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.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
August 2026
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Savannah River Site completes concrete work for Saltstone Disposal Unit 11
The Savannah River Site has completed all concrete construction on its “mega-size” Saltstone Disposal Unit (SDU) 11 at the Saltstone Disposal Facility in Aiken, S.C. The several SDUs at the site are designed to provide safe, permanent storage for decontaminated salt solution from the Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) as production is ramped up. The SDUs are crucial components of SRS’s liquid waste program, allowing the site to meet the cleanup responsibilities of the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management.
Olivia Coindreau, Virginie Lombardi, Karine Chevalier-Jabet, Jean-Jacques Ingremeau
Nuclear Technology | Volume 212 | Number 8 | August 2026 | Pages 2147-2166
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2025.2537500
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
During a severe accident (SA) in a nuclear power plant, iodine release to the environment [iodine source term (ST)] is a critical issue due to iodine’s significant contribution to radiological consequences. This study aims to identify the parameters that govern iodine release to the environment in the context of a total station blackout scenario in a French 900-MW(electric) pressurized water reactor. The investigated parameters are related to iodine chemistry, aerosol phenomena, and containment pressurization. An Accident Source Term Evaluation Code (ASTEC) all-modules computation is first conducted to model core degradation and provide boundary conditions for containment calculations. Uncertainty propagation is then applied to the containment calculations, incorporating probabilistic distributions and ranges for key input parameters. Sensitivity analysis is finally conducted using partial rank correlation coefficients to quantify the influence of modeling, plant, and scenario uncertainties. Results indicate that in the short term, the iodine ST is primarily governed by aerosol-related parameters, including particle size, shape factor, density, and initial isotope inventory. Over longer timescales, the release becomes increasingly sensitive to parameters affecting containment venting (e.g., delay in aligning the residual heat removal system, concrete properties), washing efficiency, the iodine gaseous fraction reaching the containment (when its variation range is sufficiently high), and several uncertainties inherent to iodine chemistry models. This work provides enhanced insight into ASTEC behavior and identifies the most influential parameters contributing to iodine ST uncertainty. These findings support future efforts to refine SA models by prioritizing the reduction of key uncertainties to improve predictive capability and safety assessments.