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Division Spotlight
Mathematics & Computation
Division members promote the advancement of mathematical and computational methods for solving problems arising in all disciplines encompassed by the Society. They place particular emphasis on numerical techniques for efficient computer applications to aid in the dissemination, integration, and proper use of computer codes, including preparation of computational benchmark and development of standards for computing practices, and to encourage the development on new computer codes and broaden their use.
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!
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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.
P. C. Lai, R. J. Sheu
Nuclear Technology | Volume 208 | Number 4 | April 2022 | Pages 723-734
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2021.1938486
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The characteristics of the radiation field around a consolidated interim spent nuclear fuel storage facility were investigated comprehensively through Monte Carlo simulations. Neutron and gamma-ray flux/dose contributions from multiple transport pathways, including direct, streaming, skyshine, groundshine, and multishine, were isolated using a modified version of the method that was originally developed by Oh et al. [J. Korean Phys. Soc., Vol. 69, 1057 (2016)] for the evaluation of neutron skyshine from a high-energy electron accelerator. The application of the methodology was demonstrated in this paper, and the flux/dose contributions of individual pathways were examined and compared. The results provided additional insight into how the radiation propagated from the source to off-site locations. The modified method for separating five transport pathways can provide valuable information for shielding optimization during the design phase and is generally applicable to Monte Carlo shielding analyses of other nuclear facilities.
