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Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Accelerator Applications
The division was organized to promote the advancement of knowledge of the use of particle accelerator technologies for nuclear and other applications. It focuses on production of neutrons and other particles, utilization of these particles for scientific or industrial purposes, such as the production or destruction of radionuclides significant to energy, medicine, defense or other endeavors, as well as imaging and diagnostics.
Meeting Spotlight
International Conference on Mathematics and Computational Methods Applied to Nuclear Science and Engineering (M&C 2025)
April 27–30, 2025
Denver, CO|The Westin Denver Downtown
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
June 2025
Nuclear Technology
Fusion Science and Technology
May 2025
Latest News
Argonne’s METL gears up to test more sodium fast reactor components
Argonne National Laboratory has successfully swapped out an aging cold trap in the sodium test loop called METL (Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop), the Department of Energy announced April 23. The upgrade is the first of its kind in the United States in more than 30 years, according to the DOE, and will help test components and operations for the sodium-cooled fast reactors being developed now.
Michael J. Fillian, Roger D. Wyatt (ENERCON)
Proceedings | Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control, and Human-Machine Interface Technolgies (NPIC&HMIT 2019) | Orlando, FL, February 9-14, 2019 | Pages 594-601
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has been developing and releasing guidance for digital Instrumentation and Control (DI&C) upgrades. The expected result is a pathway for nuclear utilities to address the obsolescence and reliability challenges of old analog systems with digital technology. All projects require the maintenance of configuration management equilibrium, including procedure changes, drawing updates, and UFSAR / Technical Specification impacts. However, for a digital upgrade, software becomes an essential part of the equation. The V-Model is commonly used as a visual representation of the tasks and sequencing needed to implement control system software. The outputs of the V-Model include plans, specifications, designs, analyses, application software, and testing documents. These provide the means to ensure the quality of the application software. There are essential attributes particular to each output that are associated with quality. That is, the quality of the application software is reliant on the existence and quality of the essential attributes at each phase of the software development lifecycle process. This is also true for projects where a ‘graded approach’ is allowed. The essential quality attributes must still flow through the process to ensure the quality of the application software. The Owner’s Acceptance Review (OAR) process is critical for ensuring consistency and quality. It provides the mechanism for the utility to determine that the essential quality attributes are incorporated into the V-Model outputs. A utility’s Owner Acceptance Review process needs to document the essential attributes expected, and the methods to ensure they flow from requirements to the final software. This paper discusses the essential attributes of the V-Model outputs and their use in ensuring the quality of the application software. This paper also describes the characteristics of a good Owner’s Acceptance Review process. A thorough Owner’s Acceptance Review Process will detect and correct deviations early in the process, saving both time and money.
