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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.
Wei-Jen Cheng, Robert S. Sellers, Mark H. Anderson, Kumar Sridharan, Chaur-Jeng Wang, Todd R. Allen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 183 | Number 2 | August 2013 | Pages 248-259
Technical Paper | Materials for Nuclear Systems | doi.org/10.13182/NT12-125
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A corrosion test was performed on 316L stainless steel alloy (316L) and Hastelloy-N superalloy (Hastelloy-N) at 850°C for 1000 h in static molten fluoride salt, 46.5LiF-11.5NaF-42KF (mol %) with Zr additions. The interactions between the graphite sample and the tested alloys in the molten salt were also analyzed. The results show that Zr addition to the salt caused the deposition of a pure Zr coating on 316L and Hastelloy-N. The formation of this coating was followed by interdiffusion between the Zr deposit and the substrates. A thicker Zr deposit was observed on Hastelloy-N samples compared to 316L due to the larger electromotive potential difference between Ni/Zr than that between Fe/Zr. The interdiffusion subsequent to Zr deposition led to the formation of a coating composed of a Ni/Zr intermetallic phase even on the iron-based 316L. This intermetallic coating on the two alloys acted as a barrier layer for Fe and Cr outward diffusion. Zr3NiO and ZrO2 phases were also observed on the coating surfaces and in the coatings, respectively. The graphite sample, on the other hand, had no direct and significant effect on the corrosion behavior of the alloys and the coating formation on the alloys.