Ecological foresight in the nuclear power of XXI century

The access to reliable sources of energy is the key to sustainable development of mankind. The major part of the energy consumed by people is generated with a chemical reaction of fossil fuel burning. This leads to quick depletion of natural resources and progressing environmental pollution. The contribution of the renewable energy sources to the general energy production remains insignificant. A modern 1,000 MW coal-fired thermal power plant (TPP) burns 2.5 million tons of coal per year and produces significant amount of solid and gaseous waste. TPPs are the largest consumers of atmospheric oxygen and sources of carbon dioxide. A nuclear power plant (NPP) of the same power consumes less than 50 tons of fuel per year. Environmentally significant NPP’s waste (liquid, solid and gaseous) is carefully collected, reduced in volume (evaporation, filtering, compaction, incineration, etc.) and securely isolated from the environment at the plant. The annual volume of waste for storage is less than 100 m3. The waste is under the control of a special NPP’s service and regulatory authorities. The energy of fission reaction millions of times exceeding the energy of burning has an enormous potential that mankind can receive. Four hundred and thirty-three nuclear power units with a total capacity of about 400 GW exist in the world. The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi NPP in Japan in March 2011 caused anxiety about nuclear safety throughout the world and raised questions about the future of nuclear power. Now, it is clear that the use of nuclear power will continue to grow in the coming decades, although the growth will be slower than was anticipated before the accident. Many countries with existing nuclear power programmes plan to expand them. Many new countries, both developed and developing, plan to introduce nuclear power. Some countries, such as Germany, plan to abandon nuclear energy. The IAEA’s latest projections show a steady rise in the number of NPPs in the world in the next 20 years. They project a growth in nuclear power capacity by 23% by 2030 in the low projection and by 100% in the high projection [1,2]. The basis of modern nuclear power comprises water-cooled nuclear reactors which use the energy potential of natural uranium inefficiently (thermal reactors). The thermal reactors use isotope U-235 in which the content of natural uranium is <1%. Breeder reactors are capable of using the significant part of energy potential, which is unavailable to thermal light water reactors. As a result, the same starting quantity of uranium can produce 50 times more energy. These reactors can transform U-238 into fissile Pu-239 in larger amounts than they consume fissile material. This feature is called ‘breeding’ [3]. The key problem of using the basic benefitsv of nuclear power is to ensure the safety of its use, as well as decommissioning and reliable isolation of process waste from the biosphere. The long-term large-scale nuclear power should possess guaranteed safety, economic stability and competitiveness, absence of the raw material base restrictions for a long period of time and environmental sustainability (low waste). The nuclear power systems with fast neutron reactors and liquid metal coolant can satisfy these conditions. More than 40 years of Russian experience in the field of construction and operation of sodium fast reactors makes it possible to summarize and analyze the ecological features of reactors of this type, the possibility of their use for sustainable energy supply of mankind and solving environmental problems

Ecological foresight in the nuclear power of XXI century

The access to reliable sources of energy is the key to sustainable development of mankind. The major part of the energy consumed by people is generated with a chemical reaction of fossil fuel burning. This leads to quick depletion of natural resources and progressing environmental pollution. The contribution of the renewable energy sources to the general energy production remains insignificant. A modern 1,000 MW coal-fired thermal power plant (TPP) burns 2.5 million tons of coal per year and produces significant amount of solid and gaseous waste. TPPs are the largest consumers of atmospheric oxygen and sources of carbon dioxide. A nuclear power plant (NPP) of the same power consumes less than 50 tons of fuel per year. Environmentally significant NPP’s waste (liquid, solid and gaseous) is carefully collected, reduced in volume (evaporation, filtering, compaction, incineration, etc.) and securely isolated from the environment at the plant. The annual volume of waste for storage is less than 100 m3. The waste is under the control of a special NPP’s service and regulatory authorities. The energy of fission reaction millions of times exceeding the energy of burning has an enormous potential that mankind can receive. Four hundred and thirty-three nuclear power units with a total capacity of about 400 GW exist in the world. The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi NPP in Japan in March 2011 caused anxiety about nuclear safety throughout the world and raised questions about the future of nuclear power. Now, it is clear that the use of nuclear power will continue to grow in the coming decades, although the growth will be slower than was anticipated before the accident. Many countries with existing nuclear power programmes plan to expand them. Many new countries, both developed and developing, plan to introduce nuclear power. Some countries, such as Germany, plan to abandon nuclear energy. The IAEA’s latest projections show a steady rise in the number of NPPs in the world in the next 20 years. They project a growth in nuclear power capacity by 23% by 2030 in the low projection and by 100% in the high projection [1,2]. The basis of modern nuclear power comprises water-cooled nuclear reactors which use the energy potential of natural uranium inefficiently (thermal reactors). The thermal reactors use isotope U-235 in which the content of natural uranium is <1%. Breeder reactors are capable of using the significant part of energy potential, which is unavailable to thermal light water reactors. As a result, the same starting quantity of uranium can produce 50 times more energy. These reactors can transform U-238 into fissile Pu-239 in larger amounts than they consume fissile material. This feature is called ‘breeding’ [3]. The key problem of using the basic benefitsv of nuclear power is to ensure the safety of its use, as well as decommissioning and reliable isolation of process waste from the biosphere. The long-term large-scale nuclear power should possess guaranteed safety, economic stability and competitiveness, absence of the raw material base restrictions for a long period of time and environmental sustainability (low waste). The nuclear power systems with fast neutron reactors and liquid metal coolant can satisfy these conditions. More than 40 years of Russian experience in the field of construction and operation of sodium fast reactors makes it possible to summarize and analyze the ecological features of reactors of this type, the possibility of their use for sustainable energy supply of mankind and solving environmental problems

