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Division Spotlight
Nuclear Criticality Safety
NCSD provides communication among nuclear criticality safety professionals through the development of standards, the evolution of training methods and materials, the presentation of technical data and procedures, and the creation of specialty publications. In these ways, the division furthers the exchange of technical information on nuclear criticality safety with the ultimate goal of promoting the safe handling of fissionable materials outside reactors.
Meeting Spotlight
2024 ANS Winter Conference and Expo
November 17–21, 2024
Orlando, FL|Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld
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
November 2024
Nuclear Technology
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Latest News
Liftoff report lifts the lid on cost and risk in push to nth-of-a-kind reactors
The Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Advanced Nuclear report that was released in March 2023 by the Department of Energy called for five to 10 signed reactor contracts for at least one reactor design by 2025. Now, 18 months have passed, and despite the word “resurgence” in media reports on the U.S. nuclear power industry, 2025 is fast approaching with no contracts signed.
G. Bonny, P. Blanpain, D. Rozzia, S. Billiet, M. Verwerft, B. Boer
Nuclear Technology | Volume 210 | Number 2 | February 2024 | Pages 216-231
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2023.2264505
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In this work, a detailed reevaluation of a past power-to-melt experiment performed within the so-called High Burnup Chemistry project is provided. A pressurized water reactor–type UO2 fuel rod was base irradiated in Belgian Reactor 3 up to a peak pellet burnup of 60 MWd/kgU. After base irradiation, the rod experienced a power ramp experiment in Belgian Reactor 2, reaching a ramp terminal level of 70 kW/m (later adjusted to 66 kW/m). Extensive post-irradiation examination was performed after both the base irradiation and the power ramp experiment. After the power ramp experiment, rod cladding failure and local fuel melting were observed. Fuel melting was observed in an 85-mm region around the peak power pellet with a normalized molten fuel radius in the range r/r0 = 0.20 to 0.27. The threshold power for melting derived from this experiment was 63.0 ± 4.4 kW/m.
