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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.
Charles A. Riggs, Robert V. Tompson, Tushar K. Ghosh, Sudarshan K. Loyalka, Dabir S. Viswanath
Nuclear Technology | Volume 157 | Number 1 | January 2007 | Pages 74-86
Technical Paper | Nuclear Plant Operations and Control | doi.org/10.13182/NT07-A3803
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Adsorption isotherms for water vapor on powdered cesium iodide are reported. Both macroscopic and microscopic (single-particle) samples of CsI powder from the same source were studied by two different techniques. The adsorption isotherms for the macroscopic samples were obtained using a Cahn 2000 Electrobalance, which leaves the sample uncharged during the measurement and utilizes a conventional microbalance to measure the relevant mass changes. The adsorption isotherms for the microscopic samples were obtained using a custom-made two-ring electrodynamic balance to measure the mass changes due to adsorption that occurred for single suspended charged particles of the CsI powder. Here, the relevant mass changes were determined from the changes observed in the required particle suspension voltages in the balance. The total charge on each particle studied was determined using the electron stepping technique. Based on the classification scheme of Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller, it is concluded that type III adsorption isotherms were observed for both the macroscopic and the single-particle CsI samples, which would indicate a multilayer adsorption process. The isotherms for the macroscopic and the single-particle CsI samples, while exhibiting the same basic shape, were found to vary greatly in magnitude. It is believed that this variation in magnitude is primarily due to the charge on the microscopic samples interacting attractively with the highly polarized water molecules and thus significantly increasing the multilayer adsorption of water. Some possible chemisorption was also indicated for both the charged and uncharged CsI, as evidenced by an inability to completely regenerate either the macroscopic or the microscopic samples.