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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.
G. Cao, S. J. Weber, S. O. Martin, T. L. Malaney, S. R. Slattery, M. H. Anderson, K. Sridharan, T. R. Allen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 175 | Number 2 | August 2011 | Pages 460-467
Technical Paper | Materials for Nuclear Systems | doi.org/10.13182/NT11-A12317
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An experimental facility for in situ measurements of high-temperature spectral emissivity of materials in environments of interest to the gas-cooled very high temperature reactor (VHTR) has been developed. The facility is capable of measuring emissivities of seven materials in a single experiment, thereby enhancing the accuracy in measurements due to even minor systemic variations in temperatures and environments. The system consists of a cylindrical silicon carbide (SiC) block with seven sample cavities and a deep blackbody cavity, a detailed optical system, and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The reliability of the facility has been confirmed by comparing measured spectral emissivities of SiC, boron nitride, and alumina (Al2O3) at 600°C against those reported in literature. The spectral emissivities of two candidate alloys for VHTR, INCONEL® alloy 617 (INCONEL is a registered trademark of the Special Metals Corporation group of companies) and SA508 steel, in air environment at 700°C were measured.
