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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.
H. Cheikhravat, N. Chaumeix, A. Bentaib, C.-E. Paillard
Nuclear Technology | Volume 178 | Number 1 | April 2012 | Pages 5-16
Technical Paper | Safety and Technology of Nuclear Hydrogen Production, Control, and Management / Hydrogen Safety and Recombiners | doi.org/10.13182/NT12-A13543
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The aim of the present work is to identify and characterize the type of combustion of hydrogen-air mixtures near the flammability limits for different initial temperatures (from 298 to 423 K) and pressures (100 and 250 kPa) relevant to pressurized water reactor conditions. This experimental study has been carried out using a spherical vessel equipped with a pressure transducer to monitor the pressure increase subsequent to the combustion and with two optical windows to record the flame propagation. From the schlieren images, different regimes of flame propagation have been identified depending on the temperature and pressure. The maximum pressure obtained experimentally has been compared to the theoretical maximum pressure for adiabatic combustion at constant volume. The flammability limits have been determined for different temperatures and pressures and are compared to the literature.