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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.
G. D. Bazinet, W. F. Brehm, M. G. Down, D. K. Matlock
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 4 | Number 2 | September 1983 | Pages 718-723
Materials Engineering | doi.org/10.13182/FST83-A22944
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The corrosion behavior of selected materials in a liquid lithium environment was studied in support of system-and component designs for the Fusion Materials Irradiation Test (FMIT) Facility. Testing conditions ranged from ∼ 3700 to ∼ 6500 hours of exposure to flowing lithium at temperatures from 230° to 270°C and static lithium at temperatures from 200° to 500°C. Principal areas of investigation included lithium corrosion/erosion effects on FMIT lithium system baseline and candidate materials. Material coupons and full-size prototypic components were evaluated to determine corrosion rates, fatigue crack growth rates, structural compatibility, and component acceptability for the lithium system. Based on the results of these studies, concerns regarding system materials and component designs were satisfactorily resolved to support a 20-year design life requirement for the FMIT lithium system.