• Title/Summary/Keyword: Nuclear emergency

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A Framework for the Support of Predictive Cognitive Error Analysis of Emergency Tasks in Nuclear Power Plants (원자력발전소 비상운전시의 운전원 인지오류 예측 지원체계의 개발)

  • 김재환;정원대
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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    • v.16 no.3
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    • pp.117-124
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    • 2001
  • This paper introduces m analysis framework and procedure for the support of the cognitive error analysis of emergency tasks in nuclear poler plants. The framework provides a new perspective in the utilization of influencing factors into error prediction. The framework can be characterized by two features. First, influencing factors that affect the occurrence of human error me classified into three groups, i.e., task characteristic factors(TCF), situation factors(SF), and performance assisting factors(PAF). This classification aims to support error prediction from the viewpoint of assessing the adequacy of PAF under given TCF and SF. Second, the assessment of influencing factors is made by each cognitive function. Through this, influencing factors assessment and error prediction can be made in an integrative way according to each cognitive function. In addition, it helps analysts identify vulnerable cognitive functions and error factors, and obtain specific nor reduction strategies. The proposed framework was applied to the error analysis of the bleed and feed operation of nuclear emergency tasks.

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EVALUATION OF AN ACCIDENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY OF EMERGENCY WATER INJECTION USING FIRE ENGINES IN A TYPICAL PRESSURIZED WATER REACTOR

  • PARK, SOO-YONG;AHN, KWANG-IL
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.47 no.6
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    • pp.719-728
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    • 2015
  • Following the Fukushima accident, a special safety inspection was conducted in Korea. The inspection results show that Korean nuclear power plants have no imminent risk for expected maximum potential earthquake or coastal flooding. However long- and short-term safety improvements do need to be implemented. One of the measures to increase the mitigation capability during a prolonged station blackout (SBO) accident is installing injection flow paths to provide emergency cooling water of external sources using fire engines to the steam generators or reactor cooling systems. This paper illustrates an evaluation of the effectiveness of external cooling water injection strategies using fire trucks during a potential extended SBO accident in a 1,000 MWe pressurized water reactor. With regard to the effectiveness of external cooling water injection strategies using fire engines, the strategies are judged to be very feasible for a long-term SBO, but are not likely to be effective for a short-term SBO.

Advances in gamma radiation detection systems for emergency radiation monitoring

  • Kumar, K.A. Pradeep;Sundaram, G.A. Shanmugha;Sharma, B.K.;Venkatesh, S.;Thiruvengadathan, R.
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.52 no.10
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    • pp.2151-2161
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    • 2020
  • The study presents a review of research advancements in the field of gamma radiation detection systems for emergency radiation monitoring, particularly two major sub-systems namely (i) the radiation detector and (ii) the detection platform - air-borne and ground-based. The dynamics and functional characteristics of modern radiation detector active materials are summarized and discussed. The capabilities of both ground-based and aerial vehicle platforms employed in gamma radiation monitoring are deliberated in depth.

OPERATOR BEHAVIORS OBSERVED IN FOLLOWING EMERGENCY OPERATING PROCEDURE UNDER A SIMULATED EMERGENCY

  • Choi, Sun-Yeong;Park, Jin-Kyun
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.44 no.4
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    • pp.379-386
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    • 2012
  • A symptom-based procedure with a critical safety function monitoring system has been established to reduce the operator's diagnosis and cognitive burden since the Three-Mile Island (TMI) accident. However, it has been reported that a symptom-based procedure also requires an operator's cognitive efforts to cope with off-normal events. This can be caused by mismatches between a static model, an emergency operating procedure (EOP), and a dynamic process, the nature of an ongoing situation. The purpose of this study is to share the evidence of mismatches that may result in an excessive cognitive burden in conducting EOPs. For this purpose, we analyzed simulated emergency operation records and observed some operator behaviors during the EOP operation: continuous steps, improper description, parameter check at a fixed time, decision by information previously obtained, execution complexity, operation by the operator's knowledge, notes and cautions, and a foldout page. Since observations in this study are comparable to the results of an existing study, it is expected that the operational behaviors observed in this study are generic features of operators who have to cope with a dynamic situation using a static procedure.

Fingernail electron paramagnetic resonance dosimetry protocol for localized hand exposure accident

  • Jae Seok Kim;Byeong Ryong Park;Minsu Cho;Won Il Jang;Yong Kyun Kim
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.55 no.1
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    • pp.270-277
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    • 2023
  • Exposure to ionizing radiation induces free radicals in human nails. These free radicals generate a radiation-induced signal (RIS) in electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Compared with the RIS of tooth enamel samples, that in human nails is more affected by moisture and heat, but has the advantages of being sensitive to radiation and easy to collect. The fingernail as a biological sample is applicable in retrospective dosimetry in cases of localized hand exposure accidents. In this study, the dosimetric characteristics of fingernails were analyzed in fingernail clippings collected from Korean donors. The dose response, fading of radiation-induced and mechanically induced signals, treatment method for evaluation of background signal, minimum detectable dose, and minimum detectable mass were investigated to propose a fingernail-EPR dosimetry protocol. In addition, to validate the practicality of the protocol, blind and field experiments were performed in the laboratory and a non-destructive testing facility. The relative biases in the dose assessment result of the blind and field experiments were 8.43% and 21.68% on average between the reference and reconstructed doses. The results of this study suggest that fingernail-EPR dosimetry can be a useful method for the application of retrospective dosimetry in cases of radiological accidents.