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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.
Norikatsu Yokota, Shigehiro Shimoyashiki
Nuclear Technology | Volume 81 | Number 3 | June 1988 | Pages 407-414
Technical Paper | Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT88-A16061
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The characteristics of self-welding of fast breeder reactor structural materials in liquid sodium have been investigated. A maximum contact pressure of 98 MPa was loaded on the materials (Type 304, Type 321, Inconel 718, and 2.25 Cr-1Mo steel) for 100 to 900 h in sodium at 505 to 550°C. Shear stress for breakaway between the bonded material couples is in proportion to contact pressure. The 2.25 Cr-1 Mo steel welded to itself is the strongest combination among couples of the same material. Each pair of two materials chosen from Type 304, Type 321, and Inconel 718 materials shows almost the same self-welding coefficient, which is defined as the ratio between shear stress for breakaway and contact pressure on testing. Self-welding coefficients are in proportion to the square root of the contact periods and increase as the temperature of sodium is elevated. The apparent activation energy obtained from the self-welding coefficient is ∼188 kJ/mol for the combination of 2.25 Cr-1 Mo/2.25 Cr-1 Mo, and 218 kJ/mol for Type 304/Type 304 or Type 304/Type 321.