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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.
Shih-Jen Wang, Chun-Sheng Chien
Nuclear Technology | Volume 103 | Number 3 | September 1993 | Pages 403-409
Technical Paper | Reactor Operation | doi.org/10.13182/NT93-A34860
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
To apply fast and accurate simulation techniques to Taiwanese nuclear power plants, the Chinshan plant analyzer was developed based on the Brookhaven National Laboratory boiling water reactor (BWR) plant analyzer. The Chinshan plant analyzer provides user-friendly, on-line, interactive simulation capability with graphics display and is suitable for control system analysis. During the generator load rejection (GLR) test at the Chinshan BWR power station located in northern Taiwan, the reactor feedwater pump (RFP) tripped because of a high downcomer level (level 8). Feedwater control was then lost because of the RFP trip. By the end of the transient, a huge amount of water had accumulated in the reactor pressure vessel. The margin to main steamline flooding was decreased. An optimization module was developed and added to the Chinshan plant analyzer. With the optimized feedwater controller settings, the maximum downcomer level is below level 8, and the RFP does not trip during the GLR transient. The margin to main steamline flooding is increased. These techniques will be applied for improving plant performance in the near future.