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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.
Shian-Shing Shyu, Robert M. Edwards
Nuclear Technology | Volume 140 | Number 2 | November 2002 | Pages 129-146
Technical Paper | Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control, and Human-Machine Interface Technologies | doi.org/10.13182/NT02-A3328
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In this paper, a methodology for synthesizing a robust multivariable feedforward/feedback control (FF/FBC) strategy is proposed for an integrated control of turbine power, throttle pressure, and reactor water level in a nuclear power plant. In the proposed method, the FBC is synthesized by the robust control approach. The feedforward control, which is generated via nonlinear programming, is added to the robust FBC system to further improve the control performance. The plant uncertainties, including unmodeled dynamics, linearization, and model reduction, are characterized and estimated. The comparisons of simulation responses based on a nonlinear reactor model demonstrate the achievement of the proposed controller with specified performance and endurance under uncertainty. It is also important to note that all input variables are manipulated in an orchestrated manner in response to a single output's setpoint change.