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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.
T. Radon, E. Kozlova, G. Fehrenbacher, H. Geissel, K. Sümmerer, H. Weick, M. Winkler
Nuclear Technology | Volume 168 | Number 2 | November 2009 | Pages 492-496
Shielding | Special Issue on the 11th International Conference on Radiation Shielding and the 15th Topical Meeting of the Radiation Protection and Shielding Division (Part 2) / Radiation Protection | doi.org/10.13182/NT09-A9231
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Super-FRS is designed as a versatile partially superconducting fragment separator for the planned international Facility for Antiprotons and Ion Research. It will be able to separate all kinds of nuclear projectile fragments of primary heavy-ion beams including uranium with energies of up to 1.5 GeV/u and intensities of up to 1012 particles/s. The primary beam power of up to 50 kW has to be dumped in six shaped beam catchers in accordance with the ion optical setting of the separator in order not to enter the main separator, which will have accordingly weaker shielding. A key issue for such a high-power facility is the activation of several components and thus their access by maintenance personnel. Both the prompt and the residual dose due to activation are calculated by means of the Monte Carlo particle transport code FLUKA.The biological shielding in the target area will be realized by massive iron blocks (thickness [approximate] 2 m) around the beam tube and the magnets. This will be surrounded by up to 6 m of concrete in order to reduce the dose rates below the design value of 0.5 Sv/h, which is in agreement with the German radiation protection ordinance for public access. A dedicated maintenance channel is foreseen in which the residual dose rates are tolerable for short time access after a certain cooling time.