposed systems. The gas turbine hardware is readily available over a broad range of power levels. And both the combined cycle and recuperated systems require significantly less circulating water for waste heat rejection than any other proposed systems.