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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.
Jiawei Sheng, Shanggeng Luo, Baolong Tang
Nuclear Technology | Volume 123 | Number 3 | September 1998 | Pages 296-303
Technical Paper | Radioactive Waste Management and Disposal | doi.org/10.13182/NT98-A2900
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Temperature has strong effects on the leaching behavior of the 90-19/U simulated high-level waste glass form. The Arrhenius equation is used to determine the change in the glass corrosion mechanism throughout the different temperature ranges. The apparent activation energies have been obtained for different leaching conditions. In deionized water, the glass corrosion mechanism is similar whether the leaching condition is static or dynamic. The glass corrosion process is dominated by the ion exchange reactions at lower temperatures (60 to ~70°C); however, the glass corrosion process is dominated by the network hydrolysis reactions at higher temperatures (>70°C). The apparent activation energy in the lower temperature range is larger than that of the higher temperature range. In simulated underground water, the ion exchange reactions dominated the glass corrosion mechanism at temperatures from 50 to 150°C, and the large amount of ions in simulated underground water would participate in the ion exchange reactions with the glass.