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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.
Longcheng Liu, Ivars Neretnieks
Nuclear Technology | Volume 138 | Number 1 | April 2002 | Pages 69-78
Technical Paper | Materials for Nuclear Systems | doi.org/10.13182/NT02-A3278
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An earlier model for the oxidative dissolution of spent fuel is further developed by including the reductive effect of H2, which is formed by both the radiolysis of groundwater and the anoxic corrosion of the cast iron insert of the canister. The kinetics of reduction of dissolved uranium species by dissolved hydrogen is derived from a series of previously published experimental studies. The simulation results suggest that the effect of autocatalytic reduction of hexavalent uranium by hydrogen may play an important role in controlling the dissolution of the fuel matrix within a canister. Further experimental studies are required to firmly verify these findings.