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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, Suh-Chyn Jeng
Nuclear Technology | Volume 103 | Number 3 | September 1993 | Pages 410-416
Technical Paper | Reactor Operation | doi.org/10.13182/NT93-A34861
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In the Kuosheng nuclear power station, a turbine-driven reactor feedwater pump (TDRFP) is used to drive feedwater to the reactor pressure vessel (RPV). The performance of the TDRFP plays an important role in the safe operation of the nuclear power station as it governs the water inventory in the RPV. The dynamics of the TDRFP in the Kuosheng nuclear power station are simulated, and related parameters are identified by the simplex search method. A reactor feedwater pump (RFP) trip test was performed during the startup test of the Kuosheng nuclear power station. This RFP trip transient was selected for this study because it simplifies the identification process. The ratio of rated torque to moments of inertia, parameters related to the characteristic H-Q curve, and parameters related to the characteristic T-Q curve are verified.
