scholarly journals Identification of hazards in non-nuclear power plants. [Public health hazards of fossil-fuel, combined cycle, combustion turbine, and geothermal power plants]

1978 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.S. Roman ◽  
W.J. Israel ◽  
R.F. Sacramo
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Health Hazards ◽  
Geothermal Power ◽  
Public Health Hazards

Diagnosis of Thermal Efficiency of Nuclear Power Plants Using Optical Torque Sensors

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuichi Umezawa ◽  
Jun Adachi
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Thermal Efficiency ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Torsional Rigidity ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Sensor Performance ◽  
Optical Torque

A new optical torque measuring method was applied to diagnosis of thermal efficiency of nuclear power plants. The sensor allows torque deformation of the rotor caused by power transmission to be measured without contact. Semiconductor laser beams and small pieces of stainless reflector that have bar-code patterns are employed. The intensity of the reflected laser beam is measured and then input into a computer through an APD and an A/D converter having high frequency sampling rates. The correlation analysis technique can translate these data into the torque deformation angle. This angle allows us to obtain the turbine output along with the torsional rigidity and the rotating speed of the rotor. The sensor was applied to a nuclear plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company, TEPCO, following its application success to the early combined cycle plants and the advanced combined cycle plants of TEPCO. As the turbine rotor of the nuclear power plant is less exposed than that of the combined cycle plants, the measurement position is confined to a narrow gap. In order to overcome the difficulty in installation, the shape of the sensor is modified to be long and thin. Sensor performance of the nuclear power plant was inspected over a year. The value of the torsional rigidity was analyzed by the finite element method at first. Accuracy was improved by correcting the torsional rigidity so that the value was consistent with the generator output. As a result, it is considered that the sensor performance has reached a practical use level.

scholarly journals State-Level Emergency Preparedness and Response Capabilities

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (S1) ◽  
pp. S134-S142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon M. Watkins ◽  
Dennis M. Perrotta ◽  
Martha Stanbury ◽  
Michael Heumann ◽  
Henry Anderson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Public Health Surveillance ◽  
State Level ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
State Health ◽  
Radiation Emergency

ABSTRACTBackground: Prior assessments of public health readiness had identified gaps in radiation preparedness. In recent years, preparedness planning has involved an “all-hazards” approach. Current assessment of the national status related to radiation public health emergency preparedness capabilities at the state and local health department levels was needed.Methods: A survey of state health departments related to radiation readiness was undertaken in 2010 by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE). States with nuclear power plants were instructed to consider their responses exclusive of capabilities and resources related to the plants given that the emergency response plans for nuclear power plants are specific and unique.Results: Thirty-eight (76%) state health departments responded to the survey, including 26 of the 31 states with nuclear power plants. Specific strengths noted at the state level included that the majority of states had a written radiation response plan and most plans include a detailed section for communications issues during a radiation emergency. In addition, more than half of the states indicated that their relationship with federal partners is sufficient to provide resources for radiation emergencies, indicating the importance states placed on federal resources and expertise. Specific weaknesses are discussed and include that most states had completed little to no planning for public health surveillance to assess potential human health impacts of a radiation event; less than half had written plans to address exposure assessment, environmental sampling, human specimen collection and analysis, and human health assessment. Few reported having sufficient resources to do public health surveillance, radiation exposure assessment, laboratory functions and other capabilities.Discussion: Levels of planning, resources and partnerships varied among states, those with nuclear power plants were better prepared. Gaps were evident in all states; however and additional training and resources are needed to ensure adequate levels of preparedness.Conclusion: Overall results of this assessment indicate that in most measures of public health capacity and capability, states are poorly prepared to adequately respond to a major radiation emergency event. Specific recommendations are noted in the discussion.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2011;5:S134-S142)

Recommendations for Energy–Water–Food Nexus Problems

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaufui Vincent Wong ◽  
Charles Pecora
Keyword(s):  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Solar Panels ◽  
Geothermal Power ◽  
Sub Saharan

