Background Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Statement of the problem
Significance of the study
Literature review
Methodology
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The aim of the research was to address engineering associated issues that could lead to a nuclear disaster, such as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Russia. The paper will address the possibility of applying modern technology to solve engineering issues that could lead to a possible nuclear disaster. The destructions and harm caused by the catastrophe is still felt to date. Lack of proper technical knowhow and ignorance were eminent in the Chernobyl case and it inflicted fear in people in the use of nuclear power plant. From the engineering point of view, several scholars have developed a platform of argument, where some argue that the civil engineering at the site, and in fact in the USSR, was caught unaware. Others have argued that the technology at the time could not have done anything beyond, given that the country was still developing its civil engineering from the analogue to modernised digital form. It is quite evident, however, that modern technology can be applied to solve such issues and thus prevent the occurrence of yet another nuclear disaster in the modern world.

Statement of the problem

From the discovery of nuclear science and its application as the main source of energy for both industrial and domestic use, there are few nuclear reaction associated disasters witnessed so far. In fact, the Chernobyl case can be said to be the only major disaster concerning nuclear energy.

However, the world runs under heavy risks of disasters associated with nuclear energy. For instance, the recent case in Japan has shown that natural disasters may affect a relatively new form of disaster if nuclear power plants are adversely affected. Nuclear energy, being developed from the highly risky atomic reaction, is one of the most documented dangers to life. With these regards, it is important to consider the role of modern technology on the attempt to solve such issues associated with nuclear power.

Significance of the study

This study was developed with an aim of determine the potential of modern technology in finding a permanent solution to the possible nuclear disasters. The study results are important for civil engineers and scholars in engineering, as they may find it useful in the process of managing nuclear power plants in the world. In addition, the information derived from the study will be useful for the economic and civil strategists, as it could be used in the processes of developing guidelines for nations or corporations willing to develop nuclear power reactors.

Study Hypothesis

In the wake of the modern technology, human beings are in a position to harvest energy from the most risky sources, of which nuclear power is the most prominent example, and yet protect life from any harm associated with the power. Technology, together with innovation, are the best tools that modern civil engineers should apply to harness power, and yet protect human life on earth from any possible harm associated with radiations from such nuclear reactors.

Study Questions

In the wake of the modern technology, are human beings in a position to harvest energy from the most risky sources, and yet protect life from any harm associated with the power?
Are technology and innovation the best tools that modern civil engineers can apply to harness power, and yet protect human life on earth from any possible harm associated with radiations from such nuclear reactors?

Literature review

From the engineering point of view, several scholars have developed a platform of argument, where some argue that the civil engineering at the site, and in fact in the USSR, was caught unaware. Others have argued that the technology at the time could not have done anything beyond, given that the country was still developing its civil engineering from the analogue to modernised digital form. Since the occurrence of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the former USSR, several researchers have developed several hypotheses on the possibilities of using technology to protect life on earth from any further disaster associated with the use of nuclear power. In addition, researchers have carried out extensive research work to determine the possible causes of the disaster, and how technology could have been used to solve the issues.

The first consideration of technology as the main driver of disaster management in civil engineering was made in 1980, six years before the occurrence of the first nuclear power disaster in the former USSR (Brown 1997). However, the technology applied at the time was merely the production of power from nuclear reaction, with little emphasis on the use of technology to solve engineering loopholes that could occur any time. Scientists thought that the available protective measures were adequate to protect human beings and life on earth from the adverse effects of nuclear power. For instance, computer based technology was not applied in these power plants, and little works of research was on the way. Although most powerful nations advocated for the use of nuclear engineering as a way of solving power problems in the world, the computer technology itself has not evolved enough to be applied in such major projects.

