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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.
David Meneghetti, Dwight A. Kucera
Nuclear Technology | Volume 91 | Number 2 | August 1990 | Pages 139-145
Technical Paper | Safety of Next Generation Power Reactor / Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT90-A34423
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The linear and Doppler feedback components of the regional contributions of the power reactivity decrement (PRD) and of the temperature coefficient of reactivity for a 900-MW(thermal) homogeneous U10Zr-fueled sodium-cooled reactor are calculated. The PRD components are separated into power- and power-to-flow-dependent parts. The values of PRD and temperature coefficient components are compared with corresponding quantities calculated for the Experimental Breeder Reactor II. The implications of these comparisons on inherent safety characteristics of metal-fueled sodium-cooled reactors are discussed.
