Electronics in nuclear power

The paper emphasises that nuclear power plants of the present type have become increasingly dependent upon elecronic devices, including computers, throughout most of the stages of conceptional and detailed design, construction, commissioning and operation. Current examples are given of the way in which electronics is used to satisfy safety demands (the control of spatial instabilities), to reduce capital costs (optimisation procedures), and construction limes (critical path planning), and to simplify operation (steps towards automatic control). Future trends in nuclear power plants are discussed extending to the possible use of electronic apparatus such as ionic converters and plasma generators, as well as thermonuclear fusion.