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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.
Satoshi Yanagihara, Fujio Hiraga, Hisashi Nakamura
Nuclear Technology | Volume 86 | Number 2 | August 1989 | Pages 159-167
Technical Paper | Decontamination and Decommissioning / Radioactive Waste Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34266
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Two cutting techniques have been developed for dismantling the pipes connected to the Japan Power Demonstration Reactor (JPDR) pressure vessel. They are the rotary disk knife cutting system for dismantling relatively large pipes, such as the primary cooling system, and the shaped explosive cutting system for cutting relatively small pipes in air or water. Basic cutting tests were performed to determine the optimum characteristics of the cutting systems and to conduct a safety evaluation by studying the effects of blasting on surrounding areas. Mock-up tests confirmed the applicability of the newly developed dismantling systems for JPDR dismantlement by successfully cutting test pipes with these systems.