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
Aerospace Nuclear Science & Technology
Organized to promote the advancement of knowledge in the use of nuclear science and technologies in the aerospace application. Specialized nuclear-based technologies and applications are needed to advance the state-of-the-art in aerospace design, engineering and operations to explore planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond, plus enhance the safety of air travel, especially high speed air travel. Areas of interest will include but are not limited to the creation of nuclear-based power and propulsion systems, multifunctional materials to protect humans and electronic components from atmospheric, space, and nuclear power system radiation, human factor strategies for the safety and reliable operation of nuclear power and propulsion plants by non-specialized personnel and more.
Meeting Spotlight
Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2024)
August 4–7, 2024
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
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
September 2024
Nuclear Technology
August 2024
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Taking shape: Fusion energy ecosystems built with public-private partnerships
It’s possible to describe fusion in simple terms: heat and squeeze small atoms to get abundant clean energy. But there’s nothing simple about getting fusion ready for the grid.
Private developers, national lab and university researchers, suppliers, and end users working toward that goal are developing a range of complex technologies to reach fusion temperatures and pressures, confounded by science and technology gaps linked to plasma behavior; materials, diagnostics, and electronics for extreme environments; fuel cycle sustainability; and economics.
Abdalla Abou-Jaoude, Yasir Arafat, Chandrakanth Bolisetti, Botros Hanna, Joshua Belvedere, James Blocker, Brandon Cooper, Shanda Harmon, Dan McCarthy
Nuclear Technology | Volume 209 | Number 11 | November 2023 | Pages 1697-1732
Regular Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2023.2206779
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Microreactors present promising opportunities to open new nuclear energy markets. However, it is expected that the economic competitiveness of this new class of reactors will hinge on potential cost reductions via mass production. It is therefore critical to begin assessing important considerations for the factory production of microreactors. An overview of the important aspects of the general layout of a microreactor factory, along with best practices to be incorporated early in the design process, is provided in this study. Then, a detailed use case is considered and modeled using a dedicated tool that can map workflows and activities within a factory. The end product is a 242 000 sq. ft. factory model that can ramp up production from 10 to 100 units per year.
Based on the activities and workflows needed, cost estimates for equipment and staffing needs are generated. These are expected to be first-order estimates, but would still provide guidance on the level of investment needed to reach mass production levels of microreactors. Furthermore, the potential cost reductions from scaling production are quantified. It was found that for a 100-unit factory throughput, reductions above 70% per unit cost relative to a prototype demonstration, could be observed for tasks conducted within a factory. These estimates focus solely on component fabricated at a factory and do not account for fuel costs nor any site activities. Because the analysis is design specific, not all findings are expected to be applicable across different microreactors (notably larger varieties), but it still provides a foundation establishing the basis for the mass production of these reactors.