Academic literature on the topic 'Inherent safety analysis'

Waste valorization strategies are key to achieve more sustainable production within the shrimp industry. The crustacean exoskeletons can be potentially used to obtain value-added products such as chitosan. A comprehensive analysis including both safety and sustainability aspects of chitosan production from shrimp shells is presented in this study. The inherent safety analysis and sustainability evaluation was performed using the Inherent Safety Index (ISI) methodology and the Sustainable Weighted Return on Investment Metric (SWROIM), respectively. The process was designed for a processing capacity of 57,000 t/year. The return on investment (%ROI), potential environmental impact (PEI output), exergy efficiency, and the total inherent safety index (ITI) were used as indicators to evaluate process sustainability. The total inherent safety index was estimated at 25 indicating that the process is inherently unsafe. The main process risks were given by handling of flammable substances, reactivity, and inventory subindices. The overall sustainability evaluation showed a SWROIM of 36.33% indicating that the case study showed higher weighted performance compared to the return on investment metric of 18.08%.

Influenza is a respiratory disease that may cause severe consequences to human health. Influenza caused between 99,000 and 200,000 deaths worldwide in 2019. Studies have reported the presence of this virus in Santander, Colombia, a region with a high humanitarian flow. An influenza vaccine production plant topology has been proposed previously. Nevertheless, the inherent safety and sustainably behavior of this topology is unknown. Process safety plays a crucial role in the evaluation of emerging technologies since it allows the identification of potential risks. Moreover, the current sustainability policies enforce the assessment of processes considering economic, social, and environmental aspects. For this reason, a safety and sustainability evaluation of a vaccine production topology is performed in this work. The inherent safety index (ISI) methodology was implemented to analyze the process. The sustainability evaluation was performed using the sustainability weighted return on investment metric (SWROIM), in which return on investment (ROI), output potential environmental impact (PEI output), total safety inherent index (ITI), and exergy efficiency were considered. The results showed that influenza vaccine production is inherently safe since the total inherent safety index was 11. The destroyed exergy was 378.69 MJ/h, the return on investment was 86%, and the SWROIM was estimated at 81%, which means slightly negative impacts on sustainability.

The aim of this research is to develop an inherent safety assessment technique for research and development stage of chemical process design through the application of logistic function. There are many current inherent safety assessment methods that are index-based. Alternative process synthesis routes to the desired product are ranked based on the total index value, which is calculated by assigning scoring numbers to process safety hazard parameters. Such approach is not sufficed to fully understand the hazards posed by each process routes as the exact cause of the hazards is unknown to the users. The technique proposed in this research will show not only the total scores and the ranks of the evaluated processes but also provide users with more detailed data on the chemical and operational properties that posed the maximum hazards to the process called the root-cause analysis. Root-cause analysis is done through graphical representation constructed from the logistic functions.

In this work, a safety assessment was carried out for the suspension polymerization method, known for the lack of studies about its sustainable performance and long history of chemical accidents. Therefore, a safety analysis was conducted using the inherent safety methodology to assess and determine the inherent risks of the poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) suspension production process using computer-aided process engineering (CAPE). The indicators were calculated using data from safety databases and the specialized literature, considering downstream stages like vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) recovery, PVC purification and PVC drying. The obtained indicators revealed that the process has a negative performance regarding inherent safety, with a total inherent safety index of 30. The chemical inherent safety index had a value of 19, with the main chemical risk of the process being presented by the vinyl chloride monomer (with a value of 11), along with the risk of the exothermic reactions. The process safety index had a value of 15, highlighting the inventory as the primary concern of the process (with a value of 5), followed by the presence of unsafe equipment such as furnaces, burners, and dryers. The safety structure index had a score of 3, categorizing the process as probably risky, with the reaction and purification stages being more susceptible to accidents. Lastly, it is recommended to reduce the size of the process inventory and to substitute out unsafe process units.

Inherent safety concept has been introduced to overcome the shortcoming of traditional hazard assessments by allowing modification to be made at any stage of lifecycle of a process plant. However, most of the proposed inherent safety modifications were suitable to prevent fire, explosion and toxic hazards assessment but less attention on human and organizational factor. Therefore, this paper introduces the inherently safer analysis for human and organizational factor to be implemented during design stage or process operation. Analytic Hierarchy Process model integrated with fuzzy logic and known as FAHP was employed to rank identified inherently safer strategies. The model was applied to select inherently safer strategies to reduce collision risk of a floating production, storage and offload and the authorized vessel. The result shows that minimization of hazardous procedure when the procedure is unavoidable is the best strategy to increase human performance. It is proven that the proposed methodology is capable to select the inherently safer strategy without requiring a bunch of precise information to transfer expert judgment in human performances perspective.

In risk-related research of fire safety engineering, metamodels are often applied to approximate the results of complex fire and evacuation simulations. This approximation may cause epistemic uncertainties, and the inherent uncertainties of evacuation simulations may lead to aleatory uncertainties. However, neither the epistemic ‘metamodel uncertainty’ nor the aleatory ‘inherent uncertainty’ have been included in the results of the metamodels for fire safety engineering. For this reason, this paper presents a metamodel that includes metamodel uncertainty and inherent uncertainty in the results of a risk analysis. This metamodel is based on moving least squares; the metamodel uncertainty is derived from the prediction interval. The inherent uncertainty is modelled with an original approach, directly using all replications of evacuation scenarios without the assumption of a specific probability distribution. This generic metamodel was applied on a case study risk analysis of a road tunnel and showed high accuracy. It was found that metamodel uncertainty and inherent uncertainty have clear effects on the results of the risk analysis, which makes their consideration important.

Process safety has drawn increasing attention in recent years and has been investigated from different perspectives, such as quantitative risk analysis, consequence modeling, and regulations. However, rare attempts have been made to focus on inherent safety design assessment, despite being the most cost-effective safety tactic and its vital role in sustainable development and safe operation of process infrastructure. Accordingly, the present research proposed a knowledge-driven model to assess inherent safety in process infrastructure under uncertainty. We first developed a holistic taxonomy of contributing factors into inherent safety design considering chemical, reaction, process, equipment, human factors, and organizational concerns associated with process plants. Then, we used subject matter experts, content validity ratio (CVR), and content validity index (CVI) to validate the taxonomy and data collection tools. We then employed a fuzzy inference system and the Extent Analysis (EA) method for knowledge acquisition under uncertainty. We tested the proposed model on a steam methane-reforming plant that produces hydrogen as renewable energy. The findings revealed the most contributing factors and indicators to improve the inherent safety design in the studied plant and effectively support the decision-making process to assign proper safety countermeasures.

