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.
Robert Zboray, Wilhelmus J. M. de Kruijf, Tim H. J. J. van der Hagen, Rizwan-uddin
Nuclear Technology | Volume 146 | Number 3 | June 2004 | Pages 244-256
Technical Paper | Thermal Hydraulics | doi.org/10.13182/NT04-A3503
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The nonlinear dynamics of natural-circulation, boiling two-phase flows are investigated using a two-phase flow loop. Experiments have been carried out in the unstable operating region of the facility for various system pressures and for different frictions at the exit of the riser section. It appears that the boiling two-phase flow undergoes the well-known Feigenbaum scenario, the period-doubling route toward chaotic behavior. Evaluation of the recorded signals using nonlinear time series analysis methods indicates the occurrence of chaotic density-wave oscillations.