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Fusion Science and Technology
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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.
Hemant Kumar, K. V. Phani Prabhakar, Shiju Sam, S. K. Albert, G. Padmanabham, A. K. Bhaduri, T. Jayakumar, E. Rajendra Kumar
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 66 | Number 1 | July-August 2014 | Pages 192-199
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST13-747
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Laser and laser hybrid welding are among the processes chosen for joining Indian reduced activation ferritic martensitic (INRAFM) steel that will be used for fabrication of Indian test blanket modules (TBMs) to be tested in ITER. In the present study, a 3.5 kW slab CO2 laser in autogenous mode and hybridized mode with MIG were successfully employed to make butt joints in plates 6 mm and 12 mm thick respectively. Initially, bead-on-plate (BOP) experiments were conducted to study the effect of various laser and laser hybrid welding parameters such as laser power, welding speed, MIG torch angle, wire feed rate, composition of torch gas, gas shielding arrangement, stand off, distance between arc and laser, and focal position of the laser with respect to the surface. The resultant weld beads were evaluated for weld penetration, width of the weld, and width of the HAZ. Based on BOP welding studies, parameters were chosen for carrying out butt welding experiments using square butt for 6 mm plates and Y-groove edged configurations for 12 mm thick plates with various root face heights and included angles. The radiography results showed that all the welds were acceptable as per ASME Section III. The welds were also evaluated using hardness tests, metallographic analysis, and tensile, bend, and impact tests.