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Division Spotlight
Decommissioning & Environmental Sciences
The mission of the Decommissioning and Environmental Sciences (DES) Division is to promote the development and use of those skills and technologies associated with the use of nuclear energy and the optimal management and stewardship of the environment, sustainable development, decommissioning, remediation, reutilization, and long-term surveillance and maintenance of nuclear-related installations, and sites. The target audience for this effort is the membership of the Division, the Society, and the public at large.
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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Jan 2023
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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.
Zhongliang Lv, Zhong Chen, Zijia Zhao, Lichao Tian
Nuclear Technology | Volume 208 | Number 6 | June 2022 | Pages 1074-1082
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2021.2000557
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
As a new type of nuclear power system, more attention has been paid to the small modular reactor in the development of nuclear power after the Fukushima accident. This paper focuses on the core study of a 5-MW(thermal) water-cooled super small modular reactor (WSMR) based on the sensitivity analysis of the key design parameters. The key design parameters include the fuel enrichment of 235U, the moderation performance, the separation work, and the layout scheme of the control rods. The impact analysis of the key design parameters on the steady-state performance and on the burnup performance is provided. From the impact analysis, the method of how to extend the operation life of the WSMR reactor is provided.
