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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.
Chien Chung, Chen-Yi Chen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 92 | Number 2 | November 1990 | Pages 159-166
Technical Paper | Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT90-A34467
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The 100-m W Tsing-Hua Mobile Educational Reactor, originally designed for educational and training purposes, has been converted for in vivo prompt gamma-ray activation medical diagnosis. New experimental parts and equipment have been installed to localize the external neutron beam and reduce the phantom radiation doses to the irradiated organ. The sensitivity to internal toxic and essential elements in vivo is improved by a factor of 4 and the total doses are reduced by a factor of 2 compared to those obtained in preliminary studies using the original configuration.