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mesa
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Hey guys, what would you say are the most important aspects of the job of being a nuclear reactor operator?
Not as an operator, but I did spend 17 years building nuclear power plant operator training simulators. So I had lots of interaction with the instructors and the trainees.mesa said:Do you by any chance have any experience as a reactor operator anorlunda?
mesa said:Do you by any chance have any experience as a reactor operator anorlunda?
You're probably not as old as I am. Did you ever hear of the 1970's BWR infamous incident know in the industry as "the Saturday night massacre?" That too was a case of an operator trying to innovate.DEvens said:I recall one in particular. An operator decided a particular maintenance procedure could be improved.
anorlunda said:Not as an operator, but I did spend 17 years building nuclear power plant operator training simulators. So I had lots of interaction with the instructors and the trainees.
anorlunda said:I would be terrible as the operator of any kind of equipment. When nothing happens, my mind wanders and I lose concentration. One night when driving home, I missed a turn. Two hours later when I came to the border check of another country, I noticed.
DEvens said:I will answer for myself rather than anorlunda. His answer about know and follow the procedures is completely correct.
I'm a nuclear safety analyst, joined the industry in 1990. I've had to sit through a few group meetings reporting on people not following procedure. These are usually the most tense meetings we have.
DEvens said:I recall one in particular. An operator decided a particular maintenance procedure could be improved. So he decided on his own to do what he thought was the better procedure. Fortunately, there is always somebody who's job it is to follow up on every action in the station and check it was done according to procedure. The variations were discovered. The guy's explanation was not accepted and he was fired. Later, other people evaluated his suggestions and made some modifications. But the guy who didn't follow procedure was still not invited back.
DEvens said:The reason procedure is so important is this. The next guy who comes along must be able to have confidence that everything is where it should be. If he expects there to be power on this power line, and none on that power line, it better be that way. Because people can die if it's wrong. And huge damage can result to the station and to the public.
anorlunda said:You're probably not as old as I am. Did you ever hear of the 1970's BWR infamous incident know in the industry as "the Saturday night massacre?" That too was a case of an operator trying to innovate.
DEvens said:mesa asked about my university level. I have a BSc, an MSc, and a PhD, all in physics.
In Canada, most nuclear operators are educated by the utilities. They very much prefer to start with a high school grad and train them directly. The training consists of some years of combination classroom and on-the-job training. Their in-class stuff is wide ranging. Lots of math, physics, and chemistry. And lots of technical stuff like electronics, welding theory, and the behavior of concrete. If it's relevant to nuclear reactors they try to push it into the brains of the operators. I would guess that the training an operator gets is equivalent to a typical BSc, but with far more lab time than a typical undergrad ever gets.
The only other country I know anything about the way they train operators is China. They do something similar there. Each utility has an academy for training their technical staff, both the operators and the people more concerned with design and analysis. There is one at the Daya Bay station. I got to walk around outside this one. It's fairly picturesque for a nuclear plant, being on the shore of the South China Sea.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daya_Bay_Nuclear_Power_Plant
Hiddencamper said:I am a current licensed senior reactor operator.
Hiddencamper said:It’s all about procedure use and adherence, operator fundamentals, and conservative decision making.
As operators we need to be aware of the plant and be capable of recognizing if we are in a situation which needs the reactor shut down immediately because of degrading conditions or upon a failure of the reactor protection system. Unanalyzed conditions shouldn’t happen, but they can. And taking conservative action to scram the reactor or initiate a safety injection without hesitation is what’s important. Everything after that is about stabilization and minimizing the potential for complications. But I’ve seen situations occurs which are things you would never expect (turbine system stability issues causing rapid pressure swings and prompt flux changes, causing thermal duty cycles on the fuel. All control rods breaking off their seats due to Vortexing in the rod drive suction. Etc) and our job is to be the first line of defense for most events, and the last line of defense for the things which are too fast for us to react.
Your "guess" is completely incorrect.Dr.D said:The most difficult part of the operators job there appeared to be simply staying awake. Control room were usually littered with Playboy, Penthouse, etc. and operators were struggling to not to doze off. I would guess it is similar in a nuke plant.
I've never been in a nuke plant
Odd. I was a reactor operator in the navy, and staying awake was 99.9% of the job.gmax137 said:Your "guess" is completely incorrect.
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Same as with any job: Don't break anything.mesa said:Hey guys, what would you say are the most important aspects of the job of being a nuclear reactor operator?
Reactor operators in the US navy have high school diplomas.mesa said:Do you have a BSE in nuclear?
OmCheeto said:Same as with any job: Don't break anything.
OmCheeto said:Reactor operators in the US navy have high school diplomas.
(Plus some military instruction, obviously. Don't want just any nose picker running a reactor.)
First off, @OmCheeto - thank you for your service. I know that has become a bit cliche lately but I mean it, sincerely.OmCheeto said:Odd. I was a reactor operator in the navy, and staying awake was 99.9% of the job.
So I would describe his guess as completely correct.
Perhaps you were an operator at a facility with a different type of reactor?
I've had arguments here at PF before, with people in that situation.
You never followed up on this, can you please explain what that incident was all about ?anorlunda said:Did you ever hear of the 1970's BWR infamous incident know in the industry as "the Saturday night massacre?"
Yeah, although I can't remember the plant or the date. @Astronuc may be able to cite sources about the actual incident, or perhaps even tell me that this story is a legend.artis said:You never followed up on this, can you please explain what that incident was all about ?
I'd have to know the year, and then I might be able to identify the event. PCI failures were a significant fuel performance liability during the 1970s, as were CILC and debris failures. I didn't start my NE program until late 1970s, and then I joined industry late 1980s. The company for which I worked had compiled two databases on operating PWRs and BWRs, and fuel failure was one aspect. Unfortunately, the databases were discontinued during the 1990s, and I didn't keep the documents when I changed employers.anorlunda said:Yeah, although I can't remember the plant or the date. @Astronuc may be able to cite sources about the actual incident, or perhaps even tell me that this story is a legend.
The main responsibility of a reactor operator is to ensure the safe and efficient operation of a nuclear reactor. This includes monitoring and controlling various systems and processes, performing routine maintenance and inspections, and responding to any abnormal conditions or emergencies.
A successful reactor operator must possess strong technical and analytical skills, as well as the ability to work well under pressure and make quick decisions. They must also have a thorough understanding of nuclear physics and reactor operations, as well as excellent communication and teamwork skills.
Reactor operators are required to follow strict safety protocols and procedures to ensure the safe operation of the reactor. This includes wearing protective gear, regularly monitoring radiation levels, and following emergency response plans in case of an accident or malfunction.
Reactor operators undergo extensive training and must follow strict safety guidelines to prevent accidents and ensure the safety of the surrounding community. This includes regular inspections and maintenance of equipment, as well as continuous monitoring of reactor conditions and radiation levels.
The potential risks of being a reactor operator include exposure to radiation, which can have harmful effects on the body. However, with proper training and safety protocols in place, the risk of exposure is minimized. Additionally, reactor operators must be prepared to handle emergency situations and make critical decisions under pressure.