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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.
Chan Bock Lee, Yong Sik Yang, Young Min Kim, Dae Ho Kim, Youn Ho Jung
Nuclear Technology | Volume 147 | Number 1 | July 2004 | Pages 140-148
Technical Paper | Thoria-Urania NERI | doi.org/10.13182/NT04-A3520
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A thoria-urania (ThO2-UO2) fuel performance analysis code was developed by adding performance models and material properties correlations for thoria-urania fuel to a UO2 fuel performance analysis code, and its prediction capability was validated by comparison with thoria-urania fuel irradiation test data. Analysis of the ThO2-UO2 fuel performance in a typical pressurized water reactor showed that it could be irradiated up to a burnup of 70 to 100 MWd/kg heavy metal by optimizing the fuel rod design, and the overall irradiation performance of the ThO2-UO2 fuel would be somewhat better than for UO2 fuel.