Increasing energy needs have led to soaring fossil fuel consumption, which has caused several environmental problems. These environmental aspects along with the energy demand have motivated the search for new energy systems. In this context, biofuels such as biodiesel have been developing into a substitute for conventional fuels. Microalgae are considered a promising option for biodiesel production due to their high lipid content. Therefore, it is important to analyze the technical aspects of the biodiesel production system. In this work, the inherent safety analysis of three emerging topologies for biodiesel production from microalgae was performed using the inherent safety index (ISI) methodology. Selected topologies include biodiesel production via lipid extraction and transesterification, in-situ transesterification, and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). The results revealed that the processes are inherently unsafe achieving total inherent safety index scores of 30, 29, and 36. The main risks in the cases were associated with the chemical safety index. Operating conditions represented no risk for topologies 1 and 2, while for topology 3 pressure and temperature were identified as critical variables. In general, topology 2 showed better performance from a safety perspective.

Le monde, et en particulier l'Europe, fait face aux effets du changement climatique dus à sa longue dépendance aux combustibles fossiles en reconnaissant la nécessité vitale de s'orienter vers des ressources énergétiques renouvelables. Parmi les énergies renouvelables, la biomasse alimente non seulement la production de bioénergie, mais constitue également une source vitale de biocarbone, utilisé pour créer des molécules à haute valeur ajoutée, en remplacement des produits d'origine fossile. Les lévulinates d'alkyle, dérivés de la biomasse, se distinguent particulièrement par leur potentiel en tant que bio-additifs et biocarburants. La solvolyse acide des sucres hexagonaux de la biomasse semble être une voie de production prometteuse et rentable. Le potentiel du lévulinate d'alkyle s'étend à sa conversion en γ-valérolactone (GVL), un biosolvant prometteur, généralement obtenu par hydrogénation avec hydrogène moléculaire. En plus d'être un réactif clé, l'hydrogène est également un vecteur énergétique prometteur, facilitant l'intégration des sources d'énergie renouvelables sur le marché. Les systèmes de stockage d'énergie à base d'hydrogène soutiennent cette intégration et favorisent la transformation industrielle "verte". Cette thèse porte sur l'étude technologique et l'évaluation de la durabilité d'un système de biotransformation, intégrant la valorisation de la biomasse lignocellulosique, la production d'énergie et la génération d'hydrogène. L'étude comprend des investigations expérimentales, optimisant les technologies pour la production de lévulinate de butyle et son hydrogénation en GVL, ainsi que la simulation et l'évaluation de la durabilité de l'ensemble du procédé. Afin de répondre à la question de la durabilité, la recherche présente une première section axée sur l'étude expérimentale de la technologie optimale pour la production de lévulinate de butyle. La solvolyse de l'hexose Fructose en lévulinate de butyle a été étudiée en termes de conditions optimales de procédé et de modélisation cinétique. Sélectionné le catalyseur hétérogène, l'effet du solvant a été étudié, montrant les avantages de l'utilisation du GVL comme co-solvant, avec le butanol, sur la cinétique de conversion et de dissolution du fructose. Dans ces conditions, la solvolyse en lévulinate de butyle a été étudiée d'un point de vue cinétique, d'abord en proposant un modèle pour la solvolyse du 5-HMF, un intermédiaire dans la voie du fructose, puis en étendant la modélisation à partir du fructose lui-même. Un modèle cinétique robuste, décrivant le mécanisme réactionnel de la solvolyse, a été défini et validé, en particulier dans des conditions de concentration élevée en fructose, et en incluant dans la modélisation la cinétique de dissolution et de dégradation du fructose. Dans la deuxième partie de la recherche, la perspective technologique a été étendue à l'hydrogénation du lévulinate de butyle en GVL. À partir d'une phase de conception, le schéma global du procédé de transformation du fructose en GVL a été défini, simulé et optimisé sur la base du concept d'intensification du procédé. Le procédé a ensuite été intégré dans une étude de cas réelle en Normandie, France, en adaptant l'analyse à la disponibilité locale de la biomasse lignocellulosique et de l'énergie éolienne. L'étude définit une méthodologie pour la conception et l'intégration du système d'approvisionnement en énergie, en évaluant différents scénarios. L'évaluation de la durabilité, basée sur des indicateurs de performance couvrant les dimensions économiques, environnementales et sociales, aboutit à un indice global de durabilité. Les résultats montrent que les scénarios intégrant le système de GVL, l'énergie éolienne et le stockage de l'énergie sous forme d'hydrogène sont prometteurs, car ils démontrent une rentabilité économique élevée et un impact environnemental réduit. Enfin, des analyses de sensibilité valident la robustesse et la fiabilité de la méthodologie
The world is facing the impacts of climate change due to its long dependence on fossil fuels, and specifically Europe, which is facing an energy crisis, has recognized the fragility of its fossil fuel-dependent energy system and has moved strongly towards renewable energy resources. Among renewables, biomass not only powers bio-energy production but also serves as a vital source of bio-carbon, used to create high-value molecules, replacing fossil-based products. Alkyl levulinates, derived from biomass, particularly stand out for their potential as bio-additives and bio-fuels. Acid solvolysis of hexose sugars from biomass appears to be a promising and cost-effective production route, which requires further investigation not yet found in the literature. The potential of alkyl levulinate extends to its conversion into γ-valerolactone (GVL), a promising bio-solvent, commonly obtained by hydrogenation through molecular-hydrogen. Besides being a key reagent, hydrogen is also a promising energy carrier, facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources into the market. Hydrogen energy storage systems support this integration, promoting 'green' industrial transformation. This thesis focuses on technological investigation and sustainability assessment of a potential biorefinery system, integrating lignocellulosic biomass valorization, energy production, and hydrogen generation. The study encompasses experimental investigations, optimizing technologies for the production of butyl levulinate and its subsequent hydrogenation to GVL. Sustainability considerations are fundamental to the process configuration, aligning with the global shift towards renewable and carbon bio-resources. In order to answer the question of sustainability, the research presents a first section focused on the experimental investigation of the optimal technology for the production of butyl levulinate. The solvolysis of the biomass-derived hexose Fructose to butyl levulinate was investigated, in terms of optimal process conditions and kinetic modelling. Selected an effective heterogeneous catalyst, the effect of the solvent was investigated, showing the benefits of using GVL as co-solvent, together with butanol, on the conversion and dissolution kinetics of fructose. In these conditions, the solvolysis to butyl levulinate was studied in depth from a kinetic point of view, first by proposing a model for the solvolysis of 5-HMF, an intermediate in the fructose pathway, and then extending the modelling from fructose itself. A robust kinetic model, describing the reaction mechanism of solvolysis, was defined and validated, particularly under conditions of high initial fructose concentration (applying the concept of High-gravity), and including in the modelling the kinetics of dissolution, and degradation of fructose, under acidic conditions.In the second part of the research, the technological perspective was extended to the hydrogenation of butyl levulinate to GVL. Starting from a conceptual design phase, the overall fructose-to-GVL process scheme was defined, simulated, and optimized on the basis of the process intensification concept. In the third part, the process was then dropped into a real case study in Normandy, France, adapting the analysis to the local availability of lignocellulosic biomass and wind energy. The study defines a methodology for designing and integrating the energy-supply system, evaluating different scenarios. The sustainability assessment, based on key performance indicators spanning economic, environmental, and social dimensions, culminates in an aggregated overall sustainability index. The results highlight scenarios integrating the GVL biorefinery system with wind power and hydrogen energy storage as promising, demonstrating high economic profitability and reduced environmental impact. Finally, sensitivity analyses validate the robustness and reliability of the methodology, generally extendable also to other technological systems
Come previsto, il mondo sta affrontando gli effetti tangibili del cambiamento climatico come conseguenza di un'economia basata sui combustibili fossili per centinaia di anni. Oltre a dover affrontare e adottare misure correttive per limitare gli effetti del riscaldamento globale, l'Europa sta affrontando una grave crisi energetica, che rivela la fragilità del sistema energetico europeo, prevalentemente dipendente dalle importazioni di combustibili fossili. La geopolitica delle risorse fossili ha innescato la necessaria rimodulazione dell'economia energetica europea, che si sta spostando "forzatamente" verso le risorse energetiche rinnovabili per diventare un'economia fossile e a zero emissioni di carbonio. Nel panorama delle rinnovabili, le risorse più sfruttate sono l'energia solare, eolica e da biomassa. Oltre alla produzione di bioenergia, la biomassa è una fonte inestimabile di biocarbonio, che può essere sfruttata e valorizzata per la produzione di molecole ad alto valore aggiunto che possono essere utilizzate in vari settori industriali, per la produzione di carburanti, prodotti chimici, materiali e sostituendo i corrispondenti prodotti di origine fossile. In questo contesto, sono stati sviluppati sistemi innovativi di bioraffinazione della biomassa di seconda generazione per trasformare e decostruire la complessa struttura della biomassa in molecole piattaforma più semplici, che possono poi essere trasformate in molecole ad alto potenziale. Tra queste, gli alchil levulinati sono stati identificati per il loro notevole potenziale come bioadditivi e biocarburanti. Esteri dell'acido levulinico, questi composti possono essere ottenuti da derivati della biomassa, come i monosaccaridi dello zucchero, secondo diverse vie di reazione; tra queste, la solvolisi acida degli zuccheri esosi può essere una via di produzione promettente ed economicamente vantaggiosa, che richiede ulteriori indagini non ancora presenti in letteratura. Il potenziale degli alchil levulinati risiede anche nella possibilità di un ulteriore trasformazione mediante idrogenazione per produrre γ-valerolattone (GVL), una molecola con un mercato promettente come bio-solvente, grazie alle sue proprietà di stabilità, ecotossicità e biodegradabilità. L'uso dell'idrogeno gassoso è la via più comune per l'idrogenazione del GVL, ma, oltre a essere un reagente chimico fondamentale, l'idrogeno è anche uno dei principali protagonisti della transizione energetica. Infatti, come vettore energetico, l'idrogeno può portare alla piena penetrazione delle fonti energetiche rinnovabili nel mercato dell'energia, costituendo un complemento-tampone per lo stoccaggio delle energie rinnovabili intermittenti, attraverso la progettazione di sistemi di stoccaggio dell'energia dell'idrogeno (HydESS). L'accumulo di energia a idrogeno a lungo termine può consentire l'autosufficienza dei sistemi di energia rinnovabile, in quanto agisce da ponte tra le funzionalità dei sistemi Power-to-Hydrogen, in grado di assorbire i surplus energetici delle energie rinnovabili e di immagazzinarli, e quelle dei sistemi Hydrogen-to-Power, che restituiscono energia rinnovabile quando le fonti di energia primaria non sono disponibili. In quest'ottica, lo sviluppo di tali sistemi può portare all'integrazione completa e stabile delle fonti di energia rinnovabile in asset industriali già esistenti, così come in nuovi mercati industriali, come le bioraffinerie di biomassa lignocellulosica, promuovendo lo sviluppo di realtà industriali "verdi" in termini di trasformazione di materiali ed energia. Il mercato industriale globale si sta evolvendo verso la decarbonizzazione e la riqualificazione di diversi asset, attraverso investimenti in efficienza energetica e l'introduzione di processi green per la valorizzazione delle fonti rinnovabili, ma l'implementazione su larga scala di queste iniziative richiede un'analisi completa e approfondita della loro sostenibilità

