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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.
K. Vogt, G. Fehrenbacher, A. Knapp, T. Radon
Nuclear Technology | Volume 168 | Number 2 | November 2009 | Pages 528-532
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-A9238
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The new experimental storage ring (NESR) is one of the new facilities planned for the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) project. It is conceived as a versatile storage ring used for experiments with stored ion beams (up to 740 MeV/u for uranium beams) and for the deceleration of antiprotons from the injection energy of 3 GeV, which are subsequently extracted and used for experiments elsewhere.The planning of the shielding requires particular accuracy because rooms adjacent to the NESR are desired to be accessible at all times. Extensive shielding calculations have been done using the Monte Carlo code FLUKA. Calculations were performed separately for the different operation modes of the storage ring, as well as for the different parts of the facility. Because of the large shielding thicknesses required (up to [approximately]4 m), biasing techniques had to be employed. While the results of the calculations confirmed that the planned shielding is sufficient in most places, two areas have been identified where a reinforcement of the shielding is recommended.