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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.
G. D. Harvel, J. S. Chang, V. Santhana Krishnan
Nuclear Technology | Volume 109 | Number 1 | January 1995 | Pages 132-141
Technical Paper | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT95-A35073
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Radiographic images generated by the real-time neutron radiography system (RTNR) are analyzed by customized image processing software for the determination of instantaneous void fraction distribution. The cross-sectional averaged axial void fraction profiles and the two-dimensional void fraction profiles are determined simultaneously for each image. Various flow regimes are generated to determine if the RTNR system can accurately predict the void distribution in the radial, axial, and temporal coordinates. The results show the RTNR system correctly determines the void fraction distribution for each flow regime; however, accuracy decreases with decreasing void fraction. For net water thicknesses >1.0 cm, the accuracy decreases with increasing water thickness due to the extreme sensitivity of thermal neutron interactions with light water. Heavy water is a more suitable fluid than light water for void fraction measurements in large-diameter flow systems.
