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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.
Jin Won Kim, Dae Soo Lee, Jong Hyun Kim
Nuclear Technology | Volume 134 | Number 1 | April 2001 | Pages 15-22
Technical Paper | NURETH-9 | doi.org/10.13182/NT01-A3182
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In the intake structure of a nuclear power plant, undesirable pump operating characteristics such as vortices and nonuniform pump-approach flow around the pump bells take place frequently due to poorly arranged intake geometry. Therefore, prior to the construction or renovation of intake structure or internal auxiliary facilities, a hydraulic modeling test should be performed to predict the undesirable hydraulic phenomena. In this study, a three-dimensional turbulence model was applied for a numerical modeling test, and a 1:10 scale, geometrically undistorted physical model was employed to investigate the hydraulic behavior and simulate pump operating conditions in the intake structure of Kori Nuclear Units 3 and 4 in Korea. The results from these numerical and physical model tests were compared, and an antivortex device was also proposed to ensure a stable suction condition of the pumps.