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For further details about this year's event, please visit the event website.
The Nuclear Ventilation 2023 conference will take place on 14-15 November 2023 in Manchester.
Please could you briefly explain your role, involvement, and experience with regards to Nuclear Ventilation and the IMechE’s 11th Nuclear Ventilation Conference?
Ron Bellamy (RB): I have been involved in nuclear air cleaning for 55 years. My graduate work was on the adsorption of radioiodine on activated carbon. I was with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission for 45 years as their nuclear air cleaning subject matter expert, writing rules and regulations. I started teaching at the Harvard University Inplace Filter Testing Workshop in 1975 and am now the director of the course. I am a founding member of the ASME Committee on Nuclear Air and Gas Treatment, and chaired the Committee as we wrote the AG-1 Code on Nuclear Air and Gas Treatment. I am the President of the International Society for Nuclear Air Treatment Technologies. In this role, I chair the biennial international air cleaning conferences, which is the US corollary to this IMechE conference.
ISNATT and IMechE have established an excellent working relationship over the years, with both organizations supporting the other in their conferences. I, and other officers from ISNATT have attended IMech E conferences, and presented papers, and this has been reciprocated. This allows us to network and exchange useful technical information on air cleaning developments. I look forward to continuing this successful effort in future years.
What, in your experience, has been the biggest roadblock for utilising innovative technologies in your sector?
RB: The regulatory structure is not conducive or receptive to change. If a nuclear facility is satisfying their regulatory obligations, it is difficult and not worth their effort to make modifications, even if there is a less expensive product that performs better than the existing filters. “Don’t rock the boat” and give the regulators the opportunity to ask questions.
What key topics are you excited to discuss at this year's conference?
RB: The past two years have seen significant changes and improvements in the international documents used by the nuclear industry. It is important that the conference attendees understand the bases for the changes and what they mean to the operating nuclear facilities around the world.
What would you say are the technologies or applications to watch for the future?
RB: We need to develop and qualify new types of filter media for high temperature, high pressure, and corrosive environments that will operate for extended periods of time. This will allow better operation at our nuclear facilities, increase public health and safety, and also improve the opinion that the public has of nuclear power generation.
Who else are you most interested in hearing from on the programme?
RB: I am interested in lessons learned from the regulatory activities in other countries, experience in using international codes and standards, and how filters are working these days in different environments.
Why is it important for engineers to join this conference?
RB: This conference provides the opportunity to meet, interface with, and get to know the international experts in an environment that provides contacts for future questions, issues and plant problems. Many plant concerns can be resolved by a simple contact to an expert who is more than willing to help, instead of relying on a formal approach through the regulatory structure. This allows a win-win for the facility and an increase in public health and safety in a timely and efficient manner.
The Nuclear Ventilation 2023 conference will take place on 14-15 November 2023 in Manchester.
Taking place every two years and now in its 11th successive iteration, this two-day conference is the only event of its kind that enables power industry professionals and engineering practitioners from all sectors of the nuclear community to stay abreast of developments in nuclear ventilation within the UK.
For further details about this year's event, please visit the event website.