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The human factor in licensing and operating the next generation of nuclear plants
As human factors specialists working at the intersection of human performance and nuclear operations, we are witnessing one of the nuclear sector’s most significant transitions in decades. The emergence of small modular reactors, microreactors, and other advanced designs is reshaping the industry’s landscape. Digital instrumentation and controls, passive safety systems, and increased automation are creating opportunities for greater safety margins and more flexible operation. These same features also fundamentally redefine what it means to “operate” a nuclear plant. Interactions among human roles, automation, and passive systems shape how people maintain awareness, exercise judgment, and intervene when necessary. These developments affect both operational realities and the regulatory foundations on which nuclear safety is built.
Satoshi Fukada, Y. Edao, K. Katekari, H. Okitsu, Y. Hatachi, M. Okada, K. Tamari
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 61 | Number 1 | January 2012 | Pages 58-63
Fusion | Proceedings of the Fifteenth International Conference on Emerging Nuclear Energy Systems | doi.org/10.13182/FST12-A13397
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Systems to recover tritium (T) from fusion liquid blankets of LiPb (Li17Pb83) and Flibe (Li2BeF4) under safety conditions are discussed based on available data of T transport properties. We recently performed experiments on hydrogen isotopes permeating through LiPb in Kyushu University and introduced them in the present paper. Solubilities, diffusivities and permeabilities of H and D through Li17Pb83 are determined by means of a transient permeation method. Their isotope effects between H and D in the Li-Pb eutectic alloy are found to be independent of D/H atomic ratio and a function of only temperature. Tritium recovery apparatuses of a liquid-gas counter-current flowing bed or a T permeation window are designed in the liquid blanket system composed of the primary coolant of Flibe or LiPb and the secondary coolant of He or water. Simultaneous transfer of heat and T needs new configuration in order to satisfy the necessary conditions of low T leak and high heat transfer, which make it possible to operate the blanket effectively and safely. Tritium permeation rates through the primary LiPb or Flibe breeder and secondary water or He coolant loops are estimated, which is the most important factor to operate the blanket safely.
