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.
E. Wilson Okyere, Anthony J. Baratta, William A. Jester
Nuclear Technology | Volume 96 | Number 3 | December 1991 | Pages 272-289
Technical Paper | Nuclear Reactor Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT91-A34589
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A variety of water level measurement systems are proposed to resolve the problem of reactor vessel level measurement. Two such systems, the heated thermocouple and the multiple differential pressure cell system, are used commercially. A third system based on ex-core neutron detectors was tested at The Pennsylvania State University Breazeale nuclear reactor facility and at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Loss-of-Fluid Test Facility. Results of these tests show that such a system is sensitive to both large- and small-break loss-of-coolant accidents and to voiding in the upper plenum of the vessel.