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
Operations & Power
Members focus on the dissemination of knowledge and information in the area of power reactors with particular application to the production of electric power and process heat. The division sponsors meetings on the coverage of applied nuclear science and engineering as related to power plants, non-power reactors, and other nuclear facilities. It encourages and assists with the dissemination of knowledge pertinent to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear facilities through professional staff development, information exchange, and supporting the generation of viable solutions to current issues.
Meeting Spotlight
Materials in Nuclear Energy Systems (MiNES 2023)
December 10–14, 2023
New Orleans, LA|New Orleans Marriott
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
Dec 2023
Jul 2023
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
December 2023
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
November 2023
Latest News
Granholm visits Clinch River Site to show support for SMRs
Energy secretary Jennifer Granholm visited the Clinch River Nuclear Site in Oak Ridge, Tenn., on December 5 to highlight the Biden administration’s support for the Tennessee Valley Authority’s advanced nuclear technology program.
Granholm indicated that the administration is willing to provide funding for the nation’s first commercial small modular reactor at the site. “Excited to see a shovel in the ground, hopefully in a few more years,” she said. “TVA is leading on small modular reactors with this site. Everybody’s looking to TVA to make sure that this can actually happen.”
Christofer E. Whiting
Nuclear Technology | Volume 207 | Number 6 | June 2021 | Pages 782-789
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2020.1831874
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Performance predictions for the first multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG) flight unit and engineering unit were recently reported. Both units were produced and operated/tested within specifications [i.e., nominal thermal inventory = 2000 W(thermal)]. In an attempt to study the effect of a deep space cruise on an MMRTG that has been operational for 6.25 years (2.25 years storage + 4 years cruise), the qualification unit (QU) was placed on life test with a below-specification thermal inventory of 1904 W(thermal). Analysis indicates that loading an MMRTG with a lower thermal inventory may result in less power at the beginning-of-life but more power at the end-of-design-life (EODL). The lower thermal inventory in the QU produces a lower operating temperature, which appears to cause a significant reduction in the degradation rate of the thermoelectric couples. Preliminary calculations indicate that a thermal inventory of 1904 W(thermal) could result in a 9 W(electric) power boost at EODL [i.e., 84 W(electric)], which is a 12% improvement over the first MMRTG flight unit and engineering unit predictions. Preliminary degradation analysis suggests that a 1904 W(thermal) unit will begin to produce more power than a 2027 W(thermal) unit approximately 4 years after fueling. This suggests that missions with a primary power requirement more than 4 years after fueling would benefit from a lower thermal inventory. In addition, using a lower thermal inventory has significant benefits for 238Pu stockpile management and may allow for additional MMRTGs to be fueled from our current reserves. Conclusions and hypotheses presented here should be considered preliminary because the QU data set is very small and there are some uncertainties regarding how early-life QU data will translate into later-life performance. More QU testing at a thermal inventory of 1904 W(thermal) is needed to prove that the preliminary conclusions presented here are valid.