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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.
C. H. King, M. S. Ouyang, B. S. Pei, S. C. Lee
Nuclear Technology | Volume 86 | Number 1 | July 1989 | Pages 70-75
Technical Paper | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34284
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A new technique is proposed for analyzing neutron noise signals to identify two-phase flow patterns in an experimental reactor. Based on the modeling of neutron signals by autoregressive moving average models via an optimization technique, two-phase flow patterns can be identified by a single index known as the “dynamic signature.” A computer code is set up in an IBM-PC/XT microcomputer by which ∼90% of the experimental cases have been successfully identified among 86 data sets. This technique is recommended for the analysis of boiling water reactor neutron signals to generate a data base for designing a core flow monitoring system. This technique would be useful in understanding thermohydraulic phenomena in an operating power reactor.