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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.
Takeshi Matsuoka, Michiyuki Kobayashi, Kazuo Takemura
Nuclear Technology | Volume 84 | Number 3 | March 1989 | Pages 285-295
Technical Paper | Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Risk Management / Nuclear Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34212
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A reliability analysis using the GO-FLOW methodology is given for the emergency core cooling system (ECCS) of a marine reactor experiencing either a collision or a grounding accident. The analysis is an example of a phased mission problem, and the system is a relatively large system with 90 components. An overview of the GO-FLOW methodology, a description of the ECCS, and the analysis procedure are given. Time-dependent mission unreliabilities under three accident conditions are obtained by one GOFLOW chart with one computer run. The GO-FLOW methodology has proved to be a useful tool for probabilistic safety assessments of actual systems.
