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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.
Horng-Yu Wu, Ming-Yuan Hsiao, Anthony J. Baratta, Bernard R. Bandini, E. L. Tolman
Nuclear Technology | Volume 84 | Number 2 | February 1989 | Pages 169-181
Technical Paper | Nuclear Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34185
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The source range monitor (SRM) data recorded during the first 4 h of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident following reactor shutdown were analyzed. An effort to simulate the actual SRM response was made by performing a series of neutron transport calculations. Primary emphasis was placed on simulating the changes in SRM response to various system events during the accident so as to obtain useful information about core conditions at the various stages. Based on the known end-state reactor conditions, the major system events, and the actual SRM readings, self-consistent estimates were made of core liquid level, void fraction in the coolant, and locations of core materials. This analysis expands the possible interpretation of the SRM data relative to core damage progression. The results appear to be consistent with other studies of the TMI-2 Accident Evaluation Program, and provide information useful for the development and determination of the TMI-2 accident scenario.