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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.
Shu-Huan Liu, Aqil Hussain, Da Li, Xiaoqiang Guo, Zhuo-Qi Li, Olarewaju Mubashiru Lawal, Jiangkun Yang, Wei Chen
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 191 | Number 1 | July 2018 | Pages 98-103
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295639.2018.1450004
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
For evaluating the SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) performance during and after gamma-ray irradiation, the characteristics of the direct current (dc) gain of the test samples changed with increasing irradiation dose, and collector current injection levels during 60Co gamma irradiation were measured and analyzed. The experimental results of the typical dc and alternating current (ac) electronic parameters before and after irradiation revealed that the base current Ib, the collector current IC, the dc current gain, and the maximum oscillation frequency fmax exhibited degradation. While other electronic parameters including the cut-off frequency fT, the ac current gain |H21|, and output capacitance CBC did not exhibit any significant change compared with those of pre-irradiation. The degradation mechanisms of the typical dc and ac parameters measured in this work were primarily analyzed. The tested results of SiGe HBTs offered some reference data for evaluating the behavior of the test type of device operated in an ionizing radiation environment.