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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.
Sedat Goluoglu, R. T. Primm III
Nuclear Technology | Volume 139 | Number 1 | July 2002 | Pages 80-88
Technical Note | Criticality of Nuclear Materials | doi.org/10.13182/NT02-A3306
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Criticality of low-enriched-uranium (LEU) and mixed-oxide (MOX) assemblies at the VVER-1000-type Balakovo nuclear power plant is investigated. Effective multiplication factors for fresh fuel assemblies on the railroad platform, fresh fuel assemblies in the within-plant fuel transportation vehicle, and fresh fuel assemblies in the spent fuel storage pool are calculated. If there is no absorber between the units, the configurations with all MOX assemblies result in higher effective multiplication factors than the configurations with all LEU assemblies when the system is dry. When the systems are flooded, the configurations with all LEU assemblies result in higher effective multiplication factors. For normal operating conditions, effective multiplication factors for all configurations are below the presumed upper subcritical limit of 0.95. For an accident condition of a fully loaded within-plant fuel transportation vehicle that is "flooded" with low-density water (possibly from a fire suppression system), the presumed upper subcritical limit is exceeded by configurations containing either LEU or a combination of LEU and MOX assemblies.