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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.
Jae-Hyuk Eoh, Hee Cheon No, Yong-Hwan Yoo, Seong-O Kim
Nuclear Technology | Volume 173 | Number 2 | February 2011 | Pages 99-114
Technical Paper | Fast Neutron Reactors | doi.org/10.13182/NT11-A11541
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
For the supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle of a sodium-cooled fast reactor, we carried out surface reaction tests for sodium temperatures ranging from 200 to 600°C. Based on the test results, we found that the reaction kinetics over the sodium temperature range of 300 to 550°C depends heavily on the temperature but is not sensitive to the velocity of CO2 flowing over the gas-liquid reacting interface explored in this study. Gaseous and nongaseous reaction products were sampled and analyzed quantitatively. The rates of the chemical reaction were determined by measuring the gas concentration of the CO/CO2 mixture. Then, we proposed a two-zone reaction model with a threshold temperature of 460°C. The kinetic parameters for each reaction zone were experimentally obtained.