This article discusses how transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be used to study the pathophysiological substrata of pediatric neurological and neurobehavioural disorders and to provide practical guidance for future research. It outlines the substantial challenges inherent in studying in vivo the neurobiology of pediatric neurobehavioural disorders, such as safety, quantitative versus categorical measures, and challenges in correlational studies. It discusses ways in which TMS generates quantitative measures that may function as endophenotypes for neurobehavioural disorders. Combining TMS with other modalities may also be informative. Single- and paired-pulse TMS is safe and well tolerated in children. The application of rigorous experimental designs and a combination of TMS with other research methods may increase the knowledge of pathophysiology and treatment of pediatric neurobehavioural disorders.

AbstractSafety management is largely based on safety principles, which are simple guidelines intended to guide safety work. This chapter provides a typology and systematic overview of safety principles and an analysis of how they relate to Vision Zero. Three major categories of safety principles are investigated. The aspiration principles tell us what level of safety or risk reduction we should aim at or aspire to. Important examples are Vision Zero, continuous improvement, ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable), BAT (best available technology), cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, risk limits, and exposure limits. The error tolerance principles are based on the insight that accidents and mistakes will happen, however much we try to avoid them. We therefore have to minimize the negative effects of failures and unexpected disturbances. Safety principles telling us how to do this include fail-safety, inherent safety, substitution, multiple safety barriers, redundancy, and safety factors. Finally, evidence evaluation principles provide guidance on how to evaluate uncertain evidence. Major such principles are the precautionary principle, a reversed burden of proof, and risk neutrality.

