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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.
Koichi Uozumi, Takatoshi Hijikata, Takeshi Tsukada, Tadafumi Koyama, Takayuki Terai, Akihiro Suzuki
Nuclear Technology | Volume 188 | Number 1 | October 2014 | Pages 83-96
Technical Paper | Reprocessing | doi.org/10.13182/NT13-49
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A zeolite column system is under development to realize both a high decontamination factor and high throughput for the treatment of the spent salt generated in the pyroprocessing of the metal fuel cycle. To study the feasibility of the zeolite column system from an engineering aspect, an engineering-scale zeolite column apparatus was installed. Measurements of the superficial velocities of molten salt passing through the columns filled with granular form type-A zeolite at various driving pressures showed that the conventional relationship of the velocity and pressure loss in the components of the apparatus can be useful for the molten salt system. Then, a demonstration test to simulate the decontamination of a fission product, which was represented by cesium, was performed using a zeolite that had been pretreated in aqueous solutions to remove the sodium. Although the absorbed amount of cesium was not as high as previously reported, the concentration of cesium in the effluent salt exhibited a breakthrough curve. Therefore, some of the cesium in the salt was absorbed into the zeolite, and accordingly, the feasibility of the zeolite column system was demonstrated.