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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.
A. Berdondini, M. Bettuzzi, R. Brancaccio, F. Casali, N. Lanconelli, M. P. Morigi
Nuclear Technology | Volume 168 | Number 1 | October 2009 | Pages 231-234
Phantoms | Special Issue on the 11th International Conference on Radiation Shielding and the 15th Topical Meeting of the Radiation Protection and Shielding Division (Part 1) / Radioisotopes | doi.org/10.13182/NT09-A9131
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In recent years there has been a growing demand from museums for computed tomography (CT) diagnostic measurements to be performed on famous artworks (sculptures and paintings) inside the museum itself in order to assess whether are they in good condition or need a restoration procedure. The problem of radioprotection becomes critical when the energy used in CT is high, as typically occurs in the case of CT measurements on sculptures, where linacs are used to produce the high-energy X-rays necessary to penetrate marble or metal. In this study we used Monte Carlo simulations in order to evaluate dose distribution inside a museum where a high-energy CT system is used for diagnostic measurements on a sculpture.