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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.
Rudi Van De Graaf, T. H. J. J. Van Der Hagen, Robert F. Mudde
Nuclear Technology | Volume 105 | Number 2 | February 1994 | Pages 190-200
Technical Paper | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT94-A34922
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In order to study the thermohydraulic behavior of a natural-circulation-cooled boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel assembly, such as void drift, flow pattern distribution, and stability, a scaled loop geometry is designed. For modeling the steam/water flow in a BWR fuel assembly, scaling criteria are derived using the onedimensional drift-flux model. Thermal equilibrium and subcooled boiling conditions are treated separately, resulting in one overall set of criteria. Scaling on all flow regimes that can be present in a normal fuel assembly leads to fixing both the assembly mass flux and the geometric dimensions. When Freon-12 is used as a modeling fluid, model assembly dimensions must be 0.46 of the prototype. Total power consumption must be reduced by a factor 50. To sustain cooling by natural circulation, a modeled chimney and downcomer are included.