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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.
W. S. Yeung, J. Shirkov
Nuclear Technology | Volume 114 | Number 1 | April 1996 | Pages 141-145
Technical Note | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT96-A35230
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An analysis of an anomaly in the subcooled critical flow model in the RELAP5/MOD3 computer code is presented. Specifically, the code produces a discontinuity in going from unchoked subcooled liquid flow (i.e., subsonic flow) to subcooled choked flow (i.e., sonic flow). The same anomaly has been reported elsewhere. The root cause for this anomaly has been analyzed, and it is found that the user-supplied junction loss coefficient and discharge coefficient play an important role in the occurrence of this anomaly. The analysis is verified by assessment against a test problem simulating single-phase liquid flow through a convergent nozzle with a fixed upstream pressure and a varying downstream pressure. A corrective measure to eliminate the discontinuity is suggested.