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August 24–27, 2026
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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.
Wei-Wu Chao, Jay F. Kunze, Weimin Dai, Sudarshan K. Loyalka
Nuclear Technology | Volume 105 | Number 2 | February 1994 | Pages 261-270
Technical Paper | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT94-A34927
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Research reactors present a different set of operating conditions than do light water (power) reactors (LWRs). Thermal-hydraulic transient/safety codes, such as the Reactor Loss of Coolant Analysis Program (RELAP), have been verified against experimental data from several test facilities designed for the operating conditions of LWRs. However, the operating pressures, temperatures, fuel type, and flow direction are quite different in most high-power research reactors. Furthermore, the coolant (water) in these reactors generally is not degasified and hence contains dissolved air. Results are given of benchmark experiments compared with RELAP predictions for the conditions encountered during a loss-of-coolant accident for a typical research reactor.