Around the world, climate change has brought about seemingly more incidences of climate extremes. Sub-Saharan Africa is a prime example of a region with many countries suffering from water scarcity. Water scarcity is quite possibly the most important issue that exists, seeing as it is the one essential resource for humans and all other life. Water scarcity in this region is somewhat ironic because of the numerous freshwater rivers that run throughout the region. The main reason for this water problem is the mismanagement and lack of energy required to redistribute the water. The water issue is inevitably linked to both energy resources and food resources. Water is the basis for all agriculture and is required for livestock. Water is also needed for almost any type of energy conversion. In a fossil fuel power plant, water is both the working fluid of the system and the coolant used in the condenser. In dams, the potential stored in flowing water is the basis of the creation of energy. Water, conversely, requires power to be transported and treated for drinking and agriculture. Sub-Saharan Africa has nearly maximized the energy of its large rivers, thus new sources of energy must be implemented to help with the energy crisis. A couple of the possibilities are fossil fuel power plants, geothermal power plants, and solar panels. Solar panels require a large amount of capital to build, but are nearly free to maintain, and can be cheaper in the long run. Solar power is an undeniably renewable resource and does not adversely affect the environment. Solar power can be utilized both for electricity generation and for irrigation and cooking in remote communities. Geothermal power plants utilize the potential stored in the earth's crust in places with volcanic activity. East Africa has an especially large potential for geothermal energy due to its many volcanoes. As for thermal power plants, combined cycle power plants paired with a salt water cooling system would greatly improve efficiency and drastically decrease water usage. By replacing Rankine cycle power plants that are used in most of Sub-Saharan Africa with either combined cycle plants or gas cycle plants, efficiencies would improve and far less water for cooling would be used in the system.

scholarly journals Emergency Preparedness in the 10-Mile Emergency Planning Zone Surrounding Nuclear Power Plants

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amesh A. Adalja ◽  
Tara Kirk Sell ◽  
Sanjana J. Ravi ◽  
Katie Minton ◽  
Ryan Morhard
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Emergency Planning ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Emergency Managers ◽  
State Radiation

AbstractEach of the nuclear power plants in the US is encircled by an Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ). Within each EPZ, government officials, utility professionals, emergency managers, and public health practitioners collectively conduct extensive planning, exercises, and outreach to better protect their communities in the event of a nuclear accident. Our objective was to conduct a cross-sectional study of off-site public health preparedness within EPZs to better understand the dynamics of nuclear preparedness and uncover lessons for all-hazards preparedness.Using a qualitative, interview-based method, we consulted 120 county emergency managers, state health preparedness officers, state radiation health officials, and industry officials from 17 EPZs in ten different states.Interviewees reflected that EPZ emergency preparedness is generally robust, results from strong public-private partnership between nuclear plants and emergency management agencies, and enhances all-hazard preparedness. However, there exist a few areas which merit further study and improvement. These areas include cross-state coordination, digital public communication, and optimizing the level of public education within EPZs.This first-of-its-kind study provides a cross-sectional snapshot of emergency preparedness in the 10-mile EPZ surrounding nuclear power plants.

Public perception of geothermal power plants in Korea following the Pohang earthquake: A social representation theory study

2021 ◽  
pp. 096366252110125
Author(s):  
Dong-Hyeon Im ◽  
Ji-Bum Chung ◽  
Eun-Sung Kim ◽  
Ji-Won Moon
Keyword(s):  
Representation Theory ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Safety Climate ◽  
Social Representation ◽  
Social Representation Theory ◽  
Geothermal Power

This study sought to determine how the residents of Pohang, Korea, perceive geothermal plants after the 2017 Pohang earthquake by applying social representation theory through a mixed-method approach incorporating qualitative and quantitative research. The residents’ perception of the geothermal plant was largely anchored to their perception of nuclear power plants. At the time of the Gyeongju earthquake in 2016, public discourse on nuclear accidents developed and was thereafter perpetuated by the Pohang earthquake victims via cognitive anchoring. The survey results demonstrated that Pohang residents had a significantly negative opinion on geothermal plants regardless of safety, climate change mitigation, and economic factors. Upon analyzing the respondents’ energy preferences through factor analysis, geothermal power plants were found to aggregate in the same category as nuclear power plants. This result statistically confirms that Pohang residents associate geothermal power plants with the risk discourse on nuclear power plants.

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