Ecological features of fast reactor nuclear power plants (NPPs) at all stages of their life cycle

The future nuclear power industry should focus on the enhanced safety reactors such as inherently safe liquid metal fast neutron reactors. Many years of the operating experience from the BN-600 fast power reactor show that it has some advantages in terms of safety (the large amount of sodium in the reactor, large boiling point margin, etc). The safety systems have been improved in BN-800 which is under construction and further in BN-1200 project. Along with the design features of nuclear power plants, the overall safety culture including the optimization of radiation protection is very important. The UrFU in conjunction with the Rosatom enterprises works in this direction, dealing with the route optimization of work in radiation fields using dynamic programming techniques, optimization of the composition of the homogeneous protective materials for a given isotopic composition of radioactive contamination, the development of computer models of radioactive systems for training of the dismantling personnel. The management of the increasing amount of radioactive waste (RW) is the priority task of the nuclear power industry. Fast reactors allow it to minimize the amount of RW through the extraction of the fission products from the irradiated nuclear fuel while uranium and plutonium are returned to the reactor at a closed nuclear fuel cycle. © 2014 WIT Press.International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering;International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning;WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environmen

Ecological Foresight in the Nuclear Power of XXI Century

The access to reliable sources of energy is the key to sustainable development of mankind. The major part of the energy consumed by people is generated with a chemical reaction of fossil fuel burning. This leads to quick depletion of natural resources and progressing environmental pollution. The contribution of the renewable energy sources to the general energy production remains insignificant. A modern 1,000 MW coal-fired thermal power plant (TPP) burns 2.5 million tons of coal per year and produces significant amount of solid and gaseous waste. TPPs are the largest consumers of atmospheric oxygen and sources of carbon dioxide. A nuclear power plant (NPP) of the same power consumes less than 50 tons of fuel per year. Environmentally significant NPP's waste (liquid, solid and gaseous) is carefully collected, reduced in volume (evaporation, filtering, compaction, incineration, etc.) and securely isolated from the environment at the plant. The annual volume of waste for storage is less than 100 m3. The waste is under the control of a special NPP's service and regulatory authorities. The energy of fission reaction millions of times exceeding the energy of burning has an enormous potential that mankind can receive. Four hundred and thirty-three nuclear power units with a total capacity of about 400 GW exist in the world. The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi NPP in Japan in March 2011 caused anxiety about nuclear safety throughout the world and raised questions about the future of nuclear power. Now, it is clear that the use of nuclear power will continue to grow in the coming decades, although the growth will be slower than was anticipated before the accident. Many countries with existing nuclear power programmes plan to expand them. Many new countries, both developed and developing, plan to introduce nuclear power. Some countries, such as Germany, plan to abandon nuclear energy. The IAEA's latest projections show a steady rise in the number of NPPs in the world in the next 20 years. They project a growth in nuclear power capacity by 23% by 2030 in the low projection and by 100% in the high projection [1,2]. The basis of modern nuclear power comprises water-cooled nuclear reactors which use the energy potential of natural uranium inefficiently (thermal reactors). The thermal reactors use isotope U-235 in which the content of natural uranium is &lt;1%. Breeder reactors are capable of using the significant part of energy potential, which is unavailable to thermal light water reactors. As a result, the same starting quantity of uranium can produce 50 times more energy. These reactors can transform U-238 into fissile Pu-239 in larger amounts than they consume fissile material. This feature is called 'breeding' [3]. The key problem of using the basic benefitsv of nuclear power is to ensure the safety of its use, as well as decommissioning and reliable isolation of process waste from the biosphere. The long-term large-scale nuclear power should possess guaranteed safety, economic stability and competitiveness, absence of the raw material base restrictions for a long period of time and environmental sustainability (low waste). The nuclear power systems with fast neutron reactors and liquid metal coolant can satisfy these conditions. More than 40 years of Russian experience in the field of construction and operation of sodium fast reactors makes it possible to summarize and analyze the ecological features of reactors of this type, the possibility of their use for sustainable energy supply of mankind and solving environmental problems. © 2016 WIT Press, www.witpress.com

