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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.
Shaw H. Bian, Dale E. Bush, Yat Yan Yung, Craig E. Peterson
Nuclear Technology | Volume 122 | Number 2 | May 1998 | Pages 158-169
Technical Paper | RETRAN | doi.org/10.13182/NT98-A2859
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A limiting transient under single-loop operation (SLO) conditions was analyzed to establish the analytical capability to support SLO for Washington Public Power Supply System's WNP-2.In the WNP-2 RETRAN model, each of the two recirculation loops is simulated separately. Under the SLO condition, the unaffected loop provides ~50% core flow with a power of ~72%.Two steady-state cases were run using actual plant data under single-loop conditions to show that the model initializes correctly. The plant data were collected from the cycle 2 SLO. An additional benchmark was performed using the single-recirculation-pump test data collected during the power ascension test in the initial startup phase of WNP-2. The calculated reverse flow of the idle loop compared well with the measured data from the single recirculation pump trip test.After the benchmarking, a limiting transient, i.e., generator load rejection without bypass, was analyzed for cycle 8. The resulting power, flow, and pressure histories were compared with the fuel supplier's results. The Supply System results for the limiting transient showed reasonably good comparison with the fuel supplier's results, with the Supply System model yielding more conservative results. In addition, hot-channel analyses indicate that the SLO thermal limits are bounded by those from the two-loop operations.