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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.
Igor Salamun, Andrej Stritar
Nuclear Technology | Volume 124 | Number 2 | November 1998 | Pages 118-137
Technical Paper | Reactor Operations and Control | doi.org/10.13182/NT98-A2913
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Diagnostic methodologies for nuclear power plants (NPPs) are usually based on mathematical models and generation of residuals. To avoid complicated, time-consuming, and costly diagnostic simulations of the physical phenomena in NPPs, an algorithm that determines a significant pattern for major transients is investigated. Coefficients of the transfer function between the observed parameters are used as the pattern features. The algorithm uses a recurring least-squares method known from the literature to determine the transfer functions. The case study includes 30 different scenarios in the primary and secondary systems. Each scenario produces its own significant recognized pattern. The RELAP5/MOD3.2 code is used to simulate the input data for the Krsko pressurized water reactor NPP. The algorithm recognizes the prepared scenarios, and it classifies them into groups.