AbstractSafety management is largely based on safety principles, which are simple guidelines intended to guide safety work. This chapter provides a typology and systematic overview of safety principles and an analysis of how they relate to Vision Zero. Three major categories of safety principles are investigated. The aspiration principles tell us what level of safety or risk reduction we should aim at or aspire to. Important examples are Vision Zero, continuous improvement, ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable), BAT (best available technology), cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, risk limits, and exposure limits. The error tolerance principles are based on the insight that accidents and mistakes will happen, however much we try to avoid them. We therefore have to minimize the negative effects of failures and unexpected disturbances. Safety principles telling us how to do this include fail-safety, inherent safety, substitution, multiple safety barriers, redundancy, and safety factors. Finally, evidence evaluation principles provide guidance on how to evaluate uncertain evidence. Major such principles are the precautionary principle, a reversed burden of proof, and risk neutrality.

AbstractSafety management is largely based on safety principles, which are simple guidelines intended to guide safety work. This chapter provides a typology and systematic overview of safety principles and an analysis of how they relate to Vision Zero. Three major categories of safety principles are investigated. The aspiration principles tell us what level of safety or risk reduction we should aim at or aspire to. Important examples are Vision Zero, continuous improvement, ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable), BAT (best available technology), cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, risk limits, and exposure limits. The error tolerance principles are based on the insight that accidents and mistakes will happen, however much we try to avoid them. We therefore have to minimize the negative effects of failures and unexpected disturbances. Safety principles telling us how to do this include fail-safety, inherent safety, substitution, multiple safety barriers, redundancy, and safety factors. Finally, evidence evaluation principles provide guidance on how to evaluate uncertain evidence. Major such principles are the precautionary principle, a reversed burden of proof, and risk neutrality.

AbstractFuSTAR is a new small fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor designed for the energy needs of remote western regions. The TRISO fuel and helical cruciform fuel elements used in FuSTAR and the integrated core design enables inherent safety. Modelica is a process description language based on object equations. It has key features such as non-causal expression and model reuse, which achieve repeatable visual modeling by connecting components. By modeling and simulating FuSTAR using the Modelica, studies were carried out under steady-state as well as multiple transients to understand the primary loop system response of FuSTAR under accident scenarios. The results show that the parameters of the primary loop system cannot exceed the safety limit with the insertion of step reactivity and after changing the size of the temperature coefficient of reactivity, the model can give a reasonable response.

AbstractTraveling wave reactor (TWR) is an advanced nuclear power system, which can keep the total amount of fissionable nuclides constant during its lifetime through the transformation of fissionable nuclides in the reactor, so as to maintain the stability of the effective proliferation factor of the reactor core. As a coolant, lead has low neutron moderation ability and capture cross section. At the same time, it also has excellent thermal characteristics. Lead cooled traveling wave reactor is a reactor with high inherent safety and good application prospects. The research on reactor core mainly focuses on the physical calculation of the reactor, and the analysis of its thermal hydraulic model and characteristics is relatively scarce, which limits the design and safety analysis of the advanced reactor. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the thermal hydraulic model of lead cooled traveling wave reactor. In this paper, a thermal hydraulic model suitable for the core of lead cooled traveling wave reactor is proposed. Considering the axial particularity of heat release from the core of traveling wave reactor, the model considers the axial thermal conductivity of fuel rods ignored by other thermal hydraulic models. Due to the strong thermal conductivity of core coolant, the thermal model also considers the heat transfer of fuel assemblies and the flow distribution of core flow. The research shows that the thermal hydraulic model is suitable for the analysis of thermal hydraulic characteristics of lead cooled traveling wave reactor, the thermal hydraulic characteristics are studied by using the thermal hydraulic model.

AbstractFor the prediction of the internal physical process of SIMONS (Small Innovative helium-xenon cooled MObile Nuclear power Systems), this research created a coupled three-dimensional high-fidelity calculation platform of the neutronics/ thermo-elasticity analysis called FEMAS (FEM based Multi-physics Analysis Software for Nuclear Reactor). This platform allows for the multi-physics coupling calculations of neutron diffusion/ transport, thermal diffusion, and thermal elasticity. It is based on the open-source Monte Carlo code OpenMC and the open-source finite element codes Dealii and Fenics. In this paper, a simplified SIMONS reactor core is analyzed using the coupling platform. The results demonstrate that the coupling platform is capable of accurately predicting the effective multiplication factor change curve, power and temperature distribution, and thermal expansion phenomenon of SIMONS. With 240 kW of thermal power, the local temperature difference of the whole reactor is 390.1 K, and thermal stress-related deformation occurs at a rate of 2.4%. The reactivity feedback caused by the monolith’s heating and thermal expansion is 30.5 pcm. Leveraging the high-precision computing hardware, this platform can assess the core performance to ensure that the core design satisfies the design criteria of ultra-long life and inherent safety.

AbstractThe drive for automation and constant monitoring has led to rapid development in the field of Machine Learning (ML). The high accuracy offered by the state-of-the-art ML algorithms like Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) has paved the way for these algorithms to being used even in the emerging safety-critical applications, e.g., autonomous driving and smart healthcare. However, these applications require assurance about the functionality of the underlying systems/algorithms. Therefore, the robustness of these ML algorithms to different reliability and security threats has to be thoroughly studied and mechanisms/methodologies have to be designed which result in increased inherent resilience of these ML algorithms. Since traditional reliability measures like spatial and temporal redundancy are costly, they may not be feasible for DNN-based ML systems which are already super computer and memory intensive. Hence, new robustness methods for ML systems are required. Towards this, in this chapter, we present our analyses illustrating the impact of different reliability and security vulnerabilities on the accuracy of DNNs. We also discuss techniques that can be employed to design ML algorithms such that they are inherently resilient to reliability and security threats. Towards the end, the chapter provides open research challenges and further research opportunities.

AbstractThe degradation (e.g., wear, stress corrosion cracking, and fatigue) of nuclear safety systems is an inherently irreversible process, which will lead to system failure when the accumulated damage reaches a threshold level, resulting in catastrophic consequences. Therefore, it is essential to understand and model the degradation behavior of nuclear safety systems to predict and prevent potential failures and thus effectively avoid subsequent losses. This paper proposes a multi-state degradation model for multi-component nuclear safety systems, considering the dependency among the degradation processes and the effect of random shocks. The degradation processes of the system were modeled by the Semi-Markov process. The arrival of random shocks obeys a Poisson process. The transfer kernel function of the holistic model was derived, based on which the Monte Carlo algorithm for estimation of the system reliability was developed. Based on a simple case, the correctness of the proposed model is verified. The model is applied to the reliability analysis of one sub-system of the residual heat removal system of a nuclear power plant.

