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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.
Gyuhong Roh, Hangbok Choi
Nuclear Technology | Volume 132 | Number 1 | October 2000 | Pages 128-151
Technical Paper | Fission Reactors | doi.org/10.13182/NT00-A3134
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Cell-code benchmark calculations have been performed for the standard CANDU and DUPIC CANDU fuel lattices compared with the MCNP-4B code. To consider the full isotopic composition and the temperature effect, new MCNP libraries have been generated from ENDF/B-VI release 3 and validated for typical benchmark problems. The lattice codes WIMS-AECL and HELIOS were then benchmarked by the MCNP code for the major physics parameters such as burnup reactivity, coolant void reactivity, fuel temperature coefficient, etc. The calculations have shown that the physics parameters estimated by the lattice codes are consistent with those by MCNP. However, there is a tendency that the error increases slightly when the fuel burnup is high. This study has shown that the WIMS-AECL produces reliable results for CANDU fuel analysis. However, it is recommended that the cross-section library be updated to be used for the high-burnup fuels even though the current results are generally acceptable. This study has also shown that the HELIOS code has the potential to be used for CANDU fuel lattice analysis in the future.