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2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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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.
D. N. Sah, C. S. Viswanadham, Sunil Kumar, P. R. Roy
Nuclear Technology | Volume 85 | Number 2 | May 1989 | Pages 136-146
Technical Paper | Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34236
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Samples of Zircaloy-2 cladding from four UO2 fuel elements irradiated in the Tarapur Atomic Power Station boiling water reactor up to fuel burnup levels of 9599 to 12 627 MWd/tonne U are examined using scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis to study the nature of deposits formed on the inner surface of the cladding. The clad samples from one fuel element that was located nearest to the control blade and had a fission gas release of 3.7% have deposits on the surface. Uranium, zirconium, cesium, oxygen, tellurium, barium, tin, and rubidium are present in the deposit. The deposit is composed of two layers: a layer toward the fuel, containing mainly uranium, cesium, and oxygen, and another toward the cladding, containing uranium, zirconium, cesium, and oxygen. The formation of the deposits is explained by a localized high release of volatile fission products from the fuel and their migration to the clad surface.