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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.
Thomas M. Parker, Richard J. Kohrt, Sue I. Dederer, Larry E. Hochreiter, Walter R. Schwarz, Chon-Kwo Tsai, Michael Y. Young
Nuclear Technology | Volume 85 | Number 2 | May 1989 | Pages 227-237
Technical Paper | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34243
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Calculations were performed using a best-estimate computer code that determined the estimates of the 50th percentile peak cladding temperature (PCT) (1006 K) and the 95th percentile PCT (1263 K). These calculations included realistic WCOBRA/TRAC predictions of thermal-hydraulic phenomena occurring inside the vessel during upper plenum injection (UPI). The work done in applying realistic thermal-hydraulic methods for pressurized water reactors (PWRs) with UPI represents an important step in the maturation of advanced best-estimate computer codes like WCOBRA/ TRAC because their effect is finally being used in the licensing of operating plants, and their benefits are being used to make those PWRs more flexible and economic to operate.
