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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.
Fariborz Taghipour, Greg J. Evans
Nuclear Technology | Volume 134 | Number 2 | May 2001 | Pages 208-220
Technical Paper | Radioisotopes | doi.org/10.13182/NT01-A3196
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The impact of organic compounds on iodine volatility was investigated under a range of postaccident chemical conditions expected in a reactor containment structure. The rate of production of volatile iodine was evaluated in the presence of 10-3 M concentrations of carbonyl, alkyl halide, and aromatic compounds. A bench-scale apparatus, installed in the irradiation chamber of a Gammacell, was used to measure the rate of iodine volatilization from 10-6 to 10-4 M CsI solutions with pH values from 5 to 9. The results indicated that organic compounds could be classified into groups, based on their distinct effects on iodine volatility. Iodine volatilization increased significantly, up to two orders of magnitude, in the presence of carbonyl compounds and alkyl chlorides, while it decreased in the presence of aromatic compounds. Gas phase speciation indicated that organic iodides dominate the airborne iodine species in the presence of carbonyl compounds and alkyl halides.