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Swiss nuclear power and the case for long-term operation
Designed for 40 years but built to last far longer, Switzerland’s nuclear power plants have all entered long-term operation. Yet age alone says little about safety or performance. Through continuous upgrades, strict regulatory oversight, and extensive aging management, the country’s reactors are being prepared for decades of continued operation, in line with international practice.
Michel Alais, Rene Berger, Rene Boucher, Kenneth A. Gasper, Paul Laurens
Nuclear Technology | Volume 26 | Number 3 | July 1975 | Pages 307-319
Technical Paper | Radioisotope | doi.org/10.13182/NT75-A24432
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The isotopic cardiac pacemaker directly applies nuclear technology to the field of medicine. Developed in 1970, the Laurens-Alcatel Model 9000 Pacemaker is now being implanted in humans in strict accordance with procedures set down by various regulatory agencies. This paper is an interim report on the reliability tests (with the resultant data) that have been performed on the isotopic cardiac pacemaker. The theoretical data for the longevity of the isotopic generator are discussed, as are the results for resistance to shock and corrosion tests. Comparative data are also given on the energy density of the isotopic generator and compared with other electrical power sources commonly used in cardiac pacing. The source thermal 238Pu source has also been subjected to increasingly severe tests to ensure complete containment of all radioactive material.