A nuclear disaster such as the Chernobyl case was caused, most probably; by a combination of human and technical errors. In spite of this, the major point of concern here is the fact that even the human error was engineering related. For this purpose, engineering issues seems to have been the major issues in the occurrence of the disaster. According to Brown (1997), modern technology has allowed human beings to develop artificial powered nuclear scientists (Brown 1997). These are more of computer controlled robots, which have the ability to take time in the process of simulating the behaviour of the nuclear power reactor from the inside part of the barrels where human beings cannot access. The robots, in this case, are not affected by the reaction, yet they give accurate and timely data on the processes inside the reactor. In addition, such artificial scientists may detect the behaviour of the power plant in relation to the possible calamities such as the earthquakes or tidal waves.

According to Kwon and Kim (2000), the engineering system in nuclear power, plants require excessive attention to designing procedures for the entire process. Designing, as Kwon and Kim (2000) argue, is one of the most critical issues that nuclear engineers should emphasis on (Kwon, & Kim 2000). Most of the modern technologies are based on the earlier versions, which were developed at the time that computer and robotic technologies were not common. Modern engineering calls for increased use of computer-based designing procedures to develop quality designs, which will allow for both detection of faults and provide an advanced warning for the engineers to work on.

The formation of advanced intelligence with diverse capabilities than hum and beings could lead to relatively new insights such as the development of new technologies to produce energy with low wastes and possibilities of leakages. One major possibility of such a technology is the use of safe nuclear fusion (Leveson 2001). However, such robots as Chengalur-Smith, Belardo and Pazer (1999) may not be in a position to detect certain effects on the human body (Chengalur-Smith, Belardo, & Pazer 1999). In this case, it is important to consider developing robotics in biomedical science, which will aid engineers to detect the immediate cause of radiations, however minute, on the human and animals. For instance, biomedical engineers specialists in radionuclide and radiobiology could be useful in detecting leaked radiations in laboratory animals. With this regards, biomedical technology could allows civil engineers to use laboratory animals in detecting the possibilities of having leaked radiations in the immediate environment at power plants. This, together with robotics, is a potential technology applicable in nuclear power production sites.

Methodology

The study was developed in five nuclear sites in Europe and Asia. Specifically, the researcher targeted nuclear engineers in these five sites. The study was an empirical study developed with study questionnaires. Study questionnaires were developed and used to obtain data from the engineers. Specifically, the engineers were asked to identify the processes they used, the technologies applied in risk management and prevention and whether there were suggestions to improve the risk management standards in these sites. They were asked to sign consent forms, in which clear information on the need to uphold their identities as well as the use of the study results were provided.

Data collection

Data collection procedure was done with study questions, where the researcher emailed the questionnaire and consent forms to the identified respondents in these power stations. A period of two weeks had been set for the data collection process. The duly filled-in questionnaires were obtained at the end of the two weeks period, checked for errors and ambiguity and used to derive information.

Data analysis

Useful data was obtained in the questionnaires received and checked for errors. Data analysis tools were utilised. These include computer-based techniques like Microsoft databases and spreadsheets. The analysis techniques utilised were correlations, regressions and comparisons for the different data obtained. Tables, charts, correlation tables and graphs as well as statements were used to present the data.

Conclusion

From these data, it is observable that technology can be utilised to enhance engineering in power production. Specifically, it is evident that modern technology, mainly the use of robotics in sensing and access to nuclear reaction chambers and the use of biomedical technology, are the most possible technologies applicable in civil engineering as far as nuclear power production is concerned.

References

Brown, JL, 1997, Ethics and the computer world: a new challenge for philosophers, acm sigcas computers and society, 27(3), p. 5-8.

Chengalur-Smith, I, Belardo, S, & Pazer, H, 1999, Adopting a disaster-management-based contingency model to the problem of ad hoc forecasting: toward information technology-based strategies, IEEE Technology Management Council, 46(2), pp.63-96.

Kwon, K, & Kim, J, 2000, Accident identification in nuclear power plants using hidden Markov models, Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 12, No 4, pp 491-501.

Leveson, NG, 2001, software safety in embedded computer systems, communications of the ACM, 34(2), pp.2-96.

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