Study points to need for standardization in helium generation rate calculations

[Marlin]

https://www.ans.org/news/2026-05-27/article-8072/study-points-to-need-for-standardization-in-helium-generation-rate-calculations/

[News Wire]

Researchers from the University of Michigan and Oak Ridge National Laboratory identified large discrepancies in helium generation rate predictions caused by varying nuclear data libraries and calculation methods. These inconsistencies affect material embrittlement assessments for fission and fusion reactors. The team recommends standardizing calculation protocols and reporting ranges of expected helium production to improve the reliability of nuclear materials databases and support the deployment of advanced reactor technologies.

Researchers from the University of Michigan and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have found that predictions of helium generation rates through neutron transmutation in fission and fusion reactors vary widely and include dependencies on the choice of nuclear data library and calculation method.

"Helium production has a strong influence on high temperature embrittlement and dimensional stability for structural materials in both fusion and fission systems. As industries move to assess and deploy their technologies, having a standard method of analysis with a sense of uncertainty is needed for comparisons across materials systems and environments," said Stephen Taller, an Alvin M. Weinberg Fellow and R&D staff scientist at ORNL.

Read the full article at ans.org:
https://www.ans.org/news/2026-05-27/article-8072/study-points-to-need-for-standardization-in-helium-generation-rate-calculations/