Journal profile · Nuclear Science & Technology
Nuclear Engineering and Design
ISSN 0029-5493 · eISSN 1872-759X · Elsevier BV · SWITZERLAND · Monthly
Nuclear Engineering and Design: CAS Zone 3 · Engineering (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.45; hybrid open access; APC about USD 2,710; review about 109 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: easy; 798 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Nuclear Engineering and Design is published by Elsevier BV and is in Zone 3 of Engineering in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Nuclear reactor physics and engineering, Nuclear Materials and Properties and Nuclear Engineering Thermal-Hydraulics, together about 46.8% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Nuclear Engineering and Design is the International Journal devoted to all aspects of Nuclear Fission Energy. The journal is affiliated with the European Nuclear Society (ENS) and with the International Association for Structural Mechanics in Reactor Technology, e.v. (IASMiRT).Nuclear Engineering and Design covers the wide range of disciplines involved in the engineering, design, safety, and construction of nuclear fission reactors. We welcome papers both on applied and innovative aspects and developments in nuclear science and technology.Fundamentals of Reactor Design include:Thermal-Hydraulics (including or not including Core Physics)Safety Analysis, Risk Assessment (PSA)Structural and Mechanical EngineeringRadioprotectionNeutron PhysicsMaterials ScienceFuel Behavior and DesignStructural Plant Design including seismic analysisEngineering of Reactor ComponentsExperimentsAspects beyond fundamentals of Reactor Design covered:Accident Analysis and Mitigation MeasuresBalance of Plant optimizationReactor Control SystemsLicensing IssuesSafeguard EngineeringEconomy of PlantsFuel cycle including Reprocessing / Waste DisposalApplications of Nuclear Energy: "nuclear-space", nuclear-transportation (ships and not only) . H2 production, desalination (or clean water from sea water),etc.MaintenanceDecommissioningPapers on new reactor ideas and developments such as SMR, and microreactors, then Generation IV reactors (e.g. inherently safe modular HTRs), High Performance LWRs/HWRs, Molten Salt reactors and LMFBs/GFR will be considered; Actinide Burners, Accelerator Driven Systems, and other special designs of power and research reactors and their applications are also encouraged.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Nuclear Science & Technology
Editor-in-chief Francesco Saverio D’AuriaPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 8 in mainland China (about 16%); most named United States 13, Mainland China 8, Canada 5, South Korea 3, Germany 3 (51 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Nuclear reactor physics and engineeringEngineering18.3%
- Nuclear Materials and PropertiesMaterials Science14.5%
- Nuclear Engineering Thermal-HydraulicsEngineering14%
- Nuclear and radioactivity studiesEngineering6.6%
- Graphite, nuclear technology, radiation studiesMaterials Science4.5%
- Fatigue and fracture mechanicsEngineering3.9%
- Heat transfer and supercritical fluidsEngineering3.7%
- Heat Transfer and Boiling StudiesEngineering3.5%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Nuclear Science & Technology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Nuclear Science & Technology | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Engineering Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Engineering | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Nuclear Science & Technology | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.45LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2.5Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.6LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 3.6Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.74LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.26LetPub ·
- h-index
- 87LetPub ·
- h-index
- 153OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 7,551OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.1OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 20%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 21.2%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 755LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 19,492 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 443 | 177 | 115 |
| 2025 | 798 | 229 | 1,807 |
| 2024 | 819 | 276 | 4,469 |
| 2023 | 636 | 218 | 4,482 |
| 2022 | 408 | 134 | 3,638 |
| 2021 | 512 | 173 | 5,711 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
109 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports about 5.4 months
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 5.4 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 3 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 47 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 109 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 9 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 2,710 / EUR 2,540 / GBP 2,170 / JPY 336,120 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,080 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers5, by deadline
- Advanced Sensors for enhanced control and digital twinning of nuclear applications (NFT-AS)Deadline
- Advances in Nuclear Waste Management (NFT-WM)Deadline
- Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation in Nuclear Fission Reactors (NFT-AI/DT)Deadline
- The Series of six Virtual Special Issues (VSI) for the Journal Nuclear Engineering and Design (J NED) The History of Nuclear Technology (HNT) through protagonists and their achievementsDeadline
- Thermal Hydraulic Challenges in Next-Generation SMR Design: Innovative Methodologies for Safe Deployment (NFT-SMR)Deadline
What to prepare2 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
Article types accepted13
- announcements of new international co-operative projectsAnnouncements of New International Co-operative Projects including Benchmark Tests on Nuclear Safety and Design. Up to two journal pages.Length not stated
- editorialPeer review:• Original papers (full length article, short communication, review article).• Technical notes. No page length restriction, subject to referee comme…Length not stated
- general overview of major program or case historyGeneral Overview of Major Program or Case History. Up to ten journal pages, with chronological list of references.Length not stated
- letters to the editorPeer review:• Original papers (full length article, short communication, review article).• Technical notes. No page length restriction, subject to referee comme…Length not stated
- opinionPeer review:• Original papers (full length article, short communication, review article).• Technical notes. No page length restriction, subject to referee comme…Length not stated
- opinion forum papersOpinion Forum papers. Up to two journal pages.Length not stated
- original paperPeer review:• Original papers (full length article, short communication, review article).• Technical notes. No page length restriction, subject to referee comme…Length not stated
- original papersOriginal papers (full length article, short communication, review article).Length not stated
- reviewPeer review:• Original papers (full length article, short communication, review article).• Technical notes. No page length restriction, subject to referee comme…Length not stated
- review articlePeer review:• Original papers (full length article, short communication, review article).• Technical notes. No page length restriction, subject to referee comme…Length not stated
- short communicationPeer review:• Original papers (full length article, short communication, review article).• Technical notes. No page length restriction, subject to referee comme…Length not stated
- technical notePeer review:• Original papers (full length article, short communication, review article).• Technical notes. No page length restriction, subject to referee comme…Length not stated
- technical notesTechnical notes. No page length restriction, subject to referee comments.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Authorship criteria Model summary
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Publishing ethics Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review:
Single anonymized review process Model summary
• Original papers (full length article, short communication, review article). • Technical notes. No page length restriction, subject to referee comments.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Country or region
- SWITZERLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- ISSN
- 0029-5493
- Electronic ISSN
- 1872-759X
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Nuclear Engineering and Design
What CAS zone is Nuclear Engineering and Design in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Nuclear Engineering and Design is in Zone 3 of Engineering, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Nuclear Science & Technology. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Engineering. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Nuclear Engineering and Design?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.45; CiteScore 3.6, h-index 153.
How long does peer review take at Nuclear Engineering and Design?
The publisher reports about 109 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of about 5.4 months; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Nuclear Engineering and Design?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Nuclear Engineering and Design based?
Of the 51 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 8 (about 16%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (13), Mainland China (8) and Canada (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Nuclear Engineering and Design?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Nuclear Engineering and Design is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Nuclear Engineering and Design open access, and what is the APC?
Nuclear Engineering and Design is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 2,710.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-24). Last updated: .