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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.
Insoo Jun, Myung Jae Song
Nuclear Technology | Volume 109 | Number 3 | March 1995 | Pages 357-365
Technical Paper | Nuclear Fuel Cycle | doi.org/10.13182/NT95-A35084
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The safety and credibility of boraflex, a neutron absorbing material widely used in the spent-fuel storage assembly, has been analyzed from a nuclear point of view. The nuclear heating (absorbed dose) rate and the neutron-induced radioactivity for the boraflex under a typical nuclear environment were calculated. The result showed that in a normal condition, the total absorbed dose for the boraflex was mainly due to the decay photons originating from the spent fuel and compatible with the dose limit prescribed in the literature. Furthermore, the induced radioactivity level for the boraflex after 30 yr (the expected lifetime of the storage rack) of spent-fuel neutron irradiation was well below the limit stated in 10CFR61.55, so it can be classified as Class A waste.