Organisational problems of adaptation of residents to educational and professional activities

Introduction. The challenges of attracting and retaining medical personnel, as well as enhancing their working conditions and health, must be identified, minimised, and addressed promptly at the residency level, which is a crucial stage of professional medical education. Aim. The present research aimed to identify and to compare the organisational challenges faced by medical residents in adapting to educational and professional activities, based on the degree of prevalence and complexity as assessed by the residents themselves. Methodology and research methods. The study was conducted from October to November 2023 and involved over 700 first-year medical residents from Altai, Kazan, Siberian, and Tyumen State Medical Universities. The methods employed included a literature review on the research problem, the use of questionnaires, reflective writing, as well as the analysis and synthesis of results, and the ranking of the obtained numerical data. Results. It was found that nearly half of the medical residents were completely satisfied with their training based on the results from the initial months. However, almost 40% reported experiencing issues. Respondents highly valued the presence of a departmental curator (over 84%), while the presence of a clinical mentor was rated lower (approximately 61%). The clarity of instructions from a mentor received a satisfaction rating of 58%, and the frequency of meetings with curators and mentors was appreciated by 53%. In contrast, the convenience and clarity of the schedule were rated low, at only 41%. Scientific novelty. The study is significant for the advancement of medical pedagogy theory and professional medical education. Assessments by medical residents regarding both direct and indirect indicators of the quality of their training organisation during the adaptation stage were identified and ranked. It was found that medical residents exhibit low readiness to formulate recommendations and engage in discussions about the organisation of their training. Practical significance. The results obtained are highly significant for organising the training of medical residents. This includes the development of software, educational and methodological support, training topics, roundtable discussions for residents and their instructors, and the creation of a specialised adaptation programme, as well as the advanced training of mentors and educators.Введение. Проблемы привлечения и сохранения медицинского персонала, совершенствования условий их труда и здоровья необходимо своевременно выявлять, минимизировать и решать еще на уровне ординатуры как основополагающем этапе профессионального медицинского образования. Цель исследования – выявить и сопоставить организационные проблемы адаптации ординаторов к образовательно-профессиональной деятельности по степени распространенности, сложности по оценке самих ординаторов. Методология, методы и методики. Исследование реализовалось в октябре–ноябре 2023 г. Его участниками выступили ординаторы I курса (более 700 человек) из Алтайского, Казанского, Сибирского, Тюменского государственных медицинских университетов. Методы: анализ литературы по проблеме исследования, анкетирование, рефлексивное письмо, анализ и обобщение результатов, ранжирование полученных числовых данных. Результаты. Установлено, что почти половина ординаторов абсолютно удовлетворена обучением по итогам первых месяцев, но наличие проблем подтвердили почти 40 %. Респонденты высоко оценивают наличие куратора от кафедры (более 84 %), недостаточно высоко – наличие клинического наставника (около 61 %), точность инструкций от наставника (58 %), наличие встреч с кураторами, наставниками (53 %), низко – удобство, четкость расписания (41 %). Научная новизна. Исследование значимо для развития теории медицинской педагогики и профессионального медицинского образования. Выявлены и проранжированы оценки ординаторами прямых и косвенных показателей качества организации их подготовки на этапе адаптации. Установлена низкая готовность ординаторов к формулировке рекомендаций, обсуждению вопросов организации их подготовки. Практическая значимость. Полученные результаты практически значимы для организации подготовки ординаторов (разработка программного и учебно-методического обеспечения, тематики тренингов, круглых столов для ординаторов и их преподавателей, разработка специальной программы адаптации), повышения квалификации наставников, преподавателей.Статья подготовлена в рамках реализации стратегического проекта «Трансформация медицинского и фармацевтического образования» программы развития Сибирского государственного медицинского университета на 2021–2030 годы» (Приоритет – 2030). Авторы выражают благодарность анонимным рецензентам.The article was prepared as part of the implementation of the strategic project “Transformation of Medical and Pharmaceutical Education” of the development programme of the Siberian State Medical University for 2021–2030” (Priority – 2030). The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers