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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.
Po Hu, Paul P. H. Wilson
Nuclear Technology | Volume 172 | Number 2 | November 2010 | Pages 143-156
Technical Paper | Fuel Cycle and Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT10-A10901
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper studies the U.S. reference Supercritical Water Reactor (SCWR) design with the newly extended coupled codes PARCS/RELAP5. Steady-state, burnup, and loss-of-feedwater transients are simulated. A possible flow reversal in moderator channels is found in the simulations, and the impact of this reversal on power peaking and reactivity is observed. The transient results show that the assembly with the maximum cladding surface temperature (MCST) and the assembly with the maximum power are different and that the MCST is within the material limit under the current design.