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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.
Masanori Miura, Tatsutoshi Inagaki
Nuclear Technology | Volume 97 | Number 2 | February 1992 | Pages 145-152
Technical Paper | Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT92-A34611
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Two fast breeder reactor (FBR) concepts, the tank type and the loop type, have been studied as possible reactor designs to be used for a demonstration FBR (DFBR). The basic principle of the DFBR design is to ensure plant safety through a defense-in-depth methodology. Improvements in the seismic and thermal stress designs have been attempted for both reactor concepts. The system design study strives to maximize the reliability of the safety-related systems and to rationalize commercialization of the plant.