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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.
Elanchezhian Somasundaram, Todd S. Palmer, Alexey I. Soldatov
Nuclear Technology | Volume 179 | Number 1 | July 2012 | Pages 160-168
Technical Paper | Special Issue on Safeguards / Fuel Cycle and Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT12-A14078
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Simulation of reactor antineutrino signatures is vital to verify the experimental measurements of antineutrinos emitted from a reactor. It also provides an insight into detector configurations required to monitor different reactor types and potential fuel diversion scenarios. In this study, we perform simulations of antineutrino signatures for light water reactors (LWRs) using the industry standard reactor simulation tools, CASMO-4 and SIMULATE-3. Three different LWR reactors have been modeled, and several diversion scenarios involving uranium dioxide and mixed-oxide fuel have been simulated. The simulation results are also benchmarked with the antineutrino counts measured by the SONGS1 antineutrino detector that was used to monitor the operation of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), unit 2, cycle 13, during the period 2004-2005. Three-dimensional simulations of the reactor cores have been performed for improved accuracy of the detector response. The dependence of the antineutrino rate on the reactor type, fuel loading pattern, and amount of fresh fuel have also been analyzed.