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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.
Suresh V. Garimella, Richard N. Christensen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 89 | Number 3 | March 1990 | Pages 388-398
Technical Paper | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT90-A34377
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An experimental investigation was undertaken in which transient condensation of steam-air mixtures occurred on one face of a large aluminum block of which all the other faces were insulated. Tests were conducted in a pressure vessel at pressures of up to 650 kPa. The transients were provided by a sudden increase in the vessel pressure from a given value to a much higher value by the introduction of additional steam. Temperature measurements within the block agreed well with results from a finite difference analysis of the condensing surface and block. Visual observation of the condensing surface indicated that the mode of condensation was predominantly dropwise. The dependence of the heat transfer coefficient on time, pressure, severity of the transient, percentage of noncondensables, and the driving temperature difference was studied. The results at the much higher pressures and transient conditions used in this study agreed with observations in the literature of such trends at lower pressures. There was evidence of the occurrence of a buildup of noncondensables at the condensing surface with time.