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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.
You-Cho Choi, Goon-Cherl Park, Chang-Hyun Chung
Nuclear Technology | Volume 106 | Number 3 | June 1994 | Pages 292-299
Technical Paper | Nuclear Reactor Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT94-A34959
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Xenon spatial oscillation may give rise to operational difficulties in a nuclear power plant. In this study, in order to investigate xenon instability for a pressurized water reactor, the frequency-domain technique is adopted by using the generalized Nyquist criterion, which is more general and suitable for the multi-input /multi-output system. Also linearized modal fluxes are obtained by modal expansion. This model has been implemented to test the axial xenon stability of the KNU 7 unit with changes in plant operating parameters.