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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.
Ken Muramatsu, Kunihisa Soda
Nuclear Technology | Volume 87 | Number 4 | December 1989 | Pages 907-911
Technical Paper | TMI-2: Decontamination and Waste Management / Nuclear Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A27684
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The hydrogen burn that occurred in the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident raised a concern on the possible threat to the containment integrity of a light water reactor during a severe accident, and a great deal of analytical and experimental studies were conducted after the accident. To properly assess the hydrogen behavior in the TMI-2 accident, thermal-hydraulic response in the containment needs to be adequately described. The purpose of the present study was to estimate the thermal-hydraulic response during the hydrogen burn in the TMI-2 accident by using the CONTAIN1.1 code. It was concluded from the present analysis that the hydrogen behavior was reasonably well predicted by using CONTAIN1.1 with adequately selected set of parameters in the hydrogen burn model.