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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.
Luis Hernandez-Adame, Hector Contreras-Sandoval, Hector Rene Vega-Carrillo, Leonel Humberto Perez Landeros
Nuclear Technology | Volume 175 | Number 1 | July 2011 | Pages 105-112
Technical Paper | Special Issue on the 16th Biennial Topical Meeting of the Radiation Protection and Shielding Division / Accelerators | doi.org/10.13182/NT11-A12277
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This work studies the design of the treatment room for an 18-MV linac to ensure radiation protection and safety of hospital staff and patients. The walls' thickness, the door, and the maze were designed according to the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements Report 151 recommendations. The results of this work are contrasted with the Monte Carlo calculations performed with the MCNP5 code where dose equivalents due to neutrons and neutron spectra estimated at different points inside and outside the radiotherapy room verify that the shielding thicknesses obtained are enough to reduce the dose level permitted by Mexican regulation.