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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.
Friedrich Burtak, Gerhard J. Schlosser
Nuclear Technology | Volume 123 | Number 3 | September 1998 | Pages 268-277
Technical Paper | Fuel Cycle and Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT98-A2898
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
It is proposed that weapons-grade Pu recovered under the strategic arms reduction agreement be used in existing light water reactors under the current safety and licensing criteria. Based on experience with the commercial use of mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel in German pressurized water reactors, MOX fuel assemblies containing weapons-grade Pu have been designed. The related fuel management studies are presented. The possibility of using corresponding hexagonal MOX fuel assemblies in Russian-type VVER 1000 reactors is also discussed. In addition, the use of weapons-grade Pu in modern boiling water reactors is addressed. It can be stated that safe normal operation and benign accident behavior are achievable.
