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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.
F. U. Ahmed, S. I. Bhuiyan, A. S. Mollah, M. M. Rahman
Nuclear Technology | Volume 98 | Number 3 | June 1992 | Pages 379-386
Technical Note | Radiation Protection | doi.org/10.13182/NT92-A34667
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Gamma-ray shielding properties of ilmenite-magnetite (I-M) concrete and polyboron are measured with an NaI(Tl) detector. The detector response function is studied, and the inverted detector response matrix is generated. Using this inverted response matrix, the pulse-height spectra of gamma rays transmitted through the shields are converted into photon spectra, and the respective dose rates are calculated. The instantaneous relaxation lengths and the buildup factors for gamma rays from a 252Cf source penetrating I-M concrete and polyboron slabs are reported. Buildup factors and instantaneous relaxation lengths are fitted to the appropriate functions, and the related coefficients are also reported.
