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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.
Chien C. Lin
Nuclear Technology | Volume 130 | Number 1 | April 2000 | Pages 59-70
Technical Paper | Nuclear Plant Operations and Control | doi.org/10.13182/NT00-A3077
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Modification of coolant chemistry by feedwater hydrogen addition in boiling water reactors (BWRs), generally called hydrogen water chemistry (HWC), is a viable option to mitigate the intergranular stress corrosion cracking problems for operating BWRs. Some fundamentals in HWC technologies as known today are reviewed. Several full-scale HWC test results are analyzed, and the roles that hydrogen plays in HWC technology are identified and quantitatively evaluated. Some deficiencies in water radiolysis modeling for BWR applications under HWC conditions and the impact of 16N radiation field increase in the main steam line are also discussed.