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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.
Y. W. Wang, B. S. Pei, C. H. King, S. C. Lee
Nuclear Technology | Volume 89 | Number 2 | February 1990 | Pages 217-226
Technical Paper | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT90-A34348
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A method based on noise analysis techniques that can be applied to the identification of two-phase flow patterns in nuclear reactors is proposed. The identifying criterion, the high-frequency contribution fraction (HFCF), offers new potential to the in-core recognition of two-phase flow patterns. By analyzing 76 sets of signals acquired from a research nuclear reactor where two-phase flow patterns are generated in an in-core air/water loop, the typical signal, autocorrelogram, and spectrum of each flow pattern are demonstrated and evaluated. The identification success rate is 87 or 93%, depending on whether churn flow is counted. A method to improve the identification rate is also presented. In comparison with our previous work, this study demonstrates that the fluctuation characteristics above 10 Hz are induced by two-phase flow itself and are independent of the driving source; thus, it is adequate to apply the HFCF to the identification of two-phase flow patterns. The present study shows that it is possible to identify two-phase flow patterns by HFCF values.