AbstractOne key aspect in analysis of heat pipe microreactors is the efficient modeling of heat pipes and its coupling with the solid reactor core. Various options exist for modeling of heat pipes. Most models require an explicit coupling between the vapor core, which brings in an additional layer of coupling when the heat pipe model is integrated into a system-level safety analysis model. This additional layer of coupling causes both convergence concern and computational burden in practice. This article aims at developing a new heat pipe modeling algorithm, where the heat pipe wall, wick, and vapor core are discretized and coupled in a monolithic fully-implicit manner. The vapor core will be modeled as a one-dimensional compressible flow with the capability of predicting sonic limit inherently; a two-dimensional axisymmetric heat conduction model will be used to model the heat pipe wall and wick region. The heat pipe wick and vapor core are coupled through a conjugate heat transfer interface. Eventually, the coupled system will be solved using the Jacobian-Free Newton-Krylov (JFNK) method. It is demonstrated that the new coupled system works well. Consideration of the vapor compressibility in the two-equation model allows more detailed representation of the vapor core dynamics while remains light-weight in terms of computational complexity. The new model is verified by an approximate analytical solution to the heat pipe vapor core and is validated by a sodium heat pipe experiment.

The quality of Probabilistic Safety Assessments (PSA), frequently named as probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), is one of the core issues in advanced nuclear power plant applications. Although numerous guidance and regulations have been provided to enhance the PSA quality, the inherent uncertainty of current PSA and project management process still make it to be puzzled. Based on the implementation of current PSA development status and limitation, a new integral model accounting for interrelated economic, health, security, quality, environmental and economic matters as well as quality attributes is proposed in this article. We aim to provide a new idea for other investigators and hope it can be help to further enhance the quality of PSA in industrial applications.

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is developing KALIMER (Korea Advanced LIquid Metal Reactor), which is a sodium-cooled, metallic-fueled, pool-type reactor. The KALIMER-600 design concept (600 MWt) was selected as one of the reference GEN-IV sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs). The safety design philosophy of KALIMER-600 places maximum reliance on passive responses to abnormal and emergency conditions, and minimizes the need for active and engineered safety systems. KALIMER-600 utilizes the intrinsic negative reactivity feedback effect under design extended conditions where reactor scram failures are postulated. In order to assess the effectiveness of the inherent safety features, a scoping system analysis during unprotected overpower, loss of flow and under cooling events has been performed using the system-wide transient analysis code SSC-K. The present scoping analysis focuses on identification of enhanced safety design features that provide passive and self-regulating response to transient conditions and evaluation of safety margins. The results of the scoping analysis indicate an understanding of various inherent reactivity feedback mechanisms is very important in establishing design features. The analysis results show that the KALIMER-600 design concepts provide larger safety margins with respect to sodium boiling, fuel rod integrity, and structural integrity. The inherent safety can be enhanced by accounting for reactivity feedback mechanisms in the design process.

This paper represents a step toward a more complete frame-work of safety analysis early in the design process, specifically during functional modeling. This would be especially useful when designing in a new domain, where many functions have yet to be solved, or for a problem where the functional architecture space is large. In order to effectively analyze the inherent safety of a design only described by its functions and flows, we require some way to simulate it. As an already-available function failure reasoning tool, Function Failure Identification and Propagation (FFIP) utilizes two distinct system models: a behavioral model, and a functional model. The behavioral model simulates system component behavior, and FFIP maps specific component behaviors to functions in the functional model. We have created a new function-failure reasoning method which generalizes failure behavior directly to functions, by which the engineer can create functional models to simulate the functional failure propagations a system may experience early in the design process without a separate behavioral model. We give each basis-defined function-flow element a pre-defined behavior consisting of nominal and failure operational modes, and the resultant effect each mode has on its functions connected flows. Flows are represented by a two-variable object reminiscent of a bond from bond graphs: the state of each flow is represented by an effort variable and a flow-rate variable. The functional model may be thought of as a bond graph where each functional element is a state machine. Users can quickly describe functional models with consistent behavior by constructing their models as Python NetworkX graph objects, so that they may quickly model multiple functional architectures of their proposed system. We are implementing the method in Python to be used in conjunction with other function-failure analysis tools. We also introduce a new method for the inclusion of time in a state machine model, so that dynamic systems may be modeled as fast-evaluating state machines. State machines have no inherent representation of time, while physics-based models simulate along repetitive time steps. We use a more middle-ground pseudo time approach. State transitions may impose a time delay once all of their connected flow conditions are met. Once the entire system model has reached steady state in a timeless sense, the clock is advanced all at once to the first time at which a reported delay is ended. Simulation then resumes in the timeless sense. We seek to demonstrate this modeling method on an electrical power system functional model used in previous FFIP studies, in order to compare the failure scenario results of an exhaustive fault combination experiment with similar results using the FFIP method.

Abstract Lead-cooled fast reactor is one of the fourth-generation nuclear energy systems, which has great development potential due to good neutronic, thermal-hydraulic characteristics and inherent safety. The lead and bismuth eutectic alloy (LBE) cooled fast reactor BLESS-D (Breeding Lead-Based Economical Safe System) is a small fast reactor developed by the State Power Investment Corporation Research Institute (SPICRI). It is designed as a multi-purpose integrated small reactor system with the characteristics of small power, compact size and inherent safety. In the future, it could be used for electricity consumption for remote areas, polar expedition, island development and etc. The conceptual design of BLESS-D is described in this paper, including the design criteria, safety features, main parameters and main components. The thermal power of BLESS-D is 300 MW. It is a pool-style reactor with LBE as the coolant, equipped with 8 helical tube steam generators and 4 primary pumps. The safety system consists of passive Decay Heat Removal System (DHR) and RVACS (Reactor Vessel Air Cooling System) outside the reactor vessel. For the preliminary transient analysis, the primary system and secondary boundary of BLESS-D is modeled with SNAP/TRACE. And the steady state simulation results are compared with the design values which shows good agreement. After that, the transient accidents under different conditions are studied to evaluate the feasibility and safety of the current design. In this paper, the results of Unprotected Transient Over Power (UTOP), Unprotected Loss Of Flow (ULOF), and Unprotected Loss Of Heat Sink (ULOHS) are discussed which shows that the current safety system design is sufficient to ensure the reactor safety although some optimizations are still needed.

