Technidigm-2000 (TM)
Nuclear Safety Culture

Nuclear Safety Technical 
Essay Examination

Copyright 1999


Answer Submission Form

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If you have not taken the first nuclear safety culture examination, you do not really have to prior to taking this one.  Nevertheless, you may want to read the questions and reference material linked to that more generic examination.


Fill in the information indicated below that you would like to fill in.  The personal and company information that you provide will not be used outside the context of nuclear safety culture discussions and will not be released to others except where you specifically request this to be done.  This personal and company information only helps me better understand the context within which you may be answering the nuclear safety culture questions.

Note that there are two essay tests, one primarily for management and the other primarily for the technical people (the essay test below).  They are both easy enough for everyone to take, which is my recommendation.

Charles R. Jones
12/99



 

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Answer each question completely but concisely.


 
 

1. What is a nuclear safety margin?


 
 

2. How do we ensure that nuclear safety margins are not violated?


 
 

3. Explain how to improve system reliability in terms of parallel, series,
and diverse components?


 
 

4. What is the difference between instrument precision and instrument
accuracy?


 
 

5. What component design approach should be used to maximize plant
safety when the component fails? Give examples.

 
 

6. What pressure-related hazards are associated with "solid plant"
conditions in which a fluid system is filled with liquid such that no gas
or vapor is present in the system?


 
 

7. Discuss when it is appropriate to maintain pressure in a fluid system
on the "shutoff head" of a pump. What type of pump should be
used? Why?


 
 

8. If the thermocouples in a reactor core are indicating that
the reactor core or part of the reactor core is overheating, but the other
plant temperature and pressure instruments indicate everything
is normal, what should be done?


 
 

9. You inspect a large pump during normal plant operations and discover
that some of the casing nuts, although tight, are not fully engaged with
the studs or bolts that hold the casing together. Is this a problem?
Why or why not?


 
 

10. Why is it so important to maintain plant cleanliness at a nuclear
power plant?


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