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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.
Borut Mavko, Stojan Petelin, Oton Gortnar
Nuclear Technology | Volume 101 | Number 2 | February 1993 | Pages 181-192
Technical Paper | Nuclear Reactor Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT93-A34779
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The steam generator is one of the most important components of a pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plant. Thus, the ability to model and predict the steam generator steady-state and transient thermal-hydraulic behavior is a prerequisite for performing safety analyses of PWR systems. A RELAP5 model of the Westinghouse D4 steam generator with a 70/30 split feedwater system has been developed, and it is tested by simulating five secondary-side-initiated transients. This study of primary-to-secondary heat transfer and the secondary coolant vaporization process has enabled the primary coolant cooldown to be maximized, as required for performing a conservative steamline break analysis. These tests were realized using the RELAP5/MOD2.36.05 and RELAP5/MOD3.5M5 computer codes.