Low velocity impact on composite plates is studied taking material properties and initial velocity as random parameters. Graphite fiber reinforced composite plates are susceptible to damage due to impact by foreign objects and in plane loading. In order to assess the safe load carrying capacity and the probability of failure under impact, dynamic analysis of composite plate subjected to low velocity impact is carried out. Finite element method is used to study impact. During impact, the in-plane damage modes such as matrix cracking, fiber failure and shear cracking are modeled using a failure criterion. The out of plane de-lamination is modeled using cohesive surfaces. The uncertainties associated with the system properties due to the inherent scatter in the geometric and material properties and input loads are modeled in a probabilistic fashion. Random parameters represent various characteristics appearing in the limit state function. The probabilistic analysis and reliability prediction of the system is carried out using Gaussian response surface method and validity of method for the present problem is establish using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) procedure. Sensitivity analysis of the probability of failure with respect to random parameters considered is an important study for design optimization. The safety level qualification is achieved in terms of reliability level targeted. The mean and standard deviations of random variables show an appreciable influence on the probabilistic failure. Systematic changes in the input parameters are governed by the probabilistic sensitivity tools to achieve target reliability.

Abstract The accelerator-driven subcritical system (ADS) can transmute nuclear waste by using high-energy neutrons, which is the most effective nuclear waste disposal scheme at present. The zero-power lead-bismuth alloy device accurately constructed the interaction mode between nuclear fuel and lead-bismuth alloy coolant material, and more accurately simulated the core physical characteristics of lead-bismuth reactor. Moreover, the inherent safety of the reactor is enhanced by installing several passive safety shutdown systems. However, due to the particularity of the potential harm caused by radioactive material leakage, nuclear-grade equipment should maintain high safety performance under many working conditions, such as earthquake working conditions. To ensure the safe operation of the ADS zero-power device and the safe shutdown under seismic conditions, the motion of the control rod of the ADS zero-power device must be analyzed under seismic conditions. At present, most studies on the control rod drop analysis focus on water reactor, but this paper will analyze and calculate the control rod drop of the lead reactor. In this paper, the physical mechanism of rod falling of the control rod component is analyzed, and the influence of contact collision between the control rod component and the guide tube of the control rod on the whole rod falling time is considered. In this paper, the finite element method is used for transient analysis of ADS lead-bismuth alloy zero power reactor, and the time history diagram of the control bar position is obtained under the seismic conditions, thus verifying that ADS lead-bismuth alloy zero power reactor can be safely shut down under the safe shutdown earthquake (SSE).

Abstract One of the main concerns, when considering hydrogen storage systems, is the possibility of an unwanted leak, which can result in potential fire, explosions, or detonation, potentially affecting both structures and passengers safety. Safety barriers can be implemented with respect to the storage system design to prevent, mitigate and control unwanted events or accidents. After the identification of the relevant failures, and hazards inherent in the system, a quantitative safety barrier analysis can be performed to assess the safety barriers reliability and quantify with numerical values the overall risk. Typically, the SB’s performances can be quantified using recorded historical failure data, applying well-known modeling tools (e.g. fault tree and event tree). This paper illustrates how the use of Bayesian networks can overcome the limitations of conventional static-structured techniques improving the flexibility in the cause-consequences representation and evaluation of potential accident scenarios. The aim of this work is to test the application of Bayesian networks for a quantitative risk analysis considering a leakage of cryogenic hydrogen from a storage tank installed on a fuel cell powered maritime vessel. A case study for liquid hydrogen release inside the tank connection space of a maritime storage vessel has been proposed. The safety barrier performances have been evaluated calculating their failure probability and assessing the possible consequences. The results indicate the advantages of Bayesian networks for quantitative assessment of safety barriers in critical accident scenarios, increasing the confidence towards hydrogen as a safe energy carrier for maritime applications.

The ASME Section III design-by-analysis approach provides stress criteria for the design of nuclear components. Stresses are calculated elastically for the most part, although plastic analysis is recognized. Limits are specified for primary, secondary, and peak stresses. Inherent in these limits are factors of safety against several modes of failure. The purpose of this paper is to explain the design-by-analysis criteria and fundamental concepts behind the approach. With this basis, some of the technical issues that have been identified are discussed.

Abstract By studying relevant regulations, standards and good practices, this paper discusses the typical types of common cause failures (CCFs) and general countermeasures in nuclear power plants, and summarizes the methodology, process and defenses for CCFs analysis of safety ventilation and air-conditioning (VAC) system in nuclear power plants. The typical CCFs are divided into four categories, namely functional dependency, spatial dependencies, inherent dependencies and human-related dependencies, and the corresponding defences are functional isolation, physical isolation, and diversity respectively. Comprehensive CCFs risk analysis of VAC system involves plant fault study, equipment FMECA analysis, PSA analysis, hazards analysis and other fields. For the identified CCF points, The optimal solution can be determined by combining factors which include technology maturity, feasibility, engineering cost, etc., and methods such as equipment diversity, physical isolation and functional isolation can be used to reduce or eliminate CCF points, to achieve as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) risk of CCFs. The CCFs analysis methodology, process and defences summarized in this paper can provide reference for the CCFs of other nuclear safety supporting and auxiliary systems in nuclear power plants.

Safety engineering and legislation (IEC-61508, 61511 etc.) has been entrenched in many industries (OandG, process) for years. Although regulation has been progressed by Lloyd’s Register, the Marine industry has been inherently slower to accept and adopt functional safety practices employing quantitative analysis. As in other industries, a review of legislation would usually be kick started by a large-scale accident. With an aim to reducing manning costs, marine vessels are now developed with increasing amounts of automation in their control systems. Incidents resulting from failures of these systems are becoming more frequent due to either poor safety considerations when designing the systems, or operators not understanding interactions with the automated systems. Preferably, before incidents increase in frequency or severity, engineered safety using inherent safety controls will become a more important factor in the Marine sector. Opposition to functional safety has primarily been due to cost and scheduling purposes. Businesses have to be profitable to survive, and Safety Engineering can be viewed as introducing programme delays and unnecessary costs. In reality, other safety related programmes have demonstrated the benefits of following safety related development programme. As in most instances of programme delay, poor initial requirements capture causes late changes to be incorporated to products, resulting in escalating delays and costs. If safety is engaged early in the product lifecycle, then programme delays and unnecessary safety risk can be reduced and managed effectively throughout the lifetime of the ship. In all projects, there can be conflicts between safety and security design, but early integration of safety will allow you to balance safe, secure and reliable operation, ultimately improving the quality of your end product. Major savings can be made by reducing maintenance on systems that have been proven to have lower integrity due to quantitative analysis and proof testing – provided it has been demonstrated to be As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). If your company does not embrace safety integrity within its culture, you can run the risk of losing credibility, a competitive edge within the marketplace and incur expensive damage to reputation. In conclusion, the manufacturer and end user will incur far higher costs of redesign if changes are needed for safety when the product has reached post-development. If left unchanged, consider the following: If a designed system fails and causes an incident, will the company reputation be tarnished and product orders halt? Remember: If somebody is injured or dies in an accident, any company individual can be found liable and prosecuted.

With the global increase in the use of traditional and complementary remedies for the prevention and treatment of illness, the quality and safety of these medicines have become a significant concern for all regulatory authorities. Herbal medicines are the most commonly used form of traditional and complementary medicines in the world and the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines, like conventional medicines, largely depends on their quality from planting to harvesting, preprocessing and final processing. Due to the inherent complexity of herbal medicines, often containing an array of active compounds, the primary processing of herbal medicines has a direct influence on their quality. Quality concerns are the reason why the medicines regulatory agencies insist that manufacturers of medicines strictly follow Good Manufacturing Practices since it is an essential tool to prevent instances of contamination, mix-ups, deviations, failures and errors. However, a strict application of GMP requirements is expensive and would drive the prices of the manufactured products up. As a result, a maturity level grading of facilities is proposed as a way of justifying the costs incurred for manufacturers desiring to reach a broader market and investing in continuous improvement. 36 Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) inspection reports of local herbal manufacturers conducted by National Drug Authority were analyzed to establish the type and extent of deficiencies to GMP requirements for local herbal manufacturers in Uganda. The different GMP chapters and related sub-parameters constituted the variables used for the analysis of conformity to requirements. The primary outcome variable was the conclusion regarding compliance or noncompliance of the inspected local herbal manufacturing facility. GMP parameters that were frequently defaulted by local herbal manufacturers and the corresponding frequencies were identified. The Pearson Chi-square test was applied independently on each category to find the association that existed between conformity and the questions in each category. Only 22% (8) of the 30 inspected facilities were found to comply with GMP requirements, as per National Drug Authority (NDA) guidelines; while the majority of the facilities, 28 (78%), were found not to comply. Of the facilities inspected, 25 were undergoing GMP inspection for the first time. A total of 1,236 deficiency observations were made in the 36 inspection reports reviewed for the study. The mean for all deficiencies was 34.3, and the standard deviation was 15.829. 91.5% of the facilities did not have mechanisms for a record of market complaints; 80.9% did not meet documentation requirements; 78.9% did not have quality control measures in place, and 65.7% did not meet stores requirements. By encouraging a culture of self/voluntary improvement through the introduction of listing of manufacturers based on a maturity level grading, the National Drug Authority will improve the Herbal Medicines sector as per the mandate of improving the herbal medicine industry. Also, increased sensitization of all relevant stakeholders regarding the requirements for GMP should be intensified.

Faced with the acceleration of the digital economy, the governance and effective sharing of data have become fundamental issues for public policy at all levels of jurisdictions and in all areas of human activity. This paper reviews the initiatives and challenges associated with data governance, with a particular focus on the European Common Data Spaces (ECDS) and their direct relevance to the Canadian context. It explores the inherent complexity of data governance, which must reconcile sector-specificities with more horizontal governance principles. In doing so, it highlights the importance of strategic and coordinated action to maximize the social and economic benefits of data. The Burgundy Report, published by CIRANO in July 2023, calls for the creation of a common data space in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Strategic Trade Corridor by 2030. This proposal builds in particular on three separate policy reports published in 2022 by the National Supply Chain Task Force, the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety (COMT) and the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities. The findings and recommendations of these reports raise fundamental questions that are central to the critical issues of governance, organizational culture, execution capacity, public and private stakeholder engagement, and data underutilization within the Canadian government machinery strained by years of delay and exacerbated by recent disruptions related to anticipated climate disasters. The creation of a common data space is envisaged as a structuring investment in Canada's essential infrastructure for intermodal transport and the supply chain. This working paper on European Common Data Spaces (ECDS) extends the synthesis and recommendations published last July 2023 by providing an operational analysis of the transformative initiative currently underway within the European Union (EU). This major policy development stems from the 2020 European Data Strategy and seeks to establish twelve common data spaces in strategic sectors, including mobility and transport. The document is divided into three main parts. The first part provides an overview of data-related public policies in Canada and the EU between 2018 and 2023. The second part focuses on the implications and lessons learned from the impact assessment supporting the adoption of data governance legislation by the European institutions. This directive establishes a regulatory framework for the creation of common data spaces in the EU. The third section discusses the current deployment of ECDSs, highlighting key milestones and ongoing processes. The paper highlights notable similarities between the EU and Canada in the identification of data issues and the formulation of public policy objectives. It also highlights differences in optimizing data sharing between jurisdictions and stakeholders. A fundamental difference between these two strategic partners is the absence of an effective and sustained pooling of resources within the Canadian intergovernmental machinery in pursuit of common objectives in the face of major shared challenges such as data accessibility and sharing. This situation is in stark contrast to the EU's groundbreaking deployment of the ECDS in pursuit of identical objectives of positioning itself as a world leader in the data economy. This lack of consideration, let alone joint action, by Canada's intergovernmental machinery to implement a common data strategy in Canada is damaging. To be effective, the Canadian response must be agile, results-oriented, and interoperable across jurisdictions. The rigorous management, responsible use, and organized sharing of data within and between jurisdictions are crucial to addressing the complex challenges and major risks facing Canada. Neither the federal nor provincial governments are currently well positioned to treat data as a shared strategic asset. The resolution of regulatory, legal, and technical obstacles to data exchange between jurisdictions and organizations cannot be achieved without the creation of a common data space. This can only be achieved by combining the necessary tools and infrastructures, and by addressing issues of trust, for example by means of common rules drawn up for this purpose. “The barriers that prevent the establishment of robust health data sharing systems are not technical, but rather fundamentally political and cultural.”

This rapid review focuses on the impact COVID-19 pandemic om poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking. It provides an overview of the recent research and summarises the key themes. This review found that poaching for the purpose of international trafficking of illegal wildlife products, generally decreased. These declines are largely attributed to the disruption of transportation routes used by wildlife traffickers to move illicit goods within Southern Africa and overseas by air, and in some locations to the effects of local lockdown measures. Poaching for subsistence consumption (bushmeat) generally increased across Southern Africa and worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic, incentivised largely by economic hardship and opportunities presented by a reduction in the capacity for anti-poaching enforcement and reduced numbers of tourists, whose presence tends to deter poachers. In the long term, poaching and trafficking are likely to return to pre-pandemic levels. Commercial poachers and traffickers are likely to adjust their transportation routes and adapt their business models to take advantage of opportunities. More positively, some authors have suggested the possibility that the COVID-19 pandemic could influence public attitudes against wildlife trafficking and in support of conservation. Trends in poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking during the COVID-19 pandemic vary significantly across and within countries. The impacts resulting from the measures put in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have varied significantly depending on local contexts. Up-to-date data on recent trends during the pandemic are scarce. Good quality data are available on poaching and trafficking of high-value commodities such as elephant ivory and rhino horn, while data on poaching for subsistence are less rigorous and often anecdotal. Much of the evidence available for both types of poaching is not systematic and comes from news media reports, and suffers from inherent difficulties of collecting data on illegal activities. Data collection during the pandemic has also been hampered by the challenges of working safely during the pandemic, funding for monitoring and research has been reduced in most areas, and some reporting processes have not yet analysed data collected during 2021.

The British Standards Institute document PD6493:1980 uses the crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) design curve as a method for determining defect acceptance levels in welded joints. The document is under revision and current proposals for the fracture section of the revised document employ three levels of assessment procedures, arranged as a progression from simple stress treatments producing conservative results, to critical analyses which incorporate more rigorous stress analyses and contain no inherent factors of safety. The proposed Level 1 assessment procedure is generally consistent with the CTOD design curve methodology of the current document. Changes include a more simplified treatment of stresses and a plastic collapse analysis. Level 1 is intended as a preliminary screening method before moving to the higher-level procedures as appropriate. Level 2 is seen as the most appropriate assessment level for the majority of industrial applications. It employs a collapse modified strip yield model, and allows for more complex stress analysis treatments than Level 1. These treatments take account of the plasticity interaction between primary and secondary stresses. Level 3 provides the most advanced assessment route. It is based on a reference stress approach and in general requires development of accurate stress-strain data for a particular material. Its main areas of application are for materials exhibiting a high work hardening characteristic or for tearing instability analyses.Result: Experimental work was carried out to generate data against which to validate the numerical models used in the subsequent theoretical investigation of safety factors inherent in defect assessment procedures. It is considered appropriate to examine the proposed Levels 1, 2 and 3 assessment procedures in preference to the CTOD design curve of the current document since this three-tier structure will soon supercede the PD6493:1980 approach. The similarities between the Level 1 methodology and the design curve, and also between the Level 2 approach and the previously investigated collapse modified strip yield formulations allow a systematic investigation of any relative change in safety factors between the old and the new methods.Benefit: The validation studies demonstrated that numerical models using true stress-logarithmic strain data gave reasonable predictions of the experimental global displacement and local crack tip response. Plane stress and plane strain succeeded in providing lower and upper bounds respectively to the experimental load-displacement behavior for plain and welded configurations. Plane stress conditions were considered the most suitable for the theoretical safety factor investigation. Level 1 assessment was found to be generally conservative but safety factors less than unity could occur for defects located in severe residual stress fields under high levels of load. Level 2 and Level 3 assessments produced consistent levels of safety when realistic defects at welds were considered which included over-matching weld metal and weld cap reinforcement.

Introduction The Financial Infrastructure Report is a product of Banco de la República’s (Banrep) continuous efforts to scrutinize financial market infrastructures (FMIs) in Colombia, besides being a contribution to analyzing and monitoring the country’s financial stability. If FMIs are not managed properly, they can pose significant risks to the financial system and be a possible source of contagion, especially in periods of market stress. The domestic financial infrastructure during 2022 was safe and efficient, allowing the payment system and financial markets to operate normally, which lent stability and confidence to its participants. This 2023 edition of the Report includes analysis on the mitigation of intraday liquidity risk in the large-value payment system (CUD), as well as credit and liquidity risk based on countercyclical practices for the management of initial and variation margins in the Cámara de Riesgo Central de Contraparte S.A. (CRCC). In addition, the Report addresses two topics that are at the center of international debate. The first deals with cyber risk, an issue that cuts across the entire domestic financial infrastructure. It is considered one of the most relevant risks; therefore, its effective management has been the focus of recommendations by multilateral organizations. On this occasion, a section is included that outlines these recommendations and focuses on highlights in local progress towards achieving substantial levels of cyber resilience in the Colombian payment system. It is worth noting that Banco de la República is moving forward with a research agenda to quantify the impact instances of cyber risk could have on the payment system and on financial stability. The second topic addresses the need to analyze the adoption of special frameworks for orderly settlement on the part of central counterparties (CCPs), so as to mitigate systemic risk, recognizing the role these types of entities play in the development of markets and financial stability, as well as their essential contribution to mitigating counterparty and liquidity risks. As for retail payments, the use of electronic payment instruments rose significantly in value during 2022 compared to 2021. Transactional data shows the increase in the use of electronic transfers, both intra- and interbank, was particularly important, having become an object of greater innovation, as evidenced, for example, by the use of mobile wallets. Although the adoption for electronic transfers and debit and credit cards has increased in Colombia over the last ten years, compared to other economies, the country still has low levels in this respect. According to the most recent survey on perception of the use of payment instruments conducted by Banrep (2022), cash continues to be the instrument most used by Colombians for regular payments involving small amounts. This points to an important area for increasing the adoption of digital payments, which would materialize with implementation of the different initiatives the industry and the financial authorities (Ministry of Finance-URF, the Office of the Financial Superintendent of Colombia and Banco de la República) are carrying out to develop the instant payments ecosystem. On the other hand, analyses of the risks associated with crypto assets, which are understood as alternatives to the regulated assets in the traditional financial system, but traded in an unregulated digital environment, are also relevant. In this respect, the Report looks at the potential risks that could arise from the added adoption of stablecoins in economies, specifically in a global context where authorities are studying possibilities for using different mechanisms to contain the risks inherent in crypto assets. The third section of the Report deals with aspects such as smart contracts and programmable money, which are innovations that could be considered in an eventual issue of digital currencies by central banks. In keeping with the previous editions of this Report on matters related to central bank digital currencies (CBDC), this edition explains how these two technological functionalities could accompany the design of a retail CBDC, as well as some of the risks that should be considered. Also addressed in this section is the topic of standardized messaging, which is a trend in the field of payments. Reference is made to the United Kingdom’s experience with the adoption of standardized messaging, and its contributions to interoperability.