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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.
Akihiko Inoue
Nuclear Technology | Volume 90 | Number 2 | May 1990 | Pages 186-190
Technical Paper | Nuclear Fuel | doi.org/10.13182/NT90-A34413
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A method for reprocessing uranium and plutonium mixed-oxide fuel, including uranium dioxide fuel, is presented. The method is based on the oxidation process of the fuel and the dissolution of pulverized fuels (U3O8 and PuO2) in nitric acid. To dissolve Pu02, a uranous nitrate solution prepared from uranyl nitrate by electrolytic reduction is utilized. This reprocessing method has an economic advantage over the conventional Purex process because it does not use an expensive solvent extraction process to separate uranium, plutonium, and fission products. The cost of the process is estimated to be 80% that of the Purex process, and the cost of refabrication does not change greatly because remote operation is not needed. This process also has an advantage over the Purex process from the viewpoint of the diversion resistance of nuclear material because pure plutonium cannot be recovered in the process.