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
Nuclear Installations Safety
Devoted specifically to the safety of nuclear installations and the health and safety of the public, this division seeks a better understanding of the role of safety in the design, construction and operation of nuclear installation facilities. The division also promotes engineering and scientific technology advancement associated with the safety of such facilities.
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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Feb 2023
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
February 2023
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Show support for a Lego nuclear power plant
A creative fan of Lego—and nuclear power—has designed a nuclear power plant out of the famous building blocks and has submitted the idea to the Lego Group for possible production—but first, the idea needs the support of the public.
Lowie Brabants, Mattias Simons, David de Schepper, Eric Demeester, Wouter Schroeyers
Nuclear Technology | Volume 208 | Number 11 | November 2022 | Pages 1681-1695
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2022.2073950
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This study determines the minimal detection time (MDT) needed for successful localization of radioactive hot spots during nuclear decommissioning work. An automated XY stage, equipped with a CdZnTe (CZT) spectrometer, was used to identify and localize hot spots of 241Am, 137Cs, and 60Co in a 1.7 × 1.7-m area. The stage served as a preliminary test platform for the development of an automated robotic characterization platform [Autonomous Robotic platform for CHaractERization (ARCHER) robot]. The dependence of the MDT on the detector efficiency and background (BKG) level was examined. For low BKG environments, the MDT for 137Cs was 871 ms and resulted in an error of the source localization of 14.21 mm and an error of the activity of 6.85%. For elevated BKG levels, the MDT increased to 15 526 ms. The 137Cs source was localized with an error of 34.13 mm and an error of the source activity of −7.04%. The MDT determination method used here offers a valuable approach for decreasing total scanning times while avoiding missing the presence of hot spots.
