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August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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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.
Ali E. Dabiri, William K. Hagan, Donald A. Swenson, Kenneth A. Krohn
Nuclear Technology | Volume 92 | Number 1 | October 1990 | Pages 127-133
Technical Paper | Development of Nuclear Gas Cleaning and Filtering Techniques / Radioisotopes and Isotope Separation | doi.org/10.13182/NT90-A34492
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The feasibility of using a radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) accelerator to accelerate 3He++for use in positron emission tomography (PET) is shown. The 3He++ RFQ is extremely lightweight in comparison to a cyclotron, but can nevertheless produce all four radioisotopes of interest (18F, 13N, 15O, and 11C) in more than adequate quantities. Due to the neutron-poor nature of 3He++, the desired positron emitters can be produced from naturally abundant target isotopes. In addition, target reactions and collisions with the accelerating structure produce relatively small numbers of neutrons compared to proton and deuteron systems. This yields two economic advantages. Enriched 13C, 15N, and 18O target materials are not required. Also, the shielding requirements are reduced considerably, and there is no need for radiation shielding around the accelerator. This reduced shielding results in a factor of 8 reduction in total facility shielding weight compared to a proton/deuteron cyclotron facility. The order of magnitude reduction in facility weight, the virtual elimination of the accelerator weight, and the relative lack of residual induced activity gives rise to the possibility of a radiopharmaceutical production system that is less expensive than present systems and may ultimately be transportable. Such a system could make PET imaging technology far more accessible geographically and financially than it is at present.