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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.
R. R. Spencer, R. L. Macklin
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 61 | Number 3 | November 1976 | Pages 346-355
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE76-A26920
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Time-of-flight measurements of the neutron capture cross section of 59Co were carried out in the energy region 2.5 to 1000 keV using the Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator and a pair of nonhydrogenous liquid-scintillator gamma-ray detectors. Resonance energies and capture areas were determined for a large number of resolved resonances up to 85-keV neutron energy, and radiation widths for 35 known s-wave resonances were derived. Positive correlation coefficients (ρ ≃ 0.3) between the radiative widths and neutron reduced widths of these s-wave resonances for both possible spin states were calculated. The significance of the correlations is discussed.