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Division Spotlight
Thermal Hydraulics
The division provides a forum for focused technical dialogue on thermal hydraulic technology in the nuclear industry. Specifically, this will include heat transfer and fluid mechanics involved in the utilization of nuclear energy. It is intended to attract the highest quality of theoretical and experimental work to ANS, including research on basic phenomena and application to nuclear system design.
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.
Chad Kiger (AMS), Hrvoje Grganic (Nukearna Elektrana Krško)
Proceedings | Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control, and Human-Machine Interface Technolgies (NPIC&HMIT 2019) | Orlando, FL, February 9-14, 2019 | Pages 1304-1310
The nuclear industry desires to implement wireless technology to improve communication efficiency, optimize maintenance, improve security, and add to plant safety and availability. Examples of wireless applications which are being targeted by nuclear power plants for efficiency gains are: 1) tablet based work orders and calibration procedures, 2) wireless access to plant engineering documentation, 3) voice communication anywhere in the plant, 4) temporary or permanent installation of wireless cameras, and 5) equipment condition monitoring using wireless sensors. Prior to implementation, nuclear power plants must resolve the electromagnetic and radio frequency (EMI/RFI) challenges for wireless devices to prevent interference with sensitive plant equipment. Traditionally, nuclear facilities have defined specific or generic exclusion zones where wireless devices cannot be used. In most cases, this has caused plants to prohibit the use of wireless devices in some entire rooms of the plant. Research performed by AMS determined that exclusion distances in almost all nuclear power plants are still overly conservative and thereby severely limit the use of wireless devices in many areas of the plant. Most of these exclusion distances are much larger than necessary and can be significantly reduced by using in-situ EMI/RFI testing techniques. The Krško nuclear power plant in Slovenia is evaluating the use of Wi-Fi devices to support plant operators in performing their daily rounds and other maintenance activities, including within the Main Control Room (MCR). The exclusion distances calculated for Wi-Fi devices would prevent them from being used within the MCR. For this reason, and because a majority of the older equipment did not have documented evidence of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) qualification testing, Krško personnel chose to perform in-situ EMI/RFI testing of equipment throughout the plant including within the MCR. This paper will outline the project objectives, test methodologies, challenges that were encountered, and results of the testing activities.