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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.
Tatsutoshi Inagaki, Hiroyuki Kuga, Masao Suzuki, Tsugio Yokoyama, Mitsuaki Yamaoka, Kunikazu Kaneto, Masahisa Ohashi, Kunitoshi Kurihara
Nuclear Technology | Volume 88 | Number 3 | December 1989 | Pages 262-282
Technical Paper | Fuel Cycle | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34309
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Design studies are performed for a commercial liquid-metal fast breeder reactor core that can achieve a burnup of 200 GWd/t. A plutonium-type asymmetric parfait core with two different plutonium-enriched zones in the axial direction as well as in the radial direction is studied. This core concept solves core design problems related to high burnup, and it is possible to achieve a burnup of 200 GWd/t with this concept. A core with ductless fuel assemblies suitable for high burnup is also studied. An axially heterogeneous core was selected from among various concepts. It is possible to realize a core with a burnup of 200 GWd/t, a compact size, and a lower core pressure drop than the demonstration reactor design.