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
Isotopes & Radiation
Members are devoted to applying nuclear science and engineering technologies involving isotopes, radiation applications, and associated equipment in scientific research, development, and industrial processes. Their interests lie primarily in education, industrial uses, biology, medicine, and health physics. Division committees include Analytical Applications of Isotopes and Radiation, Biology and Medicine, Radiation Applications, Radiation Sources and Detection, and Thermal Power Sources.
Meeting Spotlight
Conference on Nuclear Training and Education: A Biennial International Forum (CONTE 2023)
February 6–9, 2023
Amelia Island, FL|Omni Amelia Island Resort
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
Jan 2023
Jul 2022
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
February 2023
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
January 2023
Latest News
Nuclear energy: enabling production of food, fiber, hydrocarbon biofuels, and negative carbon emissions
In the 1960s, Alvin Weinberg at Oak Ridge National Laboratory initiated a series of studies on nuclear agro-industrial complexes1 to address the needs of the world’s growing population. Agriculture was a central component of these studies, as it must be. Much of the emphasis was on desalination of seawater to provide fresh water for irrigation of crops. Remarkable advances have lowered the cost of desalination to make that option viable in countries like Israel. Later studies2 asked the question, are there sufficient minerals (potassium, phosphorous, copper, nickel, etc.) to enable a prosperous global society assuming sufficient nuclear energy? The answer was a qualified “yes,” with the caveat that mineral resources will limit some technological options. These studies were defined by the characteristic of looking across agricultural and industrial sectors to address multiple challenges using nuclear energy.
Jintae Hong, Kwang-Jae Son, Jong-Bum Kim, Jin-Joo Kim
Nuclear Technology | Volume 207 | Number 6 | June 2021 | Pages 790-800
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2020.1832417
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
According to the development plan for the Korea Space Launch Vehicle, a performance verification satellite will be installed in the launch vehicle in 2021. In addition, three payloads, including a small electrically heated thermoelectric generator (ETG), will be developed and installed in the satellite. In particular, a small ETG has been developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute for the purpose of evaluating the characteristics of the ETG in the space environment prior to the development of a radioisotope thermoelectric generator for lunar missions. In this study, shock and vibration tests were carried out to check whether the ETG can endure the launch environment of the spacecraft. In addition, a thermal cycle test and a thermal vacuum test were conducted to check whether the ETG maintains its performance, even at drastic temperature changes, which can be applied to the ETG in space. Finally, a periodic performance test was carried out to measure the degradation level of the small ETG.
