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Quality is key: Investing in advanced nuclear research for tomorrow’s grid
As the energy sector faces mounting pressure to grow at an unprecedented pace while maintaining reliability and affordability, nuclear technology remains an essential component of the long-term solution. Southern Company stands out among U.S. utilities for its proactive role in shaping these next-generation systems—not just as a future customer, but as a hands-on innovator.
W. Gary Rivera, Emily Sandt
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 197 | Number 1 | June 2023 | Pages S57-S69
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2022.2106738
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories, in conjunction with the Nuclear Energy Institute and Light Water Reactor Sustainability Programs, have conducted testing and analysis to reevaluate and redefine the minimum passible opening size through which a person can effectively pass and navigate. Physical testing with a representative population has been performed on both simple two-dimensional (rectangular and circular cross sections up to 91.4 cm in depth) and more complex three-dimensional (circular cross sections of longer lengths up to 9.1 m and changes in direction) opening configurations. The primary impact of this effort is to define the physical design in which an adversary could successfully pass through a potentially complex opening, as well as to define the designs in which an adversary would not be expected to successfully traverse a complex opening. These data can then be used to support risk-informed decision making.