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The human factor in licensing and operating the next generation of nuclear plants
As human factors specialists working at the intersection of human performance and nuclear operations, we are witnessing one of the nuclear sector’s most significant transitions in decades. The emergence of small modular reactors, microreactors, and other advanced designs is reshaping the industry’s landscape. Digital instrumentation and controls, passive safety systems, and increased automation are creating opportunities for greater safety margins and more flexible operation. These same features also fundamentally redefine what it means to “operate” a nuclear plant. Interactions among human roles, automation, and passive systems shape how people maintain awareness, exercise judgment, and intervene when necessary. These developments affect both operational realities and the regulatory foundations on which nuclear safety is built.
S. K. Combs, J. W. Leachman, S. J. Meitner, L. R. Baylor, C. R. Foust, N. Commaux, T. C. Jernigan
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 60 | Number 2 | August 2011 | Pages 473-479
Plasma Engineering - Fueling and Diagnostics | Proceedings of the Nineteenth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (TOFE) (Part 2) | doi.org/10.13182/FST60-473
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A special single-shot pellet injection system that produces and accelerates large cryogenic pellets (~16mm diameter and composed of D2 or Ne) to relatively high speeds (>300 and 600 m/s, respectively) was previously developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Subsequently, a similar system was installed on DIII-D and used successfully in disruption mitigation experiments. To circumvent some operational issues with injecting the large Ne pellets, a technique has been developed in which a relatively thin layer (0.1 to 1.0 mm) of D2 is frozen on the inner wall of the pipe-gun barrel, followed by filling the core with solid Ne.A fast solenoid valve operating with a light gas (H2 or He) at relatively high pressure (~70 bar) provides the force necessary to break away the dual-layer pellet and accelerate it. The technique and the initial laboratory tests are described, as well as the implementation and operational issues for fusion experiments.