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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.
Dhananjay B. Talange, B. Bandyopadhyay, Akhilanand Pati Tiwari
Nuclear Technology | Volume 138 | Number 3 | June 2002 | Pages 217-237
Technical Paper | Nuclear Plant Operations and Control | doi.org/10.13182/NT02-A3290
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The paper presents the design of state feedback control for a large pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) by developing a reduced-order model for the same. The nonlinear mathematical model of the PHWR is linearized around an operating point corresponding to full-power operation of the reactor. The linear model has 14 inputs and outputs each and 56 states. Application of the reduction technique leads to a simplified model characterized by only 14 states. This 14th-order simplified model is used to design a linear quadratic regulator, and state feedback gains for the original 56th-order system are obtained without any significant difficulty. The transient performance of the closed-loop system is tested by simulation of the original nonlinear model of the PHWR.
