ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
Nuclear Technology
August 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
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.
Tanvir Salim, Woon-Shing Yeung, R. Thomas Fernandez
Nuclear Technology | Volume 89 | Number 2 | February 1990 | Pages 227-232
Technical Paper | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT90-A34349
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A model to calculate the void fraction in counter-current flow for geometries with abrupt area change is proposed. Continuity and momentum equations are used to derive a quartic equation for the void fraction. By varying the known physical parameters, the quartic equation is solved to get a wide range of results that are physically consistent. The model is applied for the special case of flooding at abrupt area change geometry, and a comparison with data is made.
