ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
Nuclear Technology
August 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
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.
Hiromasa Iida, Yuichi Ishizaka, Yeong-Chan Kim, Chouichi Yamaguchi
Nuclear Technology | Volume 107 | Number 1 | July 1994 | Pages 38-48
Technical Paper | Special on ANP ’92 Conference / Fission Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT94-A34996
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The deep-sea reactor X (DRX) is a small nuclear plant designed to provide undersea power sources. It has the full advantages of nuclear reactors and can provide large power capacity and does not require oxygen for power production. An application conceivable in the near future is that for a submersible. The Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute is conducting a design study of a 150-kW(electric) DRX plant for a deep-sea research vessel. It has a so-called “integrated pressurized water reactor,” having a steam generator inside the reactor vessel. A pressure shell includes a turbine and a generator as well as a reactor vessel, resulting in a very compact electricity producing plant. It should be easy to operate and have high passive safety characteristics; namely, a short startup time, good reactor response to power demand changes, and passive core flooding and decay heat removal in case of an accident. Transient analyses including those for load follow-up, reactor startup, and accidents have been conducted. The results show that the DRX has excellent inherent characteristics satisfying those requirements.