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.
Hsu-Chieh Yeh, Robert F. Keating, R. Michael Roidt, L. E. Hochreiter
Nuclear Technology | Volume 98 | Number 2 | May 1992 | Pages 224-229
Technical Paper | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT92-A34678
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The dynamic behavior of the failed steam generator tube plug of an operational plant in 1989 can be understood through an analysis that solves the energy equation of the broken plug top and computes its kinetic energy as a function of elevation in the tube. The computed high kinetic energy of the plug top when it reaches the U-bend of the tube can exceed the work required to penetrate the tube wall at that location. If the inlet flow area at the bottom of the tube is small, the plug top exhibits an interesting stop-and-reacceleration behavior.
