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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.
R. S. Schley, K. L. Telschow, J. B. Walter, D. L. Cottle
Nuclear Technology | Volume 159 | Number 2 | August 2007 | Pages 202-207
Technical Paper | Materials for Nuclear Systems | doi.org/10.13182/NT07-A3865
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper describes the first noncontact elastic vibration measurements of an object in a high gamma radiation field. Using a laser-coupled resonant ultrasound technique, the vibration modes of an Inconel hollow capped cylinder were measured as the gamma radiation field was increased to 104 Gy/h. This measurement technique allowed shifts in the resonant frequency of the sample's vibration modes to be tracked over a 170-h period. The vibration mode frequencies changed in a manner consistent with the temperature dependence of the elastic stiffness coefficients of the material. These results demonstrate the efficacy of the laser approach for real-time resonant ultrasound measurements in this severely hostile nuclear environment.