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August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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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.
John Berger, Robert Benedict
Nuclear Technology | Volume 175 | Number 2 | August 2011 | Pages 450-459
Technical Paper | Reprocessing | doi.org/10.13182/NT11-A12316
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy proposes the use of the pyroprocessing techniques to effectively close the nuclear fuel cycle. In order to better understand the quantities of inputs and their effect on the outputs (waste packages, product, etc.) of the process, an integrated process model was designed to track mass flows and aid in sizing and quantifying the amount of equipment needed for different desired throughputs. The flowchart that was modeled is discussed, and each process is explained in detail from the front-end fuel preparation through waste generation and product accumulation. The chemical, electrochemical, and mechanical operations of these processes are also identified and explained. Process parameters that the model allows the user to vary are also identified, and the effects of changing these parameters are also discussed.