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
Reactor Physics
The division's objectives are to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the fundamental physical phenomena characterizing nuclear reactors and other nuclear systems. The division encourages research and disseminates information through meetings and publications. Areas of technical interest include nuclear data, particle interactions and transport, reactor and nuclear systems analysis, methods, design, validation and operating experience and standards. The Wigner Award heads the awards program.
Meeting Spotlight
Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2024)
August 4–7, 2024
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
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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Jul 2024
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2024
Nuclear Technology
August 2024
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Taking shape: Fusion energy ecosystems built with public-private partnerships
It’s possible to describe fusion in simple terms: heat and squeeze small atoms to get abundant clean energy. But there’s nothing simple about getting fusion ready for the grid.
Private developers, national lab and university researchers, suppliers, and end users working toward that goal are developing a range of complex technologies to reach fusion temperatures and pressures, confounded by science and technology gaps linked to plasma behavior; materials, diagnostics, and electronics for extreme environments; fuel cycle sustainability; and economics.
Alberto D. Mendoza España, Megan Moore, Ashlea V. Colton, Blair P. Bromley
Nuclear Technology | Volume 202 | Number 1 | April 2018 | Pages 39-52
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2018.1424431
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The fueling unit energy cost of various thorium-based fuels and uranium-based fuels augmented by small amounts of thorium in a pressure tube heavy water reactor (PT-HWR) are assessed building upon previous studies. The results suggests that fuel concepts using slightly enriched uranium augmented by thorium and thorium mixed with low-enriched uranium can be cost competitive and have the greatest potential for near-term implementation in PT-HWRs. Thorium-based fuels that contain small amounts of recycled plutonium or 233U will require more effort to identify and develop technologies to reduce the costs of reprocessing and fabrication for these fuels. However, as an alternative nuclear fuel for reliable and sustainable low-carbon electrical energy generation, all thorium-based fuels are competitive for both short-term and long-term implementation.