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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.
Ivan Gajev, Tomasz Kozlowski, Yunlin Xu, Thomas Downar
Nuclear Technology | Volume 180 | Number 3 | December 2012 | Pages 383-398
Technical Paper | Special Issue on the Initial Release of MCNP6 / Fission Reactors | doi.org/10.13182/NT12-A15351
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Unstable behavior of boiling water reactors (BWRs) is known to occur during operation at certain power and flow conditions. This paper reports on an uncertainty study of the impact of various parameters on the prediction of the stability of the BWR within the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Ringhals Unit 1 (Ringhals-1) Stability Benchmark. The time domain code TRACE/PARCS was used in the analysis. The paper is divided into two parts: a sensitivity study on numerical parameters (nodalization, time step, etc.) and an uncertainty analysis of the stability event. The sensitivity study was based on a space-time converged solution, and the most important neutronic and thermal-hydraulic parameters were identified for parameterization. The uncertainty calculation was then performed using the well-established propagation of input errors methodology. Finally, the Spearman Rank method was used to identify the most influential parameters affecting the stability of Ringhals-1.