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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.
Toshihiko Ohnuki, Tadao Tanaka, Hiromichi Ogawa, Tadatoshi Yamamoto
Nuclear Technology | Volume 88 | Number 1 | October 1989 | Pages 55-63
Technical Paper | Radioactive Waste Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34336
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The relationship of the retardation factor of a radionuclide for undisturbed soil and that for disturbed soil has been investigated. The migration model is based on the assumption that both reactive (dynamic) and nonreactive (stagnant) sites exist in the soil column. The retardation factor for undisturbed soil is represented by the following equation:Rfu = Su/SdRfd ,where Rfu and Rfd are retardation factors for undisturbed and disturbed soil, respectively, and Su and Sd are degrees of water saturation in undisturbed and disturbed soils, respectively. The migration experiments for both the undisturbed and disturbed soil columns were carried out using 85Sr. The average retardation factor for the undisturbed soil is smaller than that for disturbed soil, and the degree of water saturation in the undisturbed soil column is smaller than that in the disturbed soil column. The retardation factor for the undisturbed soil estimated, based on the above equation, is approximately the same as the measured retardation factor for the undisturbed soil.
