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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.
Kazuichiro Hashimoto, Gunji Nishio, Kunihisa Soda
Nuclear Technology | Volume 101 | Number 2 | February 1993 | Pages 218-226
Technical Paper | Enrichment and Reprocessing System | doi.org/10.13182/NT93-A34783
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A solvent fire in the extraction process of a fuel reprocessing plant is postulated. Because of the high concentration of fission products and large amount of nuclear fuel materials in the extraction process, it is necessary to demonstrate that these radioactive materials can be confined by the air ventilation system during a solvent fire. Large-scale tests are performed in a fire/filter facility to evaluate the effectiveness of a ventilation system including high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to confine radioactive materials. It is demonstrated that the integrity of the filters in the ventilation system can be maintained, and the decontamination factor of HEPA filters for smoke particles, which might contain radioactive materials, is sufficiently high during a postulated solvent fire.