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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.
R. E. Mizia, T. E. Lister
Nuclear Technology | Volume 176 | Number 1 | October 2011 | Pages 9-21
Special Issue Technical Paper | Second Seminar on Accelerated Testing of Materials in Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Waste Storage Systems / Materials for Nuclear Systems | doi.org/10.13182/NT11-A12539
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The U.S. Department of Energy requires nuclear criticality control materials be used for the storage of highly enriched spent nuclear fuel used in government programs and the storage of commercial spent nuclear fuel at the proposed High-Level Nuclear Waste Geological Repository located at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Two different metallic alloys (Ni-Cr-Mo-Gd and borated stainless steel) have been chosen for this service. An accelerated corrosion test program to validate these materials for this application is described, and a performance comparison is made.
