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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.
Tetsuya Mouri, Shuhei Maruyama, Taira Hazama, Takayuki Suzuki
Nuclear Technology | Volume 179 | Number 2 | August 2012 | Pages 286-307
Technical Note | Fission Reactors | doi.org/10.13182/NT12-A14099
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The present technical note describes the evaluation of the isothermal temperature coefficient data obtained in the Monju restart core. As in the preceding evaluations on the criticality and the control rod worth, the best-estimate value and its uncertainty are evaluated as accurately as possible. Data obtained in the previous test are evaluated in the same level of detail.The measured data show that the fuel composition change from the previous test decreases the magnitude of the temperature coefficient by [approximately]8%. Through a sensitivity analysis, it is confirmed that the decrease is mainly brought by the composition of 241Pu and 241Am.The best calculation accuracy within the experimental uncertainty of 2% is attained with JENDL-4.0 for the previous core; however, such a good accuracy is not achieved for the restart core. A further experimental investigation is required to solve the dependence of calculation accuracy on the core configurations.