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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.
James P. Adams, Eric S. Peterson
Nuclear Technology | Volume 102 | Number 3 | June 1993 | Pages 304-312
Technical Paper | Nuclear Reactor Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT93-A17029
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The iodine concentration in the steam generator secondary vapor must be determined in order to estimate the environmental consequences (i.e., iodine source term to the environment) due to a steam generator tube rupture (SGTR). Experimental evidence indicates that this concentration is sensitive to the liquid-phase pH. A thermodynamic-based calculational approach was used to model the pH during a design-basis SGTR. The EQUILIBRIUM code within the Facility for Analysis of Chemical Thermodynamics was assessed for calculation of pH by comparison with measured pH’s in operating pressurized water reactors (PWRs). The pH was calculated for ten generic PWR designs (one Babcock & Wilcox, three Combustion Engineering, and six Westinghouse). The calculated pH was shown to be relatively insensitive to PWR design. The pH for all designs equilibrated to a value of